Street view
by xaver
The best thing I could do in Tokyo was simply getting lost in its small streets around Gyon.
In particular I can reccommend the street that goes from Kiyomizu temple to Gyon, to take this street, once you are out of the temple walk untill you find Shichimiya spices shop, then turn right and go down. The street is definitly a fondest memory as it's the first chance I had to meet the old Kyoto, the best time of the day to enjoy this street is the sunset and after, when the lights start giving colours to the windows and to the old houses.
Nothing special needed here but
by Gili_S
Have good walking shoes or sandals in summer as you probably walk a lot. Light summer clothing during the summer months as it is very hot and in case you travel in the winter be aware it can get very cold. Obviously take a camera with you and if you have wide lens that can be useful for some temple architecture photos. Get the Kyoto guide when getting to the city for the latest updates. (see image)
Get fit and see loads by cycling around!
by UKDaisy
The best way to get around and to see Kyoto is by bicycle. You can hire a bike by the day from various places dotted around the city, and cycling in Kyoto is very safe because everyone cycles on the pavements! Also, because Kyoto itself is a very safe city, there's no worries about your bike getting stolen! (I even saw people who trustingly left their bicycles on the side of the pavements without chaining them up - it must be that safe!)
Eating in Gion Corner
by sacrebleu about Wabiya Korekidou
Don’t just wait outside Gion Corner for geishas to pass by! Visit the restaurants there too! I picked this restaurant for dinner because not many were opened as it was still early then, but also we had a peek inside and it had a casual look with people sitting around the bar drinking.
For some reasons, they had asked us to stay in a small room at the back at first. Not sure whether it was because we are foreigners but afterwards they allowed us to sit at the bar – as if they had asked other patrons’ permission first!
The menus are written in Japanese only but I could make out some of the characters and guessed what most things were. They seemed to specialize in chicken dishes and the meats were from different provinces around. We had some salad, a few chicken yakitori (skewers) which were cooked in front of us and a very tasty chicken hot pot! The broth they used for the hot pot was scrumptious – no MSG at all!! The meat was tender and the vegetables were cooked to perfection. Even though it was a bit expensive than average, I highly recommend it! It’s a must try!
Of course as we were sitting in the bar, we had some sake and Japanese liquor too. It was a perfect place to enjoy our last dinner in Kyoto. I definitely will go back to this restaurant if I go to Kyoto again. Free Range Chicken yakitori (skewers), Free Range Chicken Hot Pot
Heian Shrine - History
by chatterley
The two Emperors of Japan, one the founder (Emperor Kammu) of and the other the last ruler (Emperor Komei) of the Heian Capital (today's Kyoto), were deified and enshrined at Heian Shrine.
The shrine was built in 1895, which was the 1100th year since the Heian Captial was founded. To mark this year, the people built this shrine in the style of the Kyoto Imperial Palace.
The main structures of this shrine included the Daigoku-den (Outer Oratory), Oten-mon (Divine Gate), Soryu-ro, Byakko-ro, Platform, and Ryubi-dan. In 1940, following the deification of Emperor Komei, additional structures such as the Main Sanctuary, Shinto ritual hall, Inner Sanctuary, Flank Hall, Tablet Hall, Outer and Inner Platforms, Saikan, and Administration Building were built.
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Blossoms at Heian Shrine
Gekkamon Gate
Kinkaku-ji
Kitano Tenmangu Shrine
