One nice thing about this hostel I’ve been staying at in Kyoto is the 24 Hour grocery store next door. It is probably the best place to get cheap food, including ready to eat sushi and similar packages. I think that’s the only place I’ve been getting food lately. Get some kind of rice balls, or fried fish/chicken, or bread rolls and eat it over in the hostel. The downside to the place is how full it can get. It was the most crowded last night, with 10 people in my room, huge backpacks all over the floor, and my 3-level bunk-bed filled up.
Today was my last day in Kyoto so I tried to see as much as I could before I left. Near my hostel, I walked to Kennin-ji. After checking out, I visited Tofuku-ji. After putting my backpack in a locker at Kyoto station, walked through Myoshin-ji before visiting Ninna-ji. Then sort of a long walk to Kinkaku-ji (the most famous place in Kyoto, the Golden Temple–I think overrated), then another long walk and a train to Koryu-ji (was a rip-off, unfortunately). Then another train and I tried to get a peek at Nijo Castle, but didn’t get a good view and time was running short. Finally back to Kyoto Station, and from there I walked over to Higashi-Nongan-ji, and Nishi-Hongan-ji (both under renovation). Kyoto Station had a huge staircase and elevators going up to a 10th floor observation area. What made it unique was the fact the escalators were not stacked on top of each other like in traditional buildings, but all in one line, so it was kind of like going up a mountain. After taking a while I finally found my locker in the huge station and got on the train to Osaka.
I’m spending the next three nights in Osaka.