5 places you cannot miss in Kyoto

To my fellow readers - the world has shown us over the past year how cruel it can be and that we should never take anything, even the most simple things for granted. Whilst I have been MIA for a while, I would like to share with you again the beauty of the world and hopefully tickle your wanderlust for when the time will be right to travel. I am lucky enough to be based in Japan at the moment, where domestic travel restrictions were never too strict. I hope that through my blog, you will be able to have your mind travel whilst not leaving your current location.

For my first return post, I would like to share with you the beauty of Kyoto - an ever so popular destination in Japan for tourists from all over the world!

5 MUST SEE PLACES IN KYOTO, JAPAN

1. Arashiyama

Arashiyama is certainly one of the most popular areas of Kyoto. I have been there multiple times (pre and post-Covid alike) and there is always a sea of people! Whilst you will often hear 'Arashiyama Bamboo Forest' there is more to see to Arashiyama. First, as you get off the tram if you come from central Kyoto, you can make your way to the street on the left hand-side, which a lot of outlets will offer food to take on the go such as street food. I recommend trying a bunch of snack you haven't before! This is the main walking path to the famous bamboo forest as well and undoubtedly crowded. 

My favourite place in Arashiyama has to be the Katsura River. You will see the river as you walk down towards Togetsu Bridge, another famous spot in the area. The river's water is turquoise and it is the best place to take a seat and relax on a sunny day. According to the season, there are boats rental available as well as Yakatabune - a traditional wooden boat which you can book privately or with a group to enjoy a traditional lunch on the river. I have not yet been able to do this experience, but I highly recommend it!

Access:

Access to Arashiyama is fairly easy and most people will either use a bus that goes there directly from central Kyoto, or by the tram on the Keifuku Arashiyama Line. You may also want to take the JR Sagano Line train but will have to walk a little bit more to the busy main street. 

Recommendations: 

Have a coffee at %Arabica Coffee (expect queues) and enjoy grilling your own dango sweets at eX Cafe. Once your day is over, enjoy a warm coffee or a craft beer in camping vibes at Snow Peak. 

Other points- best to arrive early and book places you want to lunch or dine at. 

2. Kiyomizu-dera Temple at Sunset 

Kiyomizu-dera is another great vantage point for sunset and will obviously, attract crowds. I still suggest going there at least once during sunset, especially on a clear day as  the views and colours are just so stunning. The way to the temple is a lively road with no car access. You will find a lot of souvenirs and sweets shop which I suggest to check either on your way up (if you plan your visit early enough) or on your way down. Bearing in mind though, that some places may close after 5:00pm. 

The temple has been covered due to renovations works for as long as I remember - I think it was still having works done back in 2010 and still is today! Some may be disappointed as the works cover the most aesthetic part of the temple with the view on the valley. Although I believe works are to be done this year, even if they are still ongoing, I still highly suggest you to visit. This place is hands down one of my favourite  temples and I never get tired of visiting. 

Access: 

Kiyomizu-dera is easily accessible by foot from Gion area if you like to walk around and check the shops. If taking the train, it's about a 20mn walk from Kiyomizu-Gojo Sta. on the Keihan Railway Line. Alternatively, there are a number of buses such as the 100 or 206 from Central Kyoto.

You can access the outside area of the Temple for free, with a view of the sunset. The inside access costs 400 yen (A$5 ; 3 Euros) and it is open from 6am to 6pm (6:30pm during high season). Please note hours may differ due to the current pandemic situation.

Recommendations: 

On your way up to the temple, you must buy some traditional sweets called Yatsuhashi. There are triangular mochi filled with different kind of pastes such as red bean, sesame or chocolate! Some of them has a slight taste of cinnamon as the mochi is covered with it. You cannot miss them as a bunch of shops will be handing out samples. There are not only delicious, but also a great gift to bring back! 

3. Kinkaku-Ji

Kinkaku-Ji or the Golden Temple / Pavillion is likely the most sought-after and well known Temple of all Kyoto (if not Japan)! It is simple stunning and non-missable when doing a trip to Kyoto. Location wise, it may be best to go to Kinkaku-Ji after visiting Arashiyama as it is also a bit in the outskirts and closer to Arashiyama than to Central Kyoto. The visit is pretty much self-explanatory and you will follow the indicated path (minding people, of course!) but again, I believe it is worth visiting once in your life. It has burnt down numerous times over the course of historic events, and the structure we see today is from 1955 yet - still so impressive!

