Thanks for all the recs Michel!
Have you looked at the exchange rate recently? The yen has moved from 100:1 last year to 125:1 currently so it’s much more affordable.
More time in Tokyo, less time in Tokyo…
I think I’ll stop worrying about it. We’ll find things to do wherever we are.
You are right - don’t worry about it. Tokyo is incredible and inexhaustibly interesting, but it is also overwhelming and the pace is not to be believed, even for a NYer. Kyoto is much quieter and gentler. There MUCH more to do in Kyoto than just visit temples, so you will not be “templed out” unless that is all you choose to do. And if you are tired of Kyoto, you can take a train easily to Osaka - a funny city with great food - or elsewhere.
Agree with Ryan that you should do one high-end kaiseki, and do it in Kyoto, as that is the home of kaiseki. You are staying at Hiiragiya, so you’ll get a good example no matter what. If you can swing a reservation at Nakahigashi, it is well worth it and very close to the food experience you would have at Miyamasou (same family), which might be my favorite place in the world.
I sent you a bunch of suggestions via email as well.
Final suggestion is to have the concierge from your hotel make some of the more challenging reservations for you. Some places will only accept them for foreigners via hotels.
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Any shops particularly worth a visit?
We’re in HK airport now for our connecting flight and will be in Kyoto in about 3 days.
Jay:
What kind of shops are you looking for?
A fun show on Tokyo dining that was on PBS last night (or maybe Tuesday)
There’s an excellent pottery/ceramics shop right at the foot of Kiyomizudera temple (whole area is full of great shopping/architecture, even if it’s a tad touristy). I don’t recall the name but I bought a beautiful sake set there. It’s in Durston’s book. It may be called Roku Roku Dou.
Shinzaburo Hanpu has great bags.
I remember there were other neat shops from Durston’s book but I can’t recall which right now.
Enjoy!
Thanks!
I went through the book but there were so many shops listed I got a bit lost.
Jay - if you guys are interested in yakimono (ceramics, literally “cooked things”) send me an email. We collect Japanese pottery and are friends with one of the foremost experts on ceramics in Kyoto. His gallery is incredible and worth a visit, but very high end. We can connect you with some very good more reasonable stores as well, and a number of good antiques shops. If you like, we can go to the antiques street when we meet up.
I LOVE Kyoto. You will not be templed out even with a week. We did day trips to Nara, Fushimi for the Inari Shrine and Osaka. The train from Kyoto to Osaka is really fast! Lots of other day trips.
Here is my favorite restaurant Matayoshi in Kyoto.
Absolutely stunning.
Don, thank you so much for the recommendation!
We just had an amazing lunch at Matayoshi.
Jay.
Have a great trip.
Kyoto is special.