Papa forgot to turn his alarm off so up he went at 6:15 am. I manage to doze off again for a bit while he showered. We ended up heading downstairs pretty early for breakfast. My good mornings apparently convinced the staff enough that I understood Japanese so I got the buffet explanation in Japanese, whoo. It was really yummy! Made to order pancakes, waffles, and eggs, smoothies, salad, fruit, yogurt, bread, and other breakfast items. I ate a ton. We checked out shortly before 10 am and I said my goodbyes at the station. They headed off to the airport and I got on a train to Kyoto again. (I didn’t check their train schedule, and apparently they got on the wrong train!)

My first stop was the KyoAni shop on the outskirts. The studios for Kyoto Animation are also there - they make Free!. The shop was absolute heaven. I’ve never seen so much beautiful Free! things in one spot before. All the posters as well. I manage to restrict myself to a mousepad, postcard sketches that came in an eight pack, and a pin of Makoto. If only I had more money… There were two other girls already browsing when I came, and they were still busy when I left, ha. Next up was the Kyoto Pokemon Center - center #5 for me. It was really tricky to find. It had just opened a week or so ago, and there were no signs nor was it on google maps. I managed to find out it was inside of a Takashimaya department store on the 5F. Even then I thought I was wrong, because I had to wandered through the whole floor before I found the center. It was definitely small and tucked away.

The temperature kept as I took the bus to Nanzenji Temple. I came in via a back way through old streets filled with traditional Japanese villas. The Buddhist temple itself was amazing. Everything had just sprouted and was a fantastic shade of bright green. The temple grounds were huge and extremely restful. There are several buildings you can pay to enter, but I only went inside the main temple building that has some famous rock gardens. I sat by the garden for a while, relaxing. There’s also a brick aqueduct from the Meiji era on the grounds which seems out of place next to the temple buildings.

From Nanzenji, I walked to Heian shrine, past the zoo, a huge toori gate, and the art museum. I took a break in a park by the shrine. All the walking and heat. The shrine itself was modeled after the imperial palace. Afterward, I walked over to Chion-in, a huge Buddhist temple complex. I entered via a tucked away path lined with lanterns. Took another break here and relaxed in the sun with a tank top on. The hottest day yet! Apparently the temple was closed for a private event, but some others and I were in the middle of exploring and exiting. There were almost no people till I came out by the main entrance and temple. Most of the grounds were under construction so it wasn’t that interesting. I then walked through another park and Yasaka shrine to emerge back at Shijo Dori shopping street.

I stopped at the most famous matcha cafe, Tsujiri, and only had a 30 minute wait before I got a spot. The parfait was delicious, but I think I enjoyed the first cafe I went to with A in September more. Then I went to get okonomiyaki for dinner at a tucked away, traditional place. The food was meh, I’ve had better, but it was a nice atmosphere. A quick stop to H&M to kill some time - big city shopping - before I headed back to the station to grab my things and wait for the night bus back to Tomioka.