Access:

The best way to get to Kinkaku-Ji in my opinion is to take the bus (101 / 205). I remember there were so many people waiting in line for the bus that we had wait for a reaaaaally long time. If you are going during high-season such as Sakura or Momiji season, better go there early and ready to wait. It's open from 9am to 5pm and the access cost is 400 yen. 

4. Fushimi Inari Taisha 

Fushimi Inari Taisha is also another one of my favourite temples. You might think that I say this for every showcased temples but I genuinely love these places! If you are a Torii fan, look no further. If you wish to avoid the crowd for your own peace of mind or for a great photo, I recommend getting there for sunrise. The above photos were taken a little bit further as you walk into a 'hiking' trail inside the shrine and these parallel paths are called 'Senbon Torii' or in another words, 'One Thousand Torii Gates'. It is a really impressive path to go through and incredibly silent / peaceful. You will come across many statues of foxes along the way as well as fox themed Omamori (protection amulets) as Inari is the Fox God for rice and fertility. 

Access:

Access is easier by train as there is JR Inari Sta. directly stopping by the Temple's entrance. There are no hours of admissions and its access is free as well - another reason not to miss it!

Recommendations:

Have a coffee at Vermillon Cafe after walking up and down the hiking trail - they also have soy milk options! You can then go back to the main entrance of the shrine, where (if you have gotten up at sunrise) by the time you get down, there will be lots of street food stalls available, grilling away amazing food for you! 

If you are looking for the ultimate Japanese gift or are a cooking / knife amateur, I recommend checking this place. It is a family-run business passed down from many generations and they have beautiful knifes made in Kyoto for an incredibly reasonable price. If you have an address in Japan or have extra time they offer an engraving options with free delivery, which is amazing! I bought 3 knives there and the son and his parents were just lovely, genuine and kind people with a beautiful smile. I highly recommend stopping by. 

5. Gion and Surroundings 

Gion is basically the traditional centre of Kyoto. When I go to Kyoto, I always try to find an accommodation that is walking distance from Gion as I just love traditional places and would prefer staying here vs. near the station. It has the most beautiful streets where you can wander for hours, a bunch of food and souvenir shops as well as some of the finest bars and restaurants of the city. 

I honestly recommend spending at least one whole afternoon walking around Gion area and finish by a stroll along the Kamo river, especially in the warmer days - you will see street artists performing and the vibe is just on point! Hanamikoji St is perfect if you are a Japanese food lover and shopping aficionado. After your shopping (or before) head over to Yasaka Shrine, surrounded by beautiful gardens and parks. Lastly, if you are a bit of an Art fan and fancy a little detour to get your daily steps in, check out KYOCERA, the Kyoto City Museum of Arts, where my photo with the floating glass tea house was taken. Whilst you are there, as you would have walked a little away from Gion, you may also want to check Nanzen-Ji. 

General Recommendations:

Kyoto is generally busy as it attracts tourist from all over the country as well as all over the world. Weekends, bank holidays and high season such as the Cherry Blossom or Autumn Leaves seasons tend to be the most crowded. When possible, I would suggest going a little before or after those periods and visiting during the week, as long as it is not Golden Week will be better if you prefer a quieter experience of the city. Of course, the above 5 places are only some of my favourites and easily accessible over the course of one weekend. However, Kyoto has so much more to offer and I suggest spending as much time as possible. These are just my recommended places that I think you should not miss :) 

Finally, if you like collecting like I do and are a sucker for everything traditional, I highly recommend that you get a Goshuincho. It is a pilgrimage book, often sold at temples directly or at some stationary places such as Tokyu Hands and when visiting temples across Japan, you can ask (for a small fee of usually 300 - 500 yen) a monk to stamp it for you. They will stamp it with the temples design and write the name of the temple, the date and location in traditional black ink. It is truly a valuable souvenir and memory of your temple trips across the country and I highly recommend to get one!