🚌🏢City Meets Tourist Attractions

It was time for the panda family to swap peaceful mountain landscapes for Japan’s big, famous cities — starting with Kyoto.

Expectations were high: It was afterall the former imperial capital, famous for its centuries-old temples, traditional architecture, and beautifully preserved glimpses of old Japan. 🏯🍁

But the first impression? Well… let’s just say it didn’t quite match the picture in our heads. 😯

After hearing so much about the famous Golden Triangle of Japan, the Young Pandas and Mamabear had expected something grander, bigger, and perhaps a little more ancient-looking.

Instead, arriving in 28°C heat and over 85% humidity, surrounded by old cars, buses, and a rather eclectic mix of architectural styles, felt less like stepping into the Japan of ancient emperors and more like travelling back to the 1970s. 🥵🚌🏢

Where were the timeless wooden houses? The elegant old streets? The feeling of stepping straight into history?

But perhaps that was the first lesson of city travel:

The magic isn’t waiting at the bus station or around the first corner.

Sometimes, a city needs a little more time to show its secrets. 👀🏯

🏯🎋 Day 2: Kyoto Reveals Itself…! 

The next day, with renewed curiosity, the panda family set off to explore the famous Gion district, known for its geisha culture, along with Yasaka Shrine and Kōdai-ji Temple.

And for a few hours, it finally felt as though the scene had changed:

From busy chaotic streets to something a little closer to the traditional Japan everyone had imagined. 🍵🏮

First up, Yasaka Shrine.

Beautiful, yes. Enormous. Not quiet. 

After all the hype, the panda family were left wondering whether they had missed a secret entrance to the really impressive part. ⛩️

Then came Gion, where things got… interesting.

The historic streets were packed with tourists dressed up as geishas, all on a mission to capture that perfect Instagram shot. 📸👘

Elegant dresses and perfect hair do's, yes absolutely.

But the grace, poise, and quiet composure associated with a geisha did not appear to be part of the purchased package.

Instead, the streets were dominated by clumsy photo poses, crowded pavements, and a whole lot of camera clicking.

Just once, the crowds parted enough for a glimpse of two genuine geishas. 

And there it was: that unmistakable elegance and effortless presence that no costume or Instagram filter could quite recreate.✨

Afterwards the day had one more treat waiting for the panda family: Kōdai-ji Temple. 🌿🏯

With its peaceful atmosphere and beautiful bamboo grove, it was every bit as enchanting as imagined. Towering bamboo, shades of green, and a welcome escape from the crowds

Finally, a little slice of that magical Kyoto, the Young  Pandas had been searching for. 🎋💚

🌿 Day 3: Botanical Garden And Impérial Palace ☀️🍜

Day three in Kyoto didn’t exactly go according to plan.

But then again, when has a panda family adventure ever followed the itinerary? 😂

The mission was clear: get up early, beat the crowds, and visit the famous Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Pavilion) before half the world showed up with selfie sticks. 🏯✨

The Young Pandas hopped on a bus for what Google promised would be a 45-minute ride. Easy enough, right?

Well… about 30 minutes in, something didn’t feel quite right. The scenery was changing, the bus kept rolling, but the destination didn’t seem to be getting any closer. 👀🚌

It slowly dawned on the bears that perhaps this wasn’t quite the route they and google had discussed.

Rather than waiting till the bus reached the other side of Kyoto, the panda family decided to improvise.

So the panda family jumped off at a residential area and head for the nearby Kyoto Botanical Gardens instead. 🌱

And what a surprisingly lovely detour it turned out to be!

While perhaps not quite on the same level as the magnificent botanical garden in Montreal, it certainly had its own highlights:

Enormous water lilies and some seriously impressive carnivorous plants, practically the size of humans! 🪷🌿🦖

And Mamabear's favorite flower in her favorite colour.🌺💛.

The gardens were wonderfully peaceful, with hardly any visitors around — apart from several groups of art students scattered throughout the grounds.

And apparently, the Young Pandas were just as interesting as the plants. The girls in the art classes seemed particularly smitten with them. Suddenly, the pandas had become the main attraction! 😂🐼🎨

Who needs a Golden Palace when you can get your own fan club.

Next stop: the Imperial Palace, conveniently nearby. 🏯

Unfortunately, much of the grounds were closed off due to extensive restoration and construction work.

So, instead of admiring imperial grandeur, the Young Pandas found themselves appreciating a rather unexpected exhibition of construction machinery.

Yellow, purple, blue, green… who knew excavators came in so many colours? 🚜🌈

Not quite the royal experience anticipated, but certainly a memorable one!

By then, the temperature had climbed to around 30°C, with humidity that felt like a warm, wet blanket. 🥵

Even the Young Pandas were running low on energy, and an emergency pit stop was urgently required.

Fortunately a nearby restaurant came to the rescue.🍜❤️

The panda family ordered what turned out to be quite the feast. What exactly was on the menu? Honestly, nobody could confidently identify everything on the plates. 😂

Some dishes remained culinary mysteries from the first bite to the last.

Yet, the largely unidentifiable dishes were absolutely delicious.

Every panda polished off their plate with impressive dedication. No leftovers, no complaints, just six very happy eyes (and very full bellies). 🥢😋

With renewed energy, the panda family began the walk back, doing its best to dodge the sun.

Rather than sticking to the busy main roads, the bears wandered into little side alleys.

Hidden away from the traffic and crowds were beautiful, authentic-looking streets, quiet corners, and little glimpses of everyday Kyoto that felt far more charming than some of the famous sights. 🏘️🌿

🚂 Day 4: Train-tastic Day!

The forecast promised yet another scorcher, and with the older panda already showing the first signs of heat exhaustion, the panda family decided it was time for a change of pace.

No ambitious sightseeing, no climbing endless temple stairs, and definitely no marathons under the blazing Japanese sun! 🥵☀️

Instead, the plan was simple: a relaxed day at the Kyoto Railway Museum.

And its reputation as one of the best railway museums in the world was no understatement. 

Thus the Young Pandas were clearly determined to investigate every last corner of it:

Historic locomotives, impressive steam engines, fascinating railway technology, and trains of every shape and size — there was simply too much to see, too much to explore, and far too many buttons to resist!

A solid SIX HOURS later the Young Pandas headed home  ! 🤯🚂

Apparently, when the Young Pandas find their happy place, time simply ceases to exist.

🥷 Day 5: Ninja Training And Samurai Stories!

After getting a first taste of ninja life in Kawaguchiko, it was time to take things to the next level — and this time, the entire panda family joined the mission!

Shuriken at the ready, concentration levels rising, and family pride very much on the line. 🎯

The competition was fierce, tension high, shuriken flying (in all direction). In the end: Mamabear took home the trophy, with Finnbear hot on her heels in a very respectable second place!

Yes, that's right. Dont mess with the pandas 😂🐼

The other ninja weapons proved a little trickier, mastered in the end.  Yet, let's just say that they did not quiet end up in the body parts they were supposed to. 🥷🙈

After all that throwing, aiming, and unleashing their inner warriors, the pandas moved on to a guided tour through the world of the samurai. ⚔️🏯

With fascinating stories of Japan's warrior history, traditions, and way of life, it was the perfect opportunity to tick off another little bit of homeschooling — Japanese edition! 📚🇯🇵

🌧️⛩️ Day 6: Fushimi Inari And Umbrella Tourists 

With only a little rain in the forecast, Mamabear had a brilliant idea: Surely, Fushimi Inari Taisha would be less crowded today!

After all, most of the sights visited so far had been surprisingly quiet. How busy could it possibly be?

Oh, sweet, naive Mamabear. 😂

Little did she know that this would turn out to be the most miserable day of the entire three-month trip so far. 

First, the wrong train. 🚆

Then came the station crowds: Hundreds of tourists.

But not just any ordinary tourists. As the remnants of Typhoon Chanthi joined the party with torrential rain, the pandas faced the worst species of all:

Umbrella tourists! 🌧️💦☂️

Suddenly, the mission involved much more than finding the shrine.

It became full-blown obstacle course avoiding sharp metal tips sticking out in every direction, leaving barely enough room to take a single step without risking an eye!

