Woche 24 - Kyoto + Fujiyoshida

In Kyoto there were more sights to see and it was good that we had three full days there. Unfortunately, Esther got sick because of the cold, so we were able to take things more relaxed. But the first highlight was the huge supermarket across from our hostel. Inside, there was a huge selection of everything, but especially a huge sushi counter (like the sushi at Rewe, but with many more fish varieties and fresh). We almost went in there every evening because unfortunately, we lived a bit off the center. Since we had booked the hostels well in advance, we were totally surprised that we had a private room and were very happy about it. The receptionist thought that was totally weird hahaha. The only downside to this accommodation was that the shower was nine floors below us in the basement. But the off-center location wasn't really a problem because you could take the bus directly there. By the way, you get on at the back without paying and then get off at the front with the driver and only pay at the end.

On the first day, we got off the bus right at the Nishiki Market and pushed through the crowds. That's a famous street food market that turned out to be excellent. Over the course of the days, we were able to try some things: Dango 🍡, Taiyaki (waffle dough in the shape of a fish with custard filling, served warm, super delicious), Mochi with bean paste inside and a strawberry in the middle (they love strawberries here, they are on and in everything), I ate a broiled crab leg (that was so awesome, if I find it again I'll eat 5), Tuna steak on a skewer, Gyoza (of course), and I'm sure I forgot something. Then I got stuck in a chopstick store for at least an hour. They had wooden/bamboo chopsticks in all shapes, colors, and lengths, and of course accessories. You could even have them engraved for free. AWESOME!

Afterwards, we stumbled upon a ramen place where we were supposed to eat the best bowl of our trip. Greeted by the sweetest old owners ever. The curry ramen was as delicious as it sounds. Really thick and flavorful broth with the typical toppings. The farewell was also sweet. Arrigato (thank you) is really the only word I know and it is always answered with joy. The owner could also say thank you in German, so we and the three owners thanked each other in three languages with bows and smiles, so that everyone had to laugh somehow. That was our best encounter so far and we walked out of there completely enchanted.

We also visited a temple, but we got stuck in the street leading to it in all the shops for so long that the temple grounds were already closed when we arrived. They really have a knack for pottery bowls here (especially the matcha bowl) and there are soo many beautiful ones. We also visited the Matcha House and Esther ate the matcha tiramisu. On the way down, there was a very beautiful sunset. Especially the famous Inari Shrine I liked very much. Those are those famous red/orange torii gates (?) that lead up the mountain one after the other. There are many branches where there are graves and small versions of these red arches are placed again. It was crowded with tourists, but the further you walk up, the emptier it naturally becomes. We could directly recognize the Germans by their outdoor outfits and hiking shoes, and the Americans by their loud voices. Everything as usual :D

During our stay in Kyoto, there was only one dark cloud hanging over our heads... and that was booking the trip to Fujiyoshida. Booking transportation shouldn't have been a big hurdle. However, we actually didn't want to take the Shinkansen (because it's expensive). Apparently, with the introduction of the Shinkansen, booking alternatives was made much more difficult (at least for tourists). We couldn't even find the office for the night bus, the guy at the hostel was immediately overwhelmed, and there just aren't many other options. So in the end, we booked the stupid Shinkansen and actually had a pretty good time in it😅. Windows like on an airplane, very clean, legroom like you've never seen before, and seats that you can practically adjust horizontally. Especially, it accelerates very quickly and doesn't wait like the ICE until it's out of the city. In the curves and downhill, you feel like you're briefly taking off with your butt, and you don't have to think that it slows down when passing through stations. When we were sitting somewhere on the platform, someone came zooming through and that was quite shocking. Also, the schnauze (front) is cute. The first glimpse of Mount Fuji was a complete WOW moment, which doesn't happen often. We were sitting on the wrong side of the train, but the woman sitting by the window suddenly started clicking away, and Esther immediately said, 'the Fuji is coming'. And she was right:

Despite the Shinkansen, we still had to take another bus around Fuji to get to our village, which turned out to be very cool. We also had such great weather, which you really need at Fuji. Since it stands completely alone, it attracts every cloud in the area on clear days and is therefore often covered. But in our 2 days, we could see it almost the whole time with the bluest sky. In Kawaguchiko, we stored our backpacks at the train station and went DIRECTLY to the famous photo spot. You have to get used to the fact that everyone knows exactly where the spots are thanks to social media and do excessive photo shoots. But no judgment! That's why we know about it too. That's also what I like about Asia, in general, you don't have to be embarrassed or uncomfortable about taking pictures here because Asian tourists are miles ahead of you in effort, commitment, posing, and zero shame. So you can calmly test every angle and take pictures for half an hour. Everyone politely bends down and doesn't jump into the photos and respects the effort for the optimal picture. So here are our results (from Lawson Konbini and Fuji):

There is a five-lake plateau around the volcano, so we also walked to the water, bought a T-shirt, and enjoyed the view. Radiant sun and the sight of Fuji put us in a mega mood. It also reminds me a bit of Canada (small village, snow-covered mountains, and my hazelnut coffee). Then we took the bus to Fujiyoshida, where our hostel was waiting for us. The views here were stunning again, and we immediately started taking pictures. Right next to our hostel was also the famous Honcho Street (another photo spot). Because we lived there, we could easily avoid the day tourists and take pictures in peace (in the morning at 8 or in the evening around 5 o'clock, well):

Both of us were constantly torn between 'enjoying the moment and not taking pictures all the time' and 'if you're at such an amazing place, you want to capture everything and also have cool pictures of yourself with Fuji'. So we didn't overdo it and also enjoyed the time, but in the end, I suddenly had over 300 pictures of myself in front of the mountain. But I also didn't expect a mountain to overwhelm me like that. The sight really blew me away. With 3700 meters, Fuji is also pretty tall, and every time you turn around, it towers above all the houses and offers a fantastic skyline! Finally, there was a pagoda on a mountain, this sight just screams Japan and was also very impressive. Ultimately, Fujiyoshida was the absolute highlight of the trip for both of us. And I think for anyone who plans to come here, I recommend first renting a car and going on a road trip in this area and treating yourself to a great accommodation with a view of Fuji (and maybe including an onsen 🛀).