Yasaka Shrine is located at the eastern end of Kyoto's bustling Shijo Street, just across the road, and is well worth including on a visit to Kyoto. The shrine has a long history dating back to around the 7th century and has long been revered by Kyoto residents and travelers. It is also one of the places where the famous Gion Matsuri originated. Passing through the vermilion gate, you can immediately feel the solemn atmosphere of a traditional shrine. Besides visiting the shrine, it's also nice to stroll around Gion and Hanamikoji and experience Kyoto's distinctive historical charm.
Yasaka Shrine | Review by Linda Liao
Other Reviews by Linda Liao
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Keio Department Store, Shinjuku
Keio Department Store, Shinjuku is a large department store directly connected to Keio Line Shinjuku Station. It spans 11 floors from B1F to RF, covering a wide range of categories including food, cosmetics, daily goods, fashion, and restaurants. Since opening in 1964, it has been popular with shoppers of all ages for its diverse selection and comfortable spaces.
Shinjuku truly is a shopper’s paradise. There are so many department stores just around the station that you couldn’t visit them all even if you spent the whole day shopping! This time, I made a special trip to the Keio Department Store Shinjuku to look for women’s shoes~ The Japanese women’s shoe brand HIMIKO focuses on footwear that is both stylish and practical, offering everything from elegant heels and everyday loafers to casual shoes. The styles have a distinctly Japanese look, and the designs are easy to coordinate with different outfits. If you’re passing by, head upstairs and take a look. You might find a style that suits you~
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Izutsu Yatsuhashi Honpo
The flagship store of Izutsu Yatsuhashi Honpo, a long-established maker of traditional Kyoto confections, is located on the first floor of the Kitaza Building at the east end of Shijo Bridge. Since its founding in 1805, the shop has preserved the flavors of Kyoto in Gion. Its signature Izutsu Yatsuhashi is a crisp, koto-shaped rice cracker created in memory of Yatsuhashi Kengyo, regarded as the founder of koto music. With its distinctive cinnamon aroma, it is a classic Kyoto souvenir.
Yatsuhashi is a classic Kyoto sweet. Besides the soft, chewy nama yatsuhashi filled with sweet bean paste, I also really like these thin, crispy, koto-shaped baked yatsuhashi! Izutsu Yatsuhashi Honpo was founded in 1805 and is known for its traditional koto-shaped yatsuhashi. Honke Nishio Yatsuhashi is another long-established Kyoto shop that also sells classic baked yatsuhashi. The thin pieces are crisp, with a light cinnamon aroma, and become more flavorful the more you chew. They also keep longer than nama yatsuhashi, making them a good souvenir. Brewing a pot of hot tea in the afternoon and enjoying it with a few pieces of yatsuhashi is a simple little pleasure full of Kyoto charm. Each shop has its own distinctive qualities, so it just depends on which flavor you prefer!
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Umi Bozu Main Branch
You'll find Umibozu Main Store easily by the oversized, red paper lantern marked with the words “oden”. Located conveniently just 2 min. walk from Shizuoka Station, this spot offers a warm welcome and local vibe once you duck inside. Once inside your eyes will immediately travel to the source of the delicious smell, oden wafting up from the center hot pot.
Before the trip, I already knew that Shizuoka oden was quite famous, so this time I made a point of adding the highly rated UMIBOUZU to my itinerary. I finally got to try it for myself! Whenever I eat oden, my must-order combination always includes daikon and boiled eggs. They're especially satisfying after soaking up all the broth. In Shizuoka, you also can't miss the local specialty, black hanpen (黒はんぺん). Made from sardines and other fish, it has a rich fish-paste flavor that gets better the more you chew, and it's very different from the more common white hanpen. If you like seaweed, you can sprinkle on some aonori and fish powder for more layers of flavor. So delicious!
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