Looking for a day where you can just relax and do fun things? Maybe you’ve seen all the temples in Kyoto and just want to have a chill day? Or maybe you’re looking to cuddle a cute little animal? If so, then strut down Kawaramachi Street and enjoy all of the lovely activities it has for you to do!
Between being a graduate student, a part-timer for about 100 different jobs, a self-employed ambitious young woman, and being someone starting new business adventures in the upcoming year, it is a given to say that I need a little break from my hectic schedule and busy life. What better way to leave the business behind and spend time with my friend in Kyoto? Both of us needed a break and really just wanted to do something fun where we could forget the worries of life~
That being said, our checklist of the day consisted of:
*Walking (just to sightsee and people watch. A natural given when in Kyoto~)
*Eat something super delicious
*Shop
It’s a very simple list, but the day was filled with unexpected turns that kept smiles on our faces the whole day!
The train ride to Kyoto from Osaka was rather peaceful as I made my way out to meet my friend. One of the easiest and cheapest ways to get there is to start from Osaka-Umeda Station and catch the Limited Express train to get there in as little as 45 minutes (All for a total of 410円). The meeting place I always ask people to go to is Kawaramachi’s Disney Store because it is right outside of the station and is really hard to miss. Almost everyone knows where this store is and can easily access it. Plus it’s a cute store to wait in and look around if a friend is running late!
Luck would have it that the weather would be nice, making Kyoto the perfect place to walk around as it hasn’t been too hot or too cold recently. My only suggestion is to take a jacket if you know that you’ll be out late at night since the nights are a bit colder now that it’s mid Fall. Kawaramachi is a street I will never get tired of walking around as there are hundreds of stores lining the area and an even more beautiful river to stop and look at. One of the perfect ways to relieve stress is to be around nature. So being able to just look out at the water and even walk along the riverbank was such a wonderful experience. No matter how many times I’ve walked around here, it feels brand new every time. Each time brings with it a sense of peace and happiness. I recommend walking around the Kamo River both in the afternoon and at night time just to experience how beautiful it is during both times.
On top of that, we easily checked off shopping here as I bought a birthday present and a new sweater as we passed stores what we liked. My friend also placed an order at a popular designer store for a sweater that she just had to have.
Soon after we started looking for a small café. My friend was dying to get a smoothie, so we searched on Google Maps and came across a very nice pig café, Mipig Café, by surprise. We thought it would be the perfect way to relieve stress (and let me tell you it was quite the experience). You NEED to make a reservation to go here, though that was easily done in less than 2 minutes through their reservation system online. My friend and I made a reservation for the next hour before deciding to sit down in EDION and wait out the hour. On one of the top floors there, we found a cute little cafe,たんたんいちごカフェ/TAN TAN ICHIGO CAFE, where we could just talk about our life and recent experiences in a nice setting. Not only was the parfait that I ordered extremely delicious but the decor and seating for the area we were at was absolutely beautiful! While we went in search of a smoothie, we were more than satisfied with parfaits and a comfy lounge area. It felt like we were dining like royalty with how luxurious the couches and seating arrangement were. By the end of our hour, we were so happy with our stomachs filled with sweets!
It’s an understatement to say we were brimming with excitement to go to Mipig Cafe. We arrived a few minutes earlier than our scheduled time luckily. As we were coming in, guests were leaving. Two women with bright smiles on their faces said that it was such an amazing experience and that we would have such a great time. Our excitement was already high, but that made it rocket to the sky after hearing that. We signed in and answered a few questions on a paper that every guest has to fill out. (I recommend going a bit earlier in order to fill out the sheet and get in on time.) After, we went up some stairs and were greeted to the cutest sight! Cute little pigs were walking around everywhere. We were immediately sat down at a table and were given blankets to cover our legs and feet. Right from the start, one of the pigs came and sat on my lap and went to sleep. He was with me the entire time! The staff is very attentive and good about making sure everyone gets to play with the pigs. You’ll have three or four pigs playing with you at one time, so you’ll never be alone. We were so sad to leave by the end of our time because it was such a pleasant experience. My friend and I were both surprised that we just so happened to come across this place in our pursuit of smoothies…Which we didn’t even get since we got parfaits haha. We felt so happy and so lucky to be able to play with the pigs. I rate it a 1000/10 and really recommend everyone to come and feel loved by a cute little piggy. I’m now a huge fan of pigs and piglets!
All in all, I would say that our stress-free day was a success as we accomplished everything we set out to do between walking, shopping, eating, and enjoying our time. If you’re someone who also thrives in nature like my friend and I, the fact that this street is located in a busy area where there are shops but also nature close by makes it the perfect place to go. If you’re looking for a detox in life, I truly suggest putting in your headphones, walking around the streets, and seeing where life takes you. And of course, visiting the sushi named piggies! On your journey around Kawaramachi, you may be out for a very unexpected and fun adventure.
