Kyoto Day Flow Rec & Seasonal Kiyomizu-dera Illuminations✨(we’ve been before & skipped some things)
Today we’re in downtown Kyoto and this area is known for shopping, Nishiki Market, Ponto Alley, and so much more. We enjoyed walking down this strip, going in and out of stores, and just checking out things we hadn’t seen before. The sunset was also beautiful. We came across a Nintendo store, and Alex was so excited because he loves Zelda, and we enjoy Mario Kart and Animal Crossing. The Codaxi guy also gave Alex that sticker. They hit it off. He was so kind and let us know about this neat hostel called Couch Potato. So, we’ll have to check that out. We kept walking until we made it to Punto Alley. This area is known for iseko style restaurants and places to eat and drink with friends along the Kamo River. We kept walking along here until we got to Gon. But our main goal was to make it to Kim Muzua because from August 14th to 16th it was open late for Oban. And during sinichi mod or the thousand-day pilgrimage, one visit equals the merit of a thousand. And you can even step inside the main hall’s inner sanctum. The name Kimazu means pure water. And so visitors can uh drink from one of the three streams for success in studies, long life, or for health and love. But tradition says choose only one because drinking from all three would be greedy. See you next time. Bye.
🍢 Nishiki Market
Must-try bites:
– Tamago on a stick 🍳(sweet omelet)
– Shrimp tempura 🍤 (crispy + fresh)
– Ichigo daifuku 🍓 (strawberry mochi)
– Skewered sashimi / grilled seafood 🍣
– Soy milk donuts 🍩 & sesame ice cream 🍦
– Yuba (tofu skin) rolls + Kyoto pickles 🥒 (tsukemono)
– Matcha treats 🍵 + Kyoto spices for souvenirs
🛍 Kyoto Shopping Street
– Just off Nishiki → Shijō + Teramachi/Kawaramachi
– Kyoto’s main shopping drag with global + local shops
– 🎮 Nintendo Store Kyoto (inside Kyoto BAL)
🏮 Gion Walk + Café
– Hanamikoji Street → geiko/maiko district (best around 5 pm)
– Yasaka Shrine → glowing lanterns, open 24/7
– Shirakawa Canal → willow trees + bridges = photogenic
– ☕ Gion Tsujiri (matcha parfait/iced matcha) or Kagizen Yoshifusa (traditional sweets)
🍶 Pontocho Alley Dinner
– Cross the Kamo River to lantern-lit Pontocho
– 🌿 Riverside kawadoko dining (summer platforms)
– 🍤 Izakaya like Pontocho Kohaku (sake + small plates, shrimp tempura)
– 🍲 Gogyo nearby → Kyoto’s burnt miso ramen
🌙 Evening Kamo River Walk
– After dinner → stroll the riverbanks
Lantern reflections, couples relaxing, calm Kyoto vibes
⛩ Kiyomizu-dera
– Huge wooden stage + panoramic Kyoto views
– Otowa Waterfall spouts (pov standing there ready to drink):
→ Right = success in studies 📚
→ Middle = long life 🌿
→ Left = health & love ❤️
(from the outside looking at the waterfall, the order is reversed)
– Tradition: pick just one cus all three = greedy 😅
🏮 Night Visits (Illuminations):
– Spring (late March–early April) → cherry blossoms in bloom.
– Summer (Aug 14–16, Obon) → Sennichi-mode (1 visit = merit of 1,000) + inner sanctum access, honoring ancestors.
– Autumn (late Nov–early Dec) → fiery autumn leaves 🍁
– ❄️ No winter nights
👉 Dates shift slightly each year (except Obon which is always Aug 14–16). Always check the official schedule before you go.
✨ And if you can’t catch a night opening, daytime visits are still incredible!
#kiyomizudera #gion #pontocho #kyoto #japan