Published date: March 10, 2025
My trip to Kyoto during HafH Travel Week was a journey of 'discovering new bases'.
Room Type Stayed
Standard Single
1 guest(s)
275 ~
Some info has been automatically translated by AI.
Experience of the stay
I stayed at 'Ibis Styles Kyoto Shijo'.
I had heard the name before and passed by several times.
▢ Appearance & Entrance
The design captures the essence of Kyoto, particularly the 'Wafuu' atmosphere, which foreign tourists are likely to appreciate.
There is a hotel sign along the main street, and if you enter a small alley, the entrance resembles passing through a curtain. The exterior blends beautifully into the streets of Kyoto (be sure to check out the top page photo!).
▢ My Room
It was a simple and functional guest room.
What was particularly convenient was the small magnifying mirror in the bathroom. It was handy for quick grooming checks.
▢ Surrounding Area
Within walking distance, there’s a FamilyMart, Mos Burger, and Yayoi-ken, so you won’t have trouble finding meals.
Moreover, Fresco (a Kyoto supermarket) and Life are close by, both open until late, making it easy to purchase Kyoto's food ingredients, probiotic drinks, and alcohol.
Experiences during the trip
New spots I visited in Kyoto!
I’ve been to Kyoto many times, but this time I’d like to introduce places I visited for the first time along the way.
▢ Aqua Garden Kyoto
An aquarium art café from Korea.
I saw this recommended on TikTok and was curious, so I finally went!
It’s located to the left of Kanidoraku as you head towards Karasuma.
On this day, the main large aquarium was under maintenance, but I was able to see the freshwater and saltwater tanks (where clownfish were swimming). There was also a tortoise, which was adorable!
Additionally, they were holding a strawberry fair, so I ordered a set of pancakes and smoothies. It was exquisite!
The prices at the café were a bit high, but considering the maintenance costs of the tanks and animals, it was understandable. Moreover, the quality of the food was high, and I was very satisfied.
The staff were friendly and easy to talk to, making it a welcoming atmosphere even for solo visitors. I would love to visit again when the main aquarium is operational!
▢ Maidō Ōkinī Shokudō Shijō Nishihoruccho Shokudō
I got hungry before my next appointment, so I went to “Maidō Ōkinī Shokudō Shijō Nishihoruccho Shokudō,” which was right across from my hotel.
Actually, I recently watched a video on YouTube of Snow Man visiting a self-service diner, and I thought this place might have a similar vibe, so I popped in.
What caught my eye was the freshly grilled egg roll right in front of me. It was fluffy and warm, and I enjoyed it even without any condiments!
Additionally, I had the limited-time “Diner’s Meat Soup.” It reminded me of the meat soup from “Chitose,” which is famous in Kansai, and it was delicious.
▢ Bar al Bocadillo (the venue for HafH Travel Week)
The main event of the day was “HafH Travel Week.” I only participated in this session.
Here, I found famous whiskeys like “Yamazaki” and “Hakushu,” as well as the Kyoto limited “Kyoto Whiskey.” The label of Kyoto Whiskey uses Nishijin weaving, adding a touch of luxury! I decided to order this.
As I sipped it slowly, I savored the unique depth characteristic of whiskey.
For my second drink, I had “Dassai” sparkling water. Made with high-quality water, it was also refreshingly delicious.
There aren’t many opportunities to slowly talk or listen to travel stories, which made me want to travel to various places again.
▢ Yasaka Shrine
Before heading to my desired shop, I made a slight detour.
It was busy with tourists and school trip students even in the morning.
I took the opportunity to pray for success in my upcoming work.
And an unexpected discovery…! The restroom here was very clean (laughs).
▢ Kyoto Gion Boroniyah
A long-established Danish bread shop in Kyoto.
Actually, my grandmother loved this bread, and I have memories of her often buying it when it had a store in Osaka. This was my first visit to the main store.
I purchased a 1.5 loaf of plain and raisin. The taste was just as good as I remembered.
I didn’t stop by this time, but there’s a café across the street, so next time I’d like to eat French toast there.
All the shops I mentioned are highly recommended, so please do visit them!