We love Kyoto.
Japan
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May 26 - Jun 9, 2026
Eleanor helped plan the trip so perfectly. We began at Mizumari, a Ryokan on the Izu Peninsula for 4 glorious, restful days. The food was amazing. We took walks to waterfalls and went to the beach. From there we traveled to Kyoto. The train station at Kyoto was incredibly confusing and we struggled to find the hotel which was right there. Finally, a cook at the hotel showed us where it was. Otherwise, the app that was provided gave us all the information we needed to find temples, museums, Saihoji and wander the city. One rainy day we went to the Kyocera museum and were awed by the work of Ida Shoichi. We were in Kyoto for a conference with Japanese Psychoanalysts and Eleanor found us a hotel right around the corner from the conference. The conference was a highlight of the trip. Getting to meet people who live and work in Japan--not just hit the tourist spots. Wandering around the area where the conference was, gave us an additional feel for the city. We found the wood block prints of Hokusai--the 36 views of Mount Fuji, a fabulous food market and incredibly friendly, open people to chat with. Our final meal was with in a teeny restaurant with a couple who made us noodle soup. We fell in love with Kyoto.
Hotel Review
We had a fabulous time at Mizumari, The little house we stayed in was lovely, spacious and serene---along side a gurgling stream and with it's own onsen. The staff was incredibly gracious and the food was amazing and full of surprises. The chef mixed textures and flavors that were delicious and so incredibly interesting. We had day trips to waterfalls and to a beach. The beach was not fabulous, but we wandered a grocery store which was really interesting.