Kyoto Travel Guide

 
by FlyingDutchmen
 
  •   Kyoto
    by FlyingDutchmen
  • Kinkakuji Temple
      Kinkakuji Temple
    by Rabbityama
  • Cherry Blossoms at Heