How I Accidentally Stayed Next to the Largest Shinto Shrine in Kyoto, Japan
I stepped out of my Airbnb in Fushimi, Kyoto, and it felt like a ghost town. The last time I had eaten was a couple hours ago on the bullet train from Tokyo, and I was starving. It was 5:15 p.m. on a Friday during the summer of 2019, and almost everything was closed. There wasn’t even anyone walking around downtown. I soon realized my only option for dinner would be 7-Eleven.
Konbini: Japanese Convenience Stores
I learned very quickly: it’s okay to rely on 7-Eleven, or Daily Yamazaki, or Lawson, or Family Mart or Mini Stop. There are many stores to choose from, but nonetheless, convenience stores in Japan are exactly that: convenient. At konbini you can get really cheap and pretty tasty meals. You can even pay your bills at them! Whether you’re on a budget or not, Japanese convenience stores are your friend.
Shrines
At around 8 a.m. the next morning, suddenly hundreds of people were roaming the streets of Fushimi. I realized I was staying right next to the largest Shinto shrine in Kyoto. The Fushimi Inari shrine worships Inari, the god of rice cultivation, and features statues of foxes: the messengers of Inari. The shrine also features massive, bright red gates called torii gates. The shrine has a trail that goes up Mount Inari, where you can see thousands of torii gates. During my walk up the mountain, I was met face to face with a macaque monkey!
Mom and Pop Eatery
Even though meals from konbinis are great, the local food was incredible. At the end of the street was a mom and pop Chinese eatery, called Ming Yangxuan, that stayed open late, The owners only spoke Japanese, and though it was difficult to order, the meal blew me away. It was probably the best Chinese food I’ve ever had, and it was cheap, too. I won’t lie — I ate from this place almost every night!
Kyoto is known as the cultural contrast to the bustling Tokyo, and it’s easy to see why at the serene Fushimi Inari shrine. However, if you only focus on the tourist hot-spots, you might miss some of the best Chinese food you’ll ever have.
