10D9N Spring Japan Trip: Arashiyama, Kyoto
We arrived in Kyoto at night after a three hours journey via Shinkansen from Haneda Airport to Kyoto Station. We did not really manage to a lot of stuff because by the time we reached Kyoto, it was already 9+. The next morning, we were ready to explore the city of Kyoto. Our first stop for the day is Arashiyama. You can easily board the train from Kyoto Station to Saga-Arashiyama Station and the good news is, you don't have to buy another ticket because you can use your JR Pass for this route.
The moment we exited the station, we saw a huge steam train. Behind the train lies a piano museum. If you are wondering why there are so many museums right at the exit of Saga-Arashiyama station, well, Arashiyama district is known for its popularity amongst tourists, both local and international. We did not really have time for museum visits, so we just simply passed these by.
From Saga-Arashiyama station, you need to walk in the neighbourhood for at least 10 to 15 minutes to reach the main attractions of Arashiyama i.e. Arashiyama Mountain, Arashiyama Bamboo Groove and Tenryu-ji Temple.
If you visit Arashiyama in spring, you can see most of the sakura flowers blooming. We came too early for sakura sighting in Kyoto but oh well, I don't mind looking at the early stage of sakura season. Hahaha.
Once you reach the main street of Arashiyama, you will see shops both on your left and right side. Oh there is something unique about this umbrella shop that I stumbled upon.
These three umbrellas have magic. Those sakura patterns that you see will only appear when the umbrellas are wet. When they are dry, the umbrellas look plain. I know this sounds like a tourist trap but I am one of those trapped tourists. The small pink sakura umbrella costs approximately SGD 13 (USD 9).
There are a lot of cute things that can make you go crazy sold at these shops around Arashiyama. So if you have a soft spot for cute stuff, I hope you carry enough Japanese Yen with you.
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