But actually for the past few years I've been lucky enough to experience it without tourists and now I've absolutely fallen in love with it.

I'm such a big Kyoto fan now now that tourists are finally back, I'm back to Kyoto to see how busy is Kyoto now.

Hello everybody.

Good morning.

Right now I am in Kyoto during a very peak touristy season though.

I don't know how busy it's going to be today because it's raining but recently, especially on the weekend, it has been insane right now it is autumn and the leaves are turning and it's just like perfect weather.

It's been so nice likely with lots of sun and everything and my coworker or friend as you know, Sarah, she was here on the weekend and I can't remember where she went to go, I'll put it on the screen but she went to go see, I think it was a shrine and the amount of people was terrifying.

So actually today is a public holiday but it's raining so I'm going to go to some, some spots and see which ones are busy and which ones aren't and how busy it's really going to get.

I'm hoping that because it's, it's raining, it's not gonna be too bad today.

But first of all I have come to Hyon Shrine every time I come here, it's not really that busy.

It's quite nice.

It doesn't have as many autumn leaves as other places but it's just a really nice spacious temple.

You guys are getting wet hiding you under my brolly.

It's a really beautiful shrine and you can just go through and have a look at some beautiful colors and architecture.

Yeah, that's so nice.

Also, I was here yesterday streaming and it was so beautiful.

Like the weather was gorgeous, the leaves were amazing, so I'm a bit sad it's raining today but hopefully we can still find some good spots.

One of my favorite things about Heian shrine is the Torii gate.

I walked past Elliott.

There's this massive Torii gate leading up to the shrine so it's super nice.

Okay, when you go into shrines and temples don't step on the middle bit and so nice to have so much space and peace.

I was reading reviews of this place and apparently it's generally not busy most of the time.

So I guess if you're in kyoto and looking to get away from the crowds, this is the place to go.

This temple isn't actually that old.

I believe it was built in 1985 which is super recent.

My favorite thing about this place is the way that they display that the army koji when you come to a temple that you do owe me koji, which is like a fortune if you get a good one, you take it with you but if you get a bad one.

Usually there's like a pole that you can tie it to and then they'll burn it for you.

But this place is a really cool thing with it.

Let me show you look at those pretty white trees, aren't they so cool.

What kind of tree has white leaves?

Huh?

Wait a second.

Those aren't leaves?

It's a bad luxury.

I think it's such a good idea.

So they've put some branches in the ground, they might be Sakura branches because this kind of does look like Sakura.

Honestly, I know Sakura looks pink in videos and stuff, but it actually looks more white in real life.

I think all of these are somebody's bad luck, so hopefully they get taken down and burnt sometimes, but I just think it's such a cute idea.

Also, these Bad boys are called Emma, that's right, it's me, I'm right there.

Emma is like a picture horse.

Picture horse, that's my name, but you put your wishes on them and you can hang them up.

This one just has really plain looking Emma, but usually if the temple specializes in something, they'll have cool pictures, There's one temple in Tokyo that has Godzilla because they use that temple and some of the shots for the movie Shin Godzilla.

So I can't remember which temple it is, I'll look it up and put on the screen, but I think those are some of my favorite Emma's Godzilla looks nice.

Also through, there is a very nice garden, but it costs 600 yen and I'm cheap.

Oh, but it looks like this also, this is how they usually tie them just on like some string or a pole or something isn't true so much.

You're so much cuter.

Okay.

I've encountered my first problem.

Every single coin locker is taken, have a suitcase with me and I wanted to go exploring.

But I mean there are hundreds and hundreds of coin lockers, but they're all taken like every single, oh my God.

Oh, what do I do?

Okay, I finally got one.

Holy crap.

I have to look around for ages and just wait for someone to come and take this stuff.

I did it.

I did it.

I did it.

Okay.

Go through the station.

I'm okay.

I get a little bit anxious when there's little people, but it was going to get on the train and go to and meet Sarah.

Okay.

I've come to show which is where I'm going to meet Sarah.

We're going to grab some food because I'm so hungry.

It's generally busy, but it's not too bad at all.

And this area is kind of good for like general shopping, like brands and I don't know, I feel like Khloe.

So I guess it's not, it's not really like one of the big touristy areas.

It's just good for general shopping, but from here after lunch, I think I might go and see and see how busy it is today.

We're going to go grab lunch at, which is a well known a vegan place here.

It is also, I'm not vegan, but I do like to eat vegan food.

Sometimes the chicken is really good.

I just ordered a wonderful three random cubes.

I guess you'll find out what the three cubes are.

Now.

We part ways now.

I'm going to head to, yeah, ginger, the busy spot and we'll see how it is.

The rain has stopped.

So maybe it's gonna be a little busy.

Okay, This is not bad at all.

Sure there's a few people around, but this is totally fine.

Nice and open.

Usually this can get really busy because there's only two small parts each side and it gets really crammed with people.

But I mean this is totally fine.

The real busy areas that I saw yesterday were mostly busy I think because there was like, I swear there were just hundreds, maybe not hundreds.

So many tour groups.

An insane amount of it was just like a busload after busload of people just crammed into one area.

So maybe this doesn't have that many.

Oh damn.

It looks so good.

But I'm walking away.

Okay.

We made it to Osaka ginger and I'm just so pleasantly surprised.

