🚲 Japan Day 8 Part 2: It's NOT a Strip Club

📍 Place: Kyoto

👘 Wrapping Up the Kimono Experience

We left the tea ceremony venue and took a few more kimono photos. I felt done early, and another person in the group did too, so we headed back to the hostel together.

🚲 Biking Adventure in Kyoto

After relaxing a bit, Comfort asked if I wanted to keep resting or join for a bike ride. I said yes to biking. That's when the chaos started:

We found two types of bikes, but both required downloading an app to unlock them. Of course, we lost internet connection and couldn't log in. We tried finding a café with Wi-Fi and then witnessed something wild, a guy on a bike holding a skateboard sped past us with two policemen chasing him. We had no idea what was going on, but it was exciting to watch. Later, we saw more police running toward where he'd gone. Even funnier, they didn't jaywalk, they waited for the green pedestrian light before sprinting across.

After hours of failing to unlock the bikes, a random guy tried to help us. It didn't work at first, so finally, we paid him to rent bikes for us using his app account, 3,000 yen total for the day. He was incredibly kind because he couldn't know we'd return the bikes, but of course we did.

Once we finally started riding, the seat was way too high, and I almost fell before adjusting it. At first, I wobbled like I hadn't biked in years. But soon we were riding smoothly, taking videos of each other, and cycling down toward a small beach and riverbank. We stopped for photos and just had fun. Honestly, it was one of the best parts of the trip, no rushing, no noise, just freedom. I love the group, but it felt good to have a break.

💡 Tips & Tricks:

• Download any bike rental apps in advance and set them up while you have Wi-Fi.

• Adjust your seat height before riding, it makes a huge difference.

• If traveling in a group, sometimes splitting off for smaller adventures can be refreshing.

💪 Macho Bar – Kyoto's Funniest Spot

Back at the hostel, we changed quickly for our next stop: Macho Bar. This place is NOT a strip club, it's a bar where three ridiculously muscular guys poke fun at themselves and their strength so everyone can laugh.

No matter your size, they carry you through the door, these guys are insanely strong. They crushed peanuts, lemons, and even a melon with their muscles, all while cracking jokes. It was hilarious, we couldn't stop laughing. Because space was limited, our group of 22 split into two. I was in the first group.

You could pay extra for a Polaroid photo with one of the macho men or shout out a special keyword from their list to make them perform a specific trick.

Unfortunately, all the laughing, biking, and walking uphill that day triggered my asthma. My throat tightened so badly I could barely breathe, so I had to leave early and head back to the hostel. It's frustrating how often asthma ruins things for me, but that's just how it goes sometimes.

💡 Tips & Tricks:

• Macho Bar is comedy, not adult entertainment, great for groups looking for laughs.

• Bring some extra cash if you want a photo or to request a special stunt.

• If you have asthma or other health issues, pace yourself on big activity days.

🌟 Day Summary

This was honestly one of my favorite days of the whole trip. From stunning temples and kimono photos to a bike ride that started stressful but turned magical, and finishing with the funniest bar I've ever visited. Even though asthma cut my night short, the memories made it totally worth it.

💡 Extra Tips & Tricks:

• Kyoto has hidden gems beyond temples, don't skip smaller adventures like biking.

• Laughter and spontaneity often create the best travel memories.

• Always carry your inhaler or necessary meds, you never know when you'll need them.