Day 10 - Kyoto-shi adventures (Yasaka Jinja kimono wearing, Chion-in, okonomiyaki)

Our next day was another relaxed one of familiar activities and sites. It started with us walking from our hotel north along Kawaramachi-dori through Gion, over to Yasaka Jinja). Our destination was a kimono rental shop to get dressed for some photos for Ryan's future Tinder profile in Japan...

This was outside the shop...which was packed full of rental kimono and accessories on two separate floors. The third floor is the dressing room.

It took us about 45 min from picking out our kimono (on separate floors, apart), to getting fully dressed in multiple layers of clothing. 

The first layer of garmenting was a thin white gown that looked like something a fundamentalist 16 year old girl would wear to the temple for her marriage with her 68 year old uncle, to celebrate being his 8th wife and young virgin. (insert eyeroll here) 

The second layer was similar, but this time, there were about 4-5 pieces of fabric tightly wrapped around my waist, some holding a plastic waistband and towel in place They were there to help support the obi later. The attendant was able to adjust the length of kimono to my height at this time as well. I love how she folded the obi at different 90 degree angles to better contrast the designs on the obi. It made a somewhat simple obi look so much more dynamic and beautiful. We also put on the tabi (sock that you wear with your slippers) and picked out slippers as well. They also did up you hair with ornaments as well, if you chose to add that option.

We walked over to the very nearby shrine of Heian Jingu and took photos there for about 30 minutes.

After that, we disrobed (we were quick!) and headed for a short walk to my favorite nearby temple, Chion-in. The walk meandered on a back road for a bit, but was within a 1/2 mile away.

Why do I love Chion-in? It's always nearly empty, with massive stairs to get up to the temple.

Once at the top of the stairs, you can reward yourself thanks to hearty selection of every beverage under the sun...

We spent a hour or so wandering in and around the temple grounds, then made our way back to town. We stumbled upon a few mochi and yatsuhashi mochi shops, of which was making fresh hibachi grilled dango, so I indulged.

And we joke, but this was the second set of two sets of trash cans we saw in all of Kyoto, so we took a photo to commemorate. We are always in shock when we find any! For a country with almost zero litter, you'd never know it from the lack of trash receptables or public restrooms.

Our lunch was at a okonomiyaki shop we used to frequent waaay back in the day. They made us sit catty corner from each other at each meal here, "because of COVID." So if you missed it somehow...COVID doesn't spread diagonally! 

After a full meal of  musubi, okonomiyaki and yakisoba, we went on a walk along one of my old favorite haunts...Teramachi dori! A foodie heaven! The first one never fails to give me the shivers- heavily dyed squid with an egg, meant to look like a baby octopus.

We cannot ever pass through Teramachi without getting tofu ice cream or tofu donuts. It is a TRADITION.

We stumbled upon a very fancy kimono shop on Sanjo dori that afternoon...and were kindly invited in to take a look at their gallery.  I believe they were priced starting at around $7500 per kimono. The only question at that point, is do we get...three...or four?! :-D Hahaha. 

Dinner that night was back at Kura Sushi, followed by a walk up Teramachi dori for another massage...

Followed by a hot soak with epsom salts back at the hotel...

We also visited Mika's (SIL) two dentist brothers at their clinic (a sneak attack) as it's very near Teramachi-dori! I would walk to this clinic every Fri night for nearly three years to meet Mika and her dad for English lessons. :-)  It was so nostalgic to make this walk, and I typically will do it every time we return to Kyoto. ;-) 

The day was a very relaxed, fun and pleasant one...no stressed traveling, running around...just fun with Ryan in our old haunts...even though he ditched us midday! ;-)