I thought today was going to be so rough and they're going to be so many people and sure there's people around, but it's not bad at all.

So they have the place where you wash your hands and they filled it with flowers.

No.

Okay, well that was pretty lucky.

So a micro performance, that's actually the first Michael performance I've ever seen and it still wasn't that busy.

I mean there are heaps of people around the stage, but I mean for an event in Kyoto on a public holiday, Not, oh my God, these girls are so cute and they're so cute.

Okay, let's go and see if we can get two for seven hours yesterday on stream and my legs are like actually in pain.

So maybe I could get a rickshaw on the way down.

Is that how they worked in the loop?

Can I just tell them to drop me at the bottom of the hill, do that?

My ankle?

Is it gonna be as busy as I thought it was gonna be?

Okay.

Right.

I mean, honestly, that is not bad at all.

Okay.

So sure, coming here during Covid, there was like, actually no one barely anyone at all.

So sure it's more than that.

But for a public holiday in autumn, this is insane.

But yeah, not bad crowds at all.

But the thing is Sarah was here on the weekend and it was insane.

So, I guess even if it's a public holiday, if it's raining, maybe it's better, maybe treat it like Disneyland check to see if there's any special events or like seasonal things, it'll be busier if it's raining, it'll be less busy and don't do weekends or public, like a three day weekend, but I'm very surprised.

I thought it would be nuts And it's been quite pleasant.

I have to say this has been very nice.

Honestly, I've been here for three days and I'm very tired so I'm probably going to head to the shinkansen soon and but I'm glad I got to have one last walk around, have a look at everything.

I am thinking maybe I'm going to grab some sweets before I go.

So maybe in the area, I get some okay, I want whatever that is Sandals ice cream sandwich and they have roasted green tea flavor.

That's what I want so much.

Okay, this place is called your sample.

This is the thickest I see anything I could ever see.

How, how am I gonna do this?

Absolutely huge.

Okay, wish me luck.

There's no way!

It's got a nice flavor.

It's okay to lie.

It was very bad guys.

I couldn't leave on such a disappointing snack.

That ice cream thing was not great.

So, I decided to go for this little thing has got a cute little castello piece on the bottom.

Then some Maci and jelly and stuff.

Super cute.

This is actually the cutest angle I've ever seen.

This shop is called.

Okay, here we go.

Oh, okay.

Damn, that's really good.

That is a mix of Maci and white bean and so it's kind of like a, like a tamagotchi or a Neti kitty, but it's like even more matches at it.

That's really good.

That's way better than I thought it was gonna be.

Mm That's awesome.

Okay, the first thing is the winner.

All right, Next one.

Mm yuzu jelly.

I ate it so fast.

I regret that I wanted to tell you about it so I swallowed it but I wanted to do it.

It's a yuzu jelly content I guess, which is vegetarian, vegan but the user flavor is really nice.

That was really good.

Okay, Pink mystery similar to the match, but a different flavor.

There's no machi.

I thought it was gonna be like some kind of like dangle but none of them would be maci.

And finally, I hate to say goodbye, but I'm sorry, little guy.

That was really, really good.

Pleasantly surprised.

I guess that's the one that they have all the time.

But they also have a modem one at the moment.

But I was damn good.

Anyway, let's get out of here, I'm tired.

Here's a group.

Okay, imagine that tour group, but imagine it by like times 100.

Okay, it's getting a little busier of the get a little crazy.

Okay, so I don't want to rush you guys don't want to add stress to your life, but japanese yen is really weak and tourism isn't crazy.

So that would be a good time to come next year.

Might get a little bit crazy.

So I don't know how it's gonna be this winter, I don't know how it's gonna be from now on, I'm just telling you right now, it's really nice and sure as long as you're prepared mentally for a few people, it's really not that bad.

I remember being here before all the covid stuff and it was just horrific.

It was just so many people hard to get through places.

So when you come to Kyoto, I feel like you see how pretty it is in pictures.

I always imagined myself like just by myself enjoying all these views.

If you're prepared for crowds, it's going to be a good time to shoot on Kyoto quite a bit because every time I went I just went to the touristy places and I was like, man, it's so busy and crazy, so annoying.

Now I see why and I love it too.

Now I'm finally, they're finally love after all this time.

And also if you want to avoid the crowds, there are so many other places that you can go that is so nice.

I recommend going to the Imperial Palace, There's a cafe there called Society which is awesome.

Really great green tea stuff, very relaxing and there's not that many people there.

There's just heaps of places.

So maybe if you don't want crowds just avoid the touristy places and find your own little special spots.

It's not that bad.

A good stance.

I don't know if you caught it very wide stance was good.

10 out of 10, okay, I booked my Shinkansen ticket was on the bus, I use this app called, I think it's like E X Japan or X.

Shinkansen booking app or something.

The app when you first sign up for it is very crap, but once you make a membership and login and stuff you can book Shinkansen tickets online which is super useful.

If not be coming to visit, you can book them at a place called Model Gucci which is the green window where you can book tickets in advance or on the day, but you'll miss out on the good seats if you book on the day.

So I'm at Kyoto station, can you seek your tower, wow, I'm not gonna find my way to my luggage and Sarah and I'm going to get one and then I go home this line for, is that the one on me?

I guess, jeez that's the line to get to the register.