Kyoto is filled with traditional houses all within walkable distance. Many of them are in the Gion quarter, famous for the geishas who one inhabited the area. These are some typical buildings from Gion and the surrounding area:
In Kyoto, we stayed in a ryokan. These are hotels with traditional Japanese rooms. They have tatami mats and (thin) futons. After finding these initially uncomfortable, I got to like them. Here’s our room (without futons) and two photos of the hotel’s foyer:
But Kyoto isn’t all old buildings. The station is modern:
The area around our ryokan was quiet. However, if you walked ten minutes in two different directions, you would see the main shopping district buzzing with people and a large mall/indoor market.
Finally, I found this building fascinating. It reminded me of some of the architecture that could be found in Eastern Europe. I later learnt it was once the ceremonial hall of the Fushimi Inari Shrine that we went to on our first day in Kyoto.
