Arashiyama

It's early morning and I can hardly control my urge to make a break for the other side...there are no cars driving by and the street is narrow - yet the Japanese won't jaywalk and are waiting for the light to turn green. So I behave too.

At the train station the Japanese are waiting in straight and orderly lines to get on. The train doors open, the people get out, and no one in our line even flinches. Automatically Greg wants to go around them to jump on the train before we miss it. We have never seen anything like it. "How do they know not to enter?" the kids ask what we are all thinking. The doors snap shut and we see the seats magically pop to face the other direction - and finally we can get on. "Weird!"

Confirming everyone was off the train before closing the doors

We are on our way to Arashiyama in the west-side of Kyoto. It is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Japan. Its bamboo forest, often Kyoto's signature picture, is only one of the many things there is to do here; it is also renowned for its landmark Togetsukyo Bridge, temples, shrines, shops, and monkey park.

Togetsukyo Bridge or Moon Crossing Bridge, with the dramatic mountain range behind it, is one of the most famous landmarks here

After crossing over Togetsukyo Bridge, we head first for the bamboo grove - hoping to get a picture with no one in it. At 8am, there are already an alarming amount of people here.

The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, a short 1/2-mile path, is one of the most scenic and therefore visited spots in Kyoto

After a quick pit stop to make our lunch reservation, we head to the Monkey Park Iwatayama at the top of the mountain, a brisk 15 minute climb. I warn everyone, and the signs on the way back me up: Do not make eye contact. The monkeys are aggressive and will attack. Kate is a little freaked, "Is there not something between us?" Nope, you get to walk around with the 120 snow monkeys (Japanese Macaques, native to Japan). It was fascinating to watch them and fun to feed them!

From the top of Monkey Park Iwatayama you can see all of Kyoto

You can feed them apples or peanuts if you are inside the hut

After a brief rest along the river, we start moving again. The kids all jump up too as if on an invisible leash. "Dad's going. Follow the WiFi," one of them acknowledges out loud.

The main street is a lot busier now! We weave through people to get to our lunch at Steak Otsuka - repeatedly high on TripAdvisor, it always has very long waits and then closes when it runs out of food. Despite all the people, we are the first ones welcomed in because we put our names on the list at 8:30am.

The table is at ground height but underneath is a heated pit for our feet and legs

We are here for the wagyu (which literally means "Japanese cow"), considered the caviar of beef in Japan. We order A5, the highest grade of beef. Tasting it, I realize I'm identifying a fifth "taste sense " I didn't even know existed: umami. Lost in the amazing flavor, I can barely talk but manage to say, "Holy crap. That is amazing. It is like butter." I chuckle at Jeremy's lack of words, "I don't know, I only had one bite - I didn't think about. I was too busy tasting." He would not be good at vlogging food videos. Then he says, "Thank you mom, that was like THE reason I came here."

Wagyu grade A5 - "THE reason I came here" - Jeremy

Kate offered up her last piece and they all grabbed at it like vultures. I was handing a piece to Jeremy and dad grabbed it. "What? Was that not for me? I thought I heard my name."

Kate got short plate beef set, the most delicious of the set meals.

After lunch we took a taxi up the hill to Otagi Nenbutsuji. Getting out, Greg exclaimed, "Wait, were we going to walk up here?!" On the outskirts of Arashiyama, far up in the hills, it is Kyoto's best secret Buddhist temple. I had read it is an interesting place that is rarely visited; it is a true hidden gem. There really isn't much to the temple - but the 1,200 statues representing Rakan, disciples of the founder of Buddhism. It was totally peaceful and fun to look at all the different faces. We laughed as we named people who looked like the statues.

Visiting Otago Nenbutsuji was peaceful and fun

Greg found his

The Hecox clan

Me when I travel (or Smurfette)

On the way back down the hill we stopped at Hiranoya, a tea house that has been around for 400 years.

The Atago Torii and Hiranoya Restaurant

Sitting true Japanese style here -no hidden spot for legs

Do we drink this (Sakura leaves)? They all watched me take a sip.

Our "sweet" and sakura drink

"It tastes like you picked up a leaf and some mud," said Kate, trying to figure out how to get rid of the food in her mouth. Jeremy responded, "Mine tastes like candy!" He said he liked ours, to which we all chimed in, "Do you want mine?" "I can't eat 6!"

Matcha tea

As everybody else went back to the apartment, I stayed behind at Gion's historically preserved zone, Hanamikoji Street. My goal was to spot an elusive geisha before she quickly darted in to one of the exclusive tea houses. Ichiriki (on the corner of Shijo and Hanamikoji) is the most famous and exclusive ochaya (teahouse) – easily identified by its distinctive red walls. A night of fun at the Ichiriki ochaya costs around $6,000 a head. And, even if you can afford that amount, entrance is by strict invitation only.