Who could have guessed that the panda family's recent ninja training would come in handy quite so soon? 🥷😂

Duck, dodge, weave, sidestep… Mamabear and the Young Pandas put their newly acquired ninja reflexes to the ultimate test. 

Eventually, the three pandas made it closer to the famous Fushimi Inari Taisha (伏見稲荷大社), known for its seemingly endless rows of vibrant red-orange torii gates winding up the mountainside. ⛩️🍁

And yes, the gates were nice, but breathtaking?

Debatable. 

After all the effort it had taken to get there, the verdict came surprisingly quickly. Walking at snail's pace through a sea of umbrellas, barely able to admire the gates, simply wasn't worth the struggle.

The pandas had already seen other places with similar gates — perhaps fewer of them, but certainly prettier, more peaceful, and far more enjoyable to explore.

Fushimi Inari, perhaps on a sunny, quiet day the magic would have been different. But on this particular day? The very soaked panda family was ready to retreat, dry off, and reconsider Mamabear's future career as a weather forecaster.

🎂🌦️Day 7: A Day Full of Unexpected Magic! ✨

After the umbrella apocalypse of the previous day, the panda family was bracing itself for another round of torrential rain.

Well, it turns out Kyoto had a little birthday present waiting for Mamabear. ❤️🐼

The sky remained a rather threatening shade of grey-black for most of the day, but somehow, miraculously, not a single drop of rain fell!

And what followed was one of those wonderfully unpredictable days when almost everything turns out better than expected.

It started with a lovely walk along the river, accompanied by a birthday song from the two Young Pandas. 🎶🥹 A pretty perfect start to Mamabear’s special day!

And then came the unexpectes by simply walking around. And finding one after another.

🎨 Unexpectedly fascinating: The Kaleidoscope Museum. Small, yes, but absolutely captivating. Proof that a place doesn't need to be enormous to leave a lasting impression.

🥞 Unexpectedly delicious: An aquarium café serving the most wonderful pancakes and a ridiculously good strawberry smoothie. 🍓🥤with beautiful fishes, a curious and very active snake and the strangest looking turtle the pandas have met.

⛩️ Unexpectedly beautiful: A visit to a rather lesser-known temple turned out to be one of the day's biggest highlights. A huge, stunning complex, peaceful surroundings, and hardly another tourist in sight. 

🥩 Unexpectedly tasty: Right next to it, a local festival appeared out of nowhere, complete with the most delicious steak. Because apparently, the best food discoveries happen when nobody is actually looking for them. 😋🎉

🏃 Unexpectedly energetic: The Young Pandas found a parcours-style adventure playground and happily spent a whole hour climbing, jumping, running, and burning off all that pancake energy. Mamabear's birthday sightseeing schedule? Temporarily suspended.

🎶 Unexpectedly entertaining: A little live concert rounded off the day, adding one more lovely surprise to an already memorable day.

After days of heat, humidity, crowds, travel fatigue, and Kyoto's occasional talent for testing everyone's patience, this felt like the city was finally making up for it.

At least today.

🌧️🐼 Rainy Finale: When Even Pandas Reach Their Limits

 The very next day, the rain came pouring down, once again — and it didn’t seem to have any plans of stopping. 🌧️🌧️🌧️

The panda family tried to brave the weather and get out to do something, but the relentless downpour made almost everything impossible.

Mission failed! 🐼💦

And so, back to the hotel it was — back to a tiny, confined room with barely enough space to move, let alone escape the gloomy mood that had settled over the entire panda family.

Even the Young Pandas were running out of ways to entertain themselves, and Mamabear’s usual optimism was being tested to its limits.

When it was finally time to leave Kyoto, everyone was more than happy to go.

No dramatic farewell, no tearful goodbyes — just a collective feeling that it was time to move on. 👋

Who would have thought that Kyoto, of all places, would become the biggest disappointment of the journey so far?

The panda family had managed to keep spirits high through all sorts of travel mishaps, with very little capable of spoiling their good mood.

Yet somehow, in a city where nothing particularly terrible had happened, the combination of relentless rain, limited space and travel fatigue brought everyone to their lowest point so far.