Until 1868, Kyoto , which means capital city, was the capital of Japan. Now it is one of the most important cities in the country and also one of the most visited along with Tokyo. Anyone traveling to Japan includes the city of Kyoto in their route. But what can you see and do in this beautiful city?
What to see in Kyoto
Gion neighborhood
The Gion neighborhood is one of the best-known geisha neighborhoods in Japan. One of its most popular streets is Hanamikoji . It is pedestrianized and full of restaurants and tea houses, but the most striking thing is its many paper lanterns . In addition, on the doors of okiyas and ochayas there are some very characteristic tables where the names of the geisha who live or work there appear. At the end of this street is the Gion Corner Theater , the perfect place to learn about Japanese performing arts from geishas and maikos .
Another very popular street is the one parallel to the Shirakawa Canal , Shirakawa-minami Street. In spring, with the cherry blossoms, and in autumn, when the leaves turn red, everything is even more beautiful.
Yasaka-jinja Shrine
In this same neighborhood is the Yasaka-jinja shrine . Its main hall and central patio are the two most visited points, although we recommend visiting it more in depth because it has small yashiro sanctuaries and beautiful corners.
In July, the Gion Matsuri festival takes place, one of the largest in Kyoto.
Kiyomizudera Temple
It is one of the most beloved temples in Kyoto and its name means temple of pure water. In reality it is not just a temple but a set of temples and religious enclosures that in 1994 were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
The best known image of this group of temples is that of its main hall with the balcony on the mountainside with the Otowa waterfall at its feet . However, the Kiyomizudera temple has numerous temples, halls and places of interest, such as the Zenkoji temple, the Sanjūnodō pagoda, the Mizugo Kannondō hall or the thousand Jizō.
After visiting the temple, you can go down the traditional streets of Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka, which lead to Gion.
Fushimi Inari Shrine
It is one of the best known shrines in Japan, also one of the most important and ancient. One of the most striking features is its path with more than a thousand red torii . The torii are placed one behind the other and form a kind of corridor roofed by the mountain.
This temple, dedicated to the god Inari, is open throughout the day, even at night, so it can be visited at any time. If you want to do the entire route and reach the top, we recommend visiting it first thing in the morning or late in the afternoon because it is when there are fewer visitors.
Kinkaku-ji and Ryoan-ji Temples
The Kinkaku-ji Temple , also known as the Golden Pavilion , is one of the main attractions in Kyoto. It is a Zen temple whose peculiarity is that its outer walls are covered with gold leaf.
Nearby is the Ryoan-ji Buddhist Temple, which has the most famous Zen garden in the world. The view of both temples can be done in a row because they are next to each other.
Ginkaku-ji Temple
There are people who say that this is less impressive than the Kinkaku-ji temple, others consider it more beautiful because it is more discreet and less ostentatious. The Ginkaku-ji temple, known as the Silver Pavilion although it was never covered with this metal, is surrounded by beautiful gardens with streams, ponds, bridges … The main building, which cannot be accessed, has two floors of different styles .
Nijo Castle
Nijo Castle , which means castle on the second street, is a clear example of the type of constructions that were carried out during the Edo period.
The main entrance to the castle, the Karamon Gate, leads to the Ninomaru Palace , the only one whose interior is open to the public . The most striking thing about this palace are its tatami rooms, its ceilings and sliding doors. Through this palace you can access the Ninomaru Garden , in traditional Japanese style, where the Honmaru Palace and the old keep stood before they disappeared due to a fire. The current building is the imperial residence of the Katsura Imperial Palace .
The best times to visit the castle gardens are spring, for the cherry blossoms, and in autumn, for the red hues of the leaves.
Heian Shrine
Heidan Temple is known for its large red torii and for being the shrine that hosts the Jidai Matsuri, one of the most important festivals in the city.
The normal thing is to access the temple through the great Otorii gate, which is this great torii that we mentioned. The sanctuary is quite large and is divided into two parts, the exterior and the interior. Although the entire complex is beautiful, the Otenmon gate and the main hall, Daigoku-den, stand out . Its gardens from the Meiji era are also very representative with flowers that change color according to the time of year.
Path of Philosophy
During the cherry blossom season, the Path of Philosophy fills with people. Although the tour could be done in less than an hour, there are some points of interest that make it a bit longer as well as interesting and entertaining:
- The starting point may be the Ginkaku-ji Temple (Silver Pavilion).
- Views of the Daimonji at the start. This is one of the five ideograms or pictures that can be found in the mountains of Kyoto and that they burn every year in August during the Obon festival.
- Hōnen-in Temple . Passing between the mounds of sand at the gate is said to purify the mind.
- Stone with the philosopher’s poem Nishira Kitaro .
- Stone torii. It is the place where the Mausoleum of Emperor Reizei is located .
- Otoyo Sanctuary. Its peculiarity is that it has several mice as guardian animals when the most common is that they are foxes or mythological dogs.
- Kounji Temple . Known for its beautiful gardens.
- Kumano Nyakuoji Shrine. Behind it is the tomb of Nijima Jo , a 19th century educator and founder of Doshisha University.
- The Eikdan-do temple marks the end of the Path of Philosophy.
Arashiyama
Arashiyama is ideal to spend a whole day. It is a beautiful area for walking, cycling, boating or just relaxing.
Among its many attractions we highlight its bamboo forest, the Tenryuiju temple and the Iwatayama macaque park . Although there are many other temples and interesting places.
Things to do in Kyoto
See a live show
Among the many things that can be done in a city like Kyoto, attending a maiko show is one of the most recommended. In addition to seeing what a maiko looks like live, it is a way to get to know the authentic traditional Japanese art.
Dress in traditional clothing
Although there are several cities that offer it, Kyoto is the best place to rent a traditional kimono , walk around in it and take photos. The streets of this city invite you to dress in a traditional way.
For girls who want to go a bit further, there are places where they also do their hair and makeup following the style of a geisha.
Rent a bike
It is very convenient to get around Kyoto by bicycle . In some areas there is not too much traffic and the streets tend not to be too steep. In addition, it is a way to move around the city relatively quickly or, even, to get to know it if you choose to go in walk mode.
Japan, in general, provides a lot of security and the bicycle can be left anywhere without risk of possible theft. Kyoto is no exception.
Excursions
Many travelers use Kyoto as a base camp and visit cities such as Nara or Osaka, which are the most common, or others such as Kobe, Nagoya, Himeji and Uji, which are not usually added to the routes when it is the first time to visit Japan. The choice depends on the preferences of each one and the time available.
- Nara : ideal to spend a day. In addition to the great Todai-ji temple, it is famous for the large number of deer that roam its parks and streets with total freedom. The excursion to Nara can be done on the same day that the Fushimi Inari temple is visited.
- Osaka : it is the third largest city in Japan. Although one day is just to get to know it in depth, you can visit its most emblematic places.
- Kobe : This port city has beautiful Western architecture and beautiful gardens. It is ideal for hiking through its mountains.
- Nagoya: it is the fourth most populous city in Japan. In addition to seeing its castle and other places of interest, it is practically mandatory to try its famous tebasaki chicken wings.
- Himeji : it has one of the most spectacular castles in all of Japan.
- Uji – Here is the impressive Byodo-in Temple, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.
To enjoy Kyoto, we recommend visiting it without haste and with great affection. A trip is not a competition where the one who has seen the most things wins. A good traveler is one who makes a selection of the places that make him most excited or that arouse the most interest in him. Some prefer to see some things and others prefer to know others. No one is going to judge anyone for having seen one temple instead of another or for having visited one city instead of another.
