Begin early in the day at Nishiki Market, sampling Kyoto specialties as you wander the narrow, covered arcade lined with traditional shops. Be on the lookout for: • Tsukemono (Kyoto pickles) • Yatsuhashi (cinnamon or matcha-filled sweets) • Sabazushi (Kyoto-style mackerel sushi) • Skewers of sashimi, waygu beef, and grilled seafood, especially eel • Tamagoyaki (Japanese omelet) • Tako tamago (baby octopus with quail egg) • Soy milk or tofu donuts

Pair these snacks with a glass of Uji matcha or a creamy matcha latte, made with tea sourced from nearby Uji. Have a kyo-yuba (tofu skin) or nishin soba (herring with buckwheat noodles) lunch in or near Nishiki Market.

Optional add-on: If time permits, participate in an official tasting tour of Nishiki Market.

Participate in a wagashi or mochi-making workshop, crafting seasonal sweets and learning the artistry and seasonal symbolism behind these iconic Japanese confections. Depending on availability, consider doing the workshop before lunch.

Then head to a **Gion **teashop for a typical break of wagashi paired with matcha or genmaicha (green tea blended with toasted rice). Follow with a tea ceremony, where ceremonial-grade matcha is typically paired with sweets you've just learned about.

Head to Pontocho Alley for an obanzai dinner, which consists of traditional home-style Kyoto small plates. Expect dishes like yudofu (tofu hot pot), delicate sashimi, seasonal vegetables, and beautifully plated appetizers. If it is summer, select a hamo (pike conger) dish for part of the obanza, as hamo is a Kyoto seasonal specialty. Consider pairing your meal with hojicha (roasted green tea with a nutty aroma) or a cold Japanese whisky highball.

Delve into Kyoto’s brewing culture at the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum, where you can learn about centuries-old sake production techniques, see traditional tools, and sample regional varieties.

Explore the Fushimi Sake District, hopping between breweries and tasting rooms, gaining firsthand insight into the region’s status as one of Japan’s premier sake-producing areas. If your schedule permits, take a brewery tour or a sake pairing workshop.

Aim to sample a range of sake styles, including dry Junmai, fragrant ginjo, and nigori (cloudy sake) and look for seasonal or limited-release bottles. Consider pairing your sake with small dishes featuring nama-fu (wheat gluten delicacy), tempura, or other sake-paired appetizers.

Head to Kyoto Ramen Koji on the 10th floor of the Kyoto Station building for a dinner of Kyoto-style ramen. The most iconic version of this style of ramen features a chicken-based broth thickened up with soy sauce and pork back fat.

Visitors who are not interested in sake might consider spending the morning and afternoon in Uji visiting the Chazuna Tea Museum and Wazuka Tea Fields, taking a matcha-making workshop, and visiting a café specializing in matcha.

Participate in a hands-on Japanese cooking class preparing local specialties such as Kyoto-style sushi and seasonal vegetable sides. Classes often include tsukemono and guidance on presentation, in addition to a tour to a local market, such as Nishiki Market. Alternatively, consider a shojin ryori (Zen Buddhist) class for a vegetarian option.

Head to Uji to visit the Chazuna Tea Museum to learn about the history of Uji tea and . Sample specialties such as a matcha parfait, matcha tiramisu, matcha soba noodles, soft-serve matcha ice cream, and hojicha desserts.

Optional add-on: Visit the Wazuka Tea Fields to develop an understanding of how tea is grown and produced.

End your foodie journey with a refined kaiseki ryori meal paired with a final cup of premium Uji matcha or aged sake. Kaiseki ryori is Kyoto’s traditional multi-course haute cuisine, emphasizing seasonal ingredients, delicate flavors, and artful presentation, where each dishis designed to create a harmonious, visually and gastronomically balanced experience. If it is summer, some of the dishes might feature hamo (pike conger), a Kyoto seasonal speciality.

Visitors who spent part of Day 2 in Uji might consider spending the afternoon in Gion izakaya hopping.