Kyoto’s Got a Grip (and Maybe a Ghost)
okay, so i’m pretty sure i’m running on caffeine and regret. seriously, i haven’t slept properly in… well, let’s just say it’s been a while. landed in kyoto yesterday, and it’s… intense. like, aggressively intense. the air smells like damp moss and something vaguely sweet, maybe incense? i just checked and it's...there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. the humidity’s clinging to everything - 67%, according to my wrist thing - and the pressure’s sitting at 1023. feels like a solid 3.13, which is… unsettling.
my hotel, the ‘Golden Sparrow’ (don’t ask), is tucked away down a ridiculously narrow alley. it’s basically a glorified shoebox, but the tatami mats are comfy, and the guy at the front desk just stares at you with this unsettlingly calm expression. he didn’t say a word when i checked in. just pointed.
i spent the afternoon wandering around *Gion, trying to spot a geisha. didn’t see one. did see a lot of really expensive silk kimonos and a guy selling matcha ice cream that looked suspiciously like it was made with powdered dirt. someone told me that the best matcha is found near the Kiyomizu-dera Temple, but i was too busy dodging scooters to investigate.
i stumbled into this tiny ramen shop - ‘Ramen Dreams’ - and the owner, a woman named Hana, practically threw a bowl of broth at me. it was incredible. seriously, the best ramen i’ve had in ages. she didn’t speak much english, but she kept gesturing wildly and saying ‘oishii!’ which, i’m pretty sure, translates to ‘delicious.’ i overheard a group of college students talking about a haunted teahouse in Higashiyama - apparently, a former geisha still wanders the halls, searching for her lost lover. spooky, right? i’m half tempted to book a night there.
gear list, because i’m a functional mess:
my battered camera (obviously) - needs a new battery. like, yesterday.
a ridiculously oversized backpack - i could probably live in this thing.
a portable charger - because my phone is perpetually dying.
a phrasebook - mostly useless, but i like the pictures.
a ridiculously large bottle of hand sanitizer - you never know.
a notebook and pen - for documenting my descent into madness.
i also found this amazing little shop selling vintage wooden toys. it was like stepping back in time. the guy there, a wizened old man with a twinkle in his eye, told me that the toys were made by monks centuries ago. i bought a tiny wooden samurai - it’s currently guarding my backpack.
i’m heading to Fushimi Inari Shrine tomorrow - apparently, it’s a bit of a trek, but the thousands of red torii gates are supposed to be breathtaking. i heard that if you walk the entire path, you’ll be granted a wish. i’m hoping for a decent night’s sleep.
if you get bored, Osaka is just a short drive away. seriously, it’s a blur of neon lights and street food.
i also found this really cool blog about local festivals: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2158.html and a great resource for finding hidden gems: https://www.insidekyoto.com/. and, of course, you can always check out TripAdvisor for hotel reviews: https://www.tripadvisor.com/.
someone told me that the best way to experience kyoto is to get lost. i’m taking that advice to heart. or maybe i’m just embracing the chaos. it’s hard to tell at this point.
“Don’t trust the old man selling the matcha. He’s a charlatan. And the geisha are real*.” - overheard from a very drunk tourist.
“I heard that the teahouse is genuinely haunted. People have seen a woman in white wandering the halls. Bring a flashlight.” - a local warned me about.
honestly, i’m starting to think i’m hallucinating. maybe it’s the caffeine. or maybe kyoto is just messing with my head. either way, i’m sticking around. for now.
“Just… don’t ask about the pigeons. Seriously.” - a shopkeeper’s cryptic advice.
i need more coffee. and sleep. and possibly a therapist. but first, fushimi inari. wish me luck.
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