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So you like Japan and the yen is at an all time low? Plus the fact that the winds of politics have blown away all the Chinese tourists ? Timing could not be better for my trip and I didn’t even plan it for the above scenario. But Kyoto is known to be packed with tourists at this time of the year with the autumn leaves beckoning. Apart from squeezing with the tourists are there any other places to go and see those gorgeous leaves ? I got a taste of autumn recently and I wanted to let my family enjoy some too, so here we go! So I went with my lil un about two years ago and we did the usual places : bamboo forest, clear water temple, geisha district, tori gates and also the aquarium. You can choose to brace the crowds or try out next places. So this time we planned Bamboo forest but take the sagano romantic train Kyoto train museum Nara deer park And the prize - Amanohishidate We will try some nice food places and do a bit of shopping too We got into a nice Denza for the ride to the airport, only 3 weeks old! It takes a little more than six hours, so we have meals in the airport at Sukiya As for Amanohashidate, I first heard this from a friend and decided to look into it in detail and found out it’s one of the top three scenic places in Japan How to get there I like to stay in Kyoto train station because it’s a hub. Most places can be accessed from here including Amanohishidate where a Kintetsu limited express will get you here in about two hours or so. Along the way you’ll see plenty of autumn colors and bamboo forests too. In fact the train passes through Arashiyama. Let's get to the prize first, a simple train ride on a limited express train and you're in Amanohishidate. Walk a few steps and you're at the foot of the Viewland Amusement Park for the cable car ride to the top. Amanohishidate is good enough to occupy your little one for more than a day and tire them out. And if you see the number of parents with little kids, you wouldn’t think Japan has a birth rate issue. The view from the top is something else and this place deserves its spot as one of the top three sights in Japan. This is how you are supposed to see the dragon in the water - by bending over If you look around, you won't think Japan has a birth rate problem with so many kids.. And now for the vital question, how's the crowd? Well, like I said, this is a little out of the way, two hours from Kyoto, so it's not busy at all, and the crowd is largely Japanese.

Friends I need some tips on places to go, stay, eat and more I know there's a Hokkaido thread, but I didn't want to OT there, and if there's another Kyoto thread, please do the needful. So basically, I'm hoping to go in Mid November or thereabout, making using of the public holiday in SG and bring my baby over before the airfares get much higher. In December my little 'un will be two, so it's also a good time to go before I get charge full rates. I'm hoping to spend about 5-6 days there Some basic aims: - see the Autumn leaves - let baby have fun - yeah I know, the memories of this trip may be minimal, but for lao pek, I get to make some memories - put baby in a Jinbei / Kimono / Ninja suit (heh) - enjoy good food - onsen will be nice - ryokan is nice, but even now, many good places are sold out or unavailable My budget is about S$250 a night or so for hotels and they need to be baby friendly, and ideally near attractions or central Kyoto and a train station. I was told to land in Kansai airport and take an express train to Kyoto station direct. So please share tips on food, hotels / ryokans / places of interest especially for babies with shorter attention spans and more, thanks!

Now that the year is over, I have finally wrapped up my 2024 reports from 3 different automotive-centric trips to Japan over a year. Tokyo Auto Salon 2024 The return of JDM, the return of the Tokyo Auto Salon. https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/01/31/tokyo-auto-salon-2024-the-return-of-jdm-the-return-of-the-tokyo-auto-salon/ Highlights from Day 1 https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/02/01/tokyo-auto-salon-2024-highlights-from-day-1/ Highlights from Day 2 https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/02/02/tokyo-auto-salon-2024-highlights-from-day-2/ The BMWs of TAS https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/02/03/tokyo-auto-salon-2024-the-return-of-bmw/ https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/02/05/tokyo-auto-salon-2024-the-other-bmws-of-tas/ Liberty Walk https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/02/23/tokyo-auto-salon-2024-liberty-walk/ Madlane Porsche 935ML https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/02/27/tokyo-auto-salon-2024-kazuki-madlanes-935ml/ DAMD Jimnys https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/03/02/tokyo-auto-salon-2024-damd-if-you-do/ TOM'S A80 Supra Restomod https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/03/02/tokyo-auto-salon-2024-the-toms-effect/ NAT's https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/03/06/tokyo-auto-salon-2024-nats-it-thats-it/ Toyotas of TAS https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/03/06/tokyo-auto-salon-2024-the-toyotas-of-tas/ 86s https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/03/10/tokyo-auto-salon-2024-hachiroku-revival/ Nissans of TAS https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/03/14/tokyo-auto-salon-2024-the-nissans-of-tas/ Mazdas of TAS https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/03/20/tokyo-auto-salon-2024-the-mazdas-of-tas/ Hondas of TAS https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/03/22/tokyo-auto-salon-2024-do-you-have-vtec-the-hondas-of-tas/ CeLavi's Renault Maxi Twingo https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/03/27/tokyo-auto-salon-2024-rage-against-the-mundane-cars-hatanos-celavie-105-maxi-renault-twingo/ Hyundai NPX1 https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/04/01/tokyo-auto-salon-2024-dialed-up-to-11-the-hyundai-npx1-concept/ Van's, Trucks, MPVs and SUVs https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/04/04/tokyo-auto-salon-2024-the-vans-trucks-mpvs-and-suvs-of-tas/ Porsche's, Abarts and Europeans marques https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/04/10/tokyo-auto-salon-2024-porsches-abarths-and-the-other-eurodms-of-tas/ The EVs of TAS https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/04/11/tokyo-auto-salon-2024-the-evs/ The Oddballs https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/04/12/tokyo-auto-salon-2024-the-wacky-oddballs/ The Other sights of TAS2024 https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/04/15/tokyo-auto-salon-2024-the-other-sights-of-tas/ Mooneyes Street Car Nationals 2024 https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/08/05/riotous-living-the-mooneyes-street-car-nationals-2024-part-1/ https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/08/07/heavy-hitters-the-mooneyes-street-car-nationals-2024-part-2/ Mooneyes Hotrod Custom Show 2024 https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/12/12/sneak-peek-shenanigans-set-up-day-at-the-2024-mooneyes-yokohama-hot-rod-custom-show/ The bikes of HCS2024 https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/12/25/rolling-art-the-bikes-of-the-2024-mooneyes-yokohama-hot-rod-custom-show/ The cars of HCS2024 https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/12/28/built-to-thrill-the-cars-of-the-2024-mooneyes-yokohama-hot-rod-custom-show/ Everything else at HCS2024 https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/12/29/everything-else-and-the-cutting-room-floor-wrapping-up-the-2024-mooneyes-yokohama-hot-rod-custom-show/ Dream Drives A Perfect Day, An Incredible Machine, A Dream Fulfilled: Driving the G87 BMW M2 in Japan https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/02/13/a-perfect-day-an-incredible-machine-a-dream-fulfilled-driving-the-g87-bmw-m2-in-japan/ Euphoric High: Daikoku and the Wangan in a G87 BMW M2 https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/02/17/a-euphoric-high-daikoku-and-the-wangan-in-a-g87-bmw-m2/ A Dream Revisited: Driving the G81 BMW M3 Touring Competition in Japan https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/06/23/a-dream-revisited-driving-the-g81-bmw-m3-touring-competition-in-japan/ https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/06/29/a-dream-revisited-the-cutting-room-floor/ Porsche Experience Centre Tokyo https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/04/24/tokyo-auto-otaku-2024-porsche-experience-centre-tokyo/ Fuji Motorsports Museum https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/08/08/legacy-of-speed-visiting-the-fuji-motorsports-museum/ Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/10/24/nagoya-auto-otaku-2024-visiting-the-toyota-commemorative-museum-of-industry-and-technology/ Toyota Automobile Museum https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/10/31/nagoya-auto-otaku-2024-visiting-the-toyota-automobile-museum/ Nissan Global HQ https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/11/10/yokohama-auto-otaku-2024-visiting-the-nissan-global-headquarters-gallery/ Bingo Sports https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/12/17/tokyo-auto-otaku-2024-bingo-sports-and-daniel-arshams-porsche-356-speedster-bonsai/ https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/12/18/tokyo-auto-otaku-2024-italian-dreaming-at-bingo-sports/ https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/12/19/tokyo-auto-otaku-2024-beyond-the-spotlight-at-bingo-sports/ Other Tokyo Automotive locales Crank https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/04/29/tokyo-auto-otaku-2024-revisiting-crank-tokyo/ Book Garage https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/04/30/tokyo-auto-otaku-2024-the-book-garage/ Flip Flip Coffee Supply and Le Garage https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/10/19/tokyo-auto-otaku-2024-flip-flip-coffee-supply-and-le-garage/ Studie Yokohama https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/12/14/bavarian-pitstop-revisiting-studie-yokohama/ Car Spotting https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2025/01/03/japan-auto-otaku-2024-a-year-of-street-spots/ Om nom noms https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/05/03/tokyo-料理-otaku-2024-the-foodie-roundup/ Ending off https://carsnkopi.wordpress.com/2024/11/22/lets-go-fighting-love-my-japan-adventures-ahead/

went for a 1 week trip to Kyoto during the school holidays. Will post the food pics first. Katsukura in Kyoto. Supposedly the most famous tonkatsu in Kyoto according to my hotel receptionist 🙂 Not that expensive too. I thought it was good value for money and must try. Quite a few branches in Kyoto. DON'T try Unagi Sora. It is the most highly rated unagi shop on google map... I went and saw they give discount for google reviews.... which is like really rare in Japan... As expected, the meal is expensive and so-so....

Murderer. Set fire to the building... We need to take note of fire escape plans in case of an emergency. Or at least know different exits out of buildings. Kyoto Animation fire: At least 23 dead after suspected arson attack - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-49027178

So arrived in Osaka this morning went to lunch at a shopping mall known as Lucua, had beef shabu-shabu On the 10th floor, the entrance of the restaurant Preparing the wine Starter Salad Pan fry beef Assorted dishes Seared marbled beef Preparing sauces for the shabu-shabu Here comes the thinly sliced marbled A5 beef Just don't know what to say The vegetables Great lunch