Our First Day in Kyoto by Sam and Grant

Sam: We had just arrived in Kyoto, our home base for the next 12 days, by bullet train. Things kicked off strong that morning at the Nagoya train station when I found the one: a fruit and whipped cream sando stacked with orange, strawberry, banana, AND kiwi. I’d been hunting for one the entire trip. The day was already a win.

Grant: Our Airbnb was tucked into a peaceful neighborhood—but, of course, it was on the third floor. With no elevator. The sweet old woman who greeted us kindly let us know she wouldn’t be able to help carry our bags. Yeah, no kidding. Fueled by a mix of pride and stubbornness, I hoisted our biggest suitcase over my head and powered up all three flights like I had something to prove.

Sam: Once we dropped our stuff, changed into the last clean clothes we had, and grabbed our cameras, we hit the streets. We'd just picked up new 35mm lenses in Nagoya, so we had a whole new perspective to explore. Kyoto immediately felt quieter, more still than Tokyo or even Nagoya—it was perfect for film. Those first few hours were a blur of cobblestone alleys, tucked-away shrines, and us trying to get our bearings without looking too much like tourists. 

Grant: Wandering without a plan, we let the city guide us. Eventually, we found the crowds—specifically, the steep street up to one of Kyoto’s biggest temples. It was packed with tourists and school groups. But then we turned a corner and saw it: the Yasaka Pagoda. Five stories tall, perfectly framed at the end of the street, and glowing in the sunset. I snapped a shot. Seeing the city through the wider frame of the 35mm lens changed everything—I could finally capture entire gates and streets without risking my life in traffic.

Down Hanamikoji Street by Sam

Sam: Meanwhile, I had my own mission: find a matcha treat. Kyoto is the matcha capital of the world, and I was determined to consume no less than A Lot of matcha. But first: dinner. We found a Wagyu ramen place with great reviews, and the reviews did not disappoint. “That’s so much meat!” someone at the table said with a big smile on her face (okay, it was me).

the wagyu ramen in question

Grant: We finished eating just before the dinner rush hit. When we stepped out, a line had already formed. We exchanged a smug glance—perfect timing.

Sam: Obviously, we hadn’t met our daily dessert quota (we were at zero ice cream cones), so we wandered until we found Babbi Gelateria. I got two scoops: matcha (mission accomplished) and cookies & cream. Some might call that flavor combo “interesting,” but don’t knock it till you try it.

Grant: On our way back to the Airbnb, we heard the sounds of a guitar across the bridge. I looked at Sam and said, “He’s playing Feel It Still by Portugal. The Man.” I had joked about that exact song in another city with another street performer (who was definitely not playing it), so she  rolled her eyes. “Okay, sure he is.” she said.  But then... he was in fact playing Feel It Still. We both just looked at each other and laughed.

Guitar Guy

Sam: After a day full of fun, we thought: what’s something totally boring we could do now? Laundry! The Airbnb had a washer but no dryer, which is pretty standard because they often hang their clothes to dry, so we loaded our wet clothes into this ridiculously thin plastic bag that had somehow survived the whole trip. I swear it was the kind of bag you’d get fruit in at the store, just really big—its structural integrity was definitely questionable. 

Grant: As always, the bag became heavy with wet clothes, stretched, and nearly split open with every step to the laundromat, but somehow made it. We loaded up the machines... then realized we didn’t have enough coins. Thankfully, Japan always has vending machines nearby. We walked over to a vending machine to attempt to get some change from it. Not only did we get the coins we needed, but also a couple of fun drinks we were craving anyway! Win-win. 

Sam: While our clothes tumbled, we took a walk. On the walk, we circled back to an idea that has been stuck on our minds for days: another onsen. Our first one in Hakone had stuck with us. We discovered there weren’t many in the city, but Kyoto has sento—public bathhouses with the same layout, minus the natural hot springs aspect. Lucky for us, there was one down the street from the laundromat. The sento was a cool looking building with neon signs and glowing lanterns. Judging by the growing crowd of young foreigners, tattoos and all, it was our kind of place.

Umeyu Sento!

Grant: Entry was 400 yen (about $3), and we were handed towels—more like glorified washcloths, barely bigger than my hand, but apparently this was the towel. The only towel. We agreed to meet back in 30 minutes and split to our separate sides. These places aren’t co-ed... because everyone’s completely naked. Now that’s a culture shock.

Sam: Bathhouses take some getting used to. But by now, I was a fan. Inside, there were five different baths of varying mystery. I couldn’t read the signs, they were all in Japanese, so I went full “guess and hope it doesn’t burn my skin off.” Luckily, the one I picked was just warm and not scalding.. I noticed a girl doing a hot-to-cold plunge, and decided to give it a go. The cold bath hit like a punch in the soul. I was brave and did a few rounds. I tapped out when I started seeing spots. I’m definitely not being dramatic at all 🥸🫣 

Grant: The setup was simple: hot baths, tiny stools at the wash stations, a cold bath, and a sauna. I followed what the locals were doing—sit and scrub every inch of yourself before even thinking about getting in. Oh and put your towel on your head?? Everyone else is doing it. Then I tried each tub, including the one with a lightning bolt symbol above it. Yeah, that’s exactly what it sounds like—an electric bath. My calves started twitching instantly. Freaky? Yes. But I stayed in for a bit. You only live once.

Sam: I saw a bath marked with lightning bolts. I couldn’t even imagine what that was. I did not go in. I wasn’t really in the mood to get my body shocked while under water. Electricity and water just don’t sound like they shouldn’t be mixed 🤨 I’m sure Grant tried it though. 

Grant: After cycling through the sauna and ice bath, I was buzzing. I dried off with my micro-towel (barely), met Sam in the lobby, and grabbed a cold can of Pocari Sweat—Japan’s version of Gatorade. We'd never seen it in a can before. Verdict? Fun concept, but the bottles still win.

Sam: We somehow managed to squeeze our dry clothes back into the plastic bag and made the final trek back to our Airbnb. One last flight of stairs. Then we folded everything and collapsed into bed.

Grant: Laundry: done. Bodies: clean. Bed: time (12:30am)
We finally turned off the lights, feeling like we’d lived three days in one.
Maybe we should sleep in tomorrow?

Sam: Yeah, that’s for sure.

Thanks For Reading! -S & G