BOOMER Magazine: June 2019

Welcome Tea at Arashiyama Benkei
Yukatas at Arashiyama Benkei
Breakfast at Arashiyama Benkei
while wearing a yukata, tatami-mat beds,
and open-air hot spring baths (onsens)
that’ll whisk all your worries away.
DAY
5
After waking up to another
mouthwatering meal, explore the
surrounding Arashiyama district—a
nationally designated Historic Site
and Place of Scenic Beauty that’s full of
old-style shops and sited along the
gently rolling Hozu River. Mustsee
activities include the
Bamboo Forest, a serene,
tree-filled grove whose
swaying stalks will
calm even the most
militant minds;
Tenryu-ji, a UNESCO
World Heritage Site said
to be one of Kyoto's five
great Zen temples; and
going for a ride on a traditional
rickshaw. Once you’ve had your fill of green
tea things (it’s abundant in this area), head
to neighboring Kyoto City. The best way to
get your bearings—while getting full-sized
food samplings and a bit of exercise—is
to take the Kyoto Food Night Tour with
Ninja Food Tours. After experiencing the
city’s tucked-away restaurants and izakayas
(bars) and wandering the lantern-lit streets,
you’ll be a Kyoto (and cuisine) ninja!
DAY
6
Rise and shine and get ready to
tackle the temple-laden town via
two wheels. With its bike-friendly,
mostly flat streets and various
rental companies (Cycle Kyoto offers
numerous guided tours and affordable
rental options), it’s the easiest and fastest
way to explore your surrounds without
being confined to a car. Though dotted
with historic shrines, temples, and other
Cycle Kyoto
Bamboo Forest
Hozu River
Gates at Tenryu-ji
structures at every turn
(there’s more than 2,000),
I recommend stops at
Tofukuji Temple, the
famed (and often
photographed)
Fushimi Inari Shrine,
and Kiyomizu-dera.
End the evening
strolling through Nishiki
Market and the geishafilled
Gion district before devouring
handmade, bite-sized dumplings from
Gyoza Hohei and expertly crafted
cocktails from Bar Sloth.
DAY
7
Catch the futuristic, whitenosed
bullet train for a detour
to Hakone, a mountainous town
home to hot springs, views of
Mount Fuji, and an abundance of natural
beauty. A stay at the ultra plush Hakone
Kowakien Ten-yu means bathing in mineralrich
waters at either your in-room onsen
Hakone Kowakien Ten-yu
or the public baths (one of which boasts
an infinity pool and magnificent mountain
views); modern, minimalistic rooms that
still hold tight to tradition; and artful, multicourse
meals prepared with hyper-local
ingredients that are almost too pretty to
eat. With nearby hikes, morning yoga,
easy access to nearby attractions, and the
aforementioned baths, leaving here is the
hardest part. For those seeking a hotel that's
Hakone Kowakien
Ten-yu
Nishiki Market
high-end without being
hoity-toity, a stay here is
well worth the splurge.
Infinity Hot Spring (Onsen) at Hakone Kowakien Ten-yu
DAY
8
When in Hakone, one must avail of
the money-saving Hakone Free
Pass, which provides unlimited
use of buses, trains, boats, cable
cars, and ropeways in the Hakone region, in
addition to discounted admission to select
tourist attractions. From Ten-yu, start your
journey at Lake Ashi where you can witness
the majestic Hakone Shrine before boarding
the Hakone Sightseeing Cruise (“pirate
ship”) and—on clear days—catch a glimpse
of mighty Mount Fuji. After disembarking,
hop on the Hakone Ropeway for a
30-minute aerial journey above the region’s
violent volcanic fumes. At the final stop,
stretch your legs and—if you’re brave—try a
Hakone Shrine
famed “black egg,” which is
rumored to add seven years
to your life. Following a ride on
Japan’s only and oldest mountain railway,
you’ll arrive at Gora where you can stop
for lunch, check out the Hakone Open-Air
Museum, and eventually continue on the
“Romancecar” to Tokyo.
DAY
9
Lunch in Gora
Matcha Latte at Hotel Graphy Nezu
For your final two nights in the
“land of the rising sun,” I suggest
snoozing at one of Tokyo’s most
stylish “social apartments”: Hotel Graphy
Nezu. Tucked away from the hustle and
Ten-yu photos courtesy of Ten-yu. All other photos by Christopher Lim.
54 SacBoomer.com | June 2019