Today, the weather has other plans for us. We had planned to take the Sagano Romantic Train, but due to the heavy rain, we decided to head to a shopping centre in Kyoto instead. It’s important to remain flexible with your plans, especially when travelling with a large group of seniors and young kids. For attractions that don’t typically sell out, we prefer to book on the day of the visit. This allows us to adjust our itinerary as needed to accommodate everyone’s needs and comfort as well as bad weather.
For those who are keen, you can purchase the below day tour from klook:
The tour begins with a romantic train ride on the Sagano Scenic Railway, which runs along the Hozugawa River. You’ll enjoy the stunning scenery of Arashiyama’s forests before stopping for lunch in Arashiyama. Next, you’ll visit the famous Kiyomizudera Temple, known for its wooden stage that extends 13 meters above the hillside. The final stop of the tour is the world-renowned Fushimi Inari Taisha.
We chose to visit the Kyoto Station Building, which features a wide range of shops and department stores, including Isetan. It was a great alternative for a rainy day, offering plenty of shopping and dining options. I arranged a massage session for my parents to soothe their tired legs after several days of walking. Meanwhile, the kids kept themselves entertained with the diverse selection of toys available at the department stores, and we discovered a complimentary play area for them to enjoy!
After the boys napped, we headed to Nishiki Market, which is a vibrant and bustling food market in Kyoto, offering a wide variety of fresh produce, seafood, snacks, and local delicacies. We also went to Teramachi and Shinkyogoku Shopping Arcades. The arcades are just a short walk away, located parallel to each other and intersecting Nishiki. Simply exit the market onto Shinkyogoku.
As we explored the market, we sampled so many delicious foods from the various stalls that we were completely full by the end of our visit. With all the tasty treats we tried
Kyoto Mipig Cafe
We then visited the Mipig Cafe which was around that area too, and it was an experience like no other. We made reservation via this link From the moment we stepped inside, we were greeted by the adorable sight of micro pigs lounging around the cozy café.
As soon as we settled in, the boys couldn’t contain their excitement. They were fascinated by the playful pigs and couldn’t wait to interact with them. However, we had to control the boys as they were getting too excited and we were afraid that they will scare the pigs.
Despite the need for quiet, the boys had a wonderful time. They carefully approached the pigs, offering them gentle pats and giggling in delight as the pigs nestled among their legs. It was a heartwarming sight to see them bonding with these adorable creatures. The pigs are very friendly and will just climb onto your legs and rest. Free drinks are included in the tickets but it’s quite hard to drink with the pigs on your leg. Overall its was an interesting experience as we don’t have a pig cafe in our country.
Address: Sichiho Shinkyogoku building, 560-2, ShinKyogoku-dori 4joagaru Nakano-cho, Chukyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
Train station: Kyoto-kawaramachi Station Exit 9