World Wide Honeymoon Travel Podcast · Kat and Chris Butler

Travel to Kyoto + How to Spend 2 Days in Kyoto, Japan

·1 hr·3 clips

Kyoto in August hit them so hard they were sweating the moment they left the hotel.

Kat and Chris open with a relaxed check-in, a bit of heat grumbling, and a few of their usual show updates before the Kyoto topic really takes over. They mark episode 342 and joke about the podcast's long run since March of 2019. Once they settle into Kyoto, the focus shifts to timing, with a clear lean toward spring or fall. They suggest skipping the peak heat of summer if possible. They talk about going after cherry blossom season or in the stretch before the leaves get really intense. The episode keeps coming back to the idea that Kyoto is easier to enjoy when the weather is on your side. They then move into where they stayed. They stayed at Celestine Hotel Guillaume. They liked the room a lot. They liked the staff too. The location stood out because it was right in the Guillaume District. That made early-morning exploring easier. They also say they walked everywhere in Kyoto, with a couple of cabs, including the ride to Arashiyama. Breakfast at the hotel gets a blunt review. It cost too much for two people. They felt the buffet was only okay. After the lodging talk, they start going through the places they actually visited. One of the first stops was Ryosan Canon Temple. That site includes a giant Buddha outside. They note that they had already seen giant Buddhas elsewhere in Japan, including one in Nara, but this one still felt special. They describe the complex as interesting and worth seeing. It also carries a World War II memorial connection. The episode keeps its travel rhythm by moving from logistics into the actual experience of being there. The hosts compare the Buddha stops, reflect on how memorable those sights were, and keep the conversation grounded in what was easy, what was expensive, and what felt worth the time. The overall shape is a city guide built from an actual couple's trip rather than a formal itinerary. It is less about grand theory and more about what helps when you are deciding where to stay, when to go, and which stops fit into a couple of days. The conversational detours stay part of the charm because they make the trip feel real. The useful bits keep surfacing even when the hosts wander. By the time they finish the Kyoto section, listeners have a clear sense of the pace, the heat, the walking, and the kinds of sights that anchored the trip.

As heard by us

A practical Kyoto trip report with real-world timing, lodging, and walking advice.

Kyoto comes off as a heat-soaked travel note that still earns its keep, since the hosts stay on the basics that matter for a short stay: when to go, where to stay, and how the city lands on the ground.

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Why you'd press play

Need Kyoto advice from people who walked it, stayed in Gion, and sorted the basics?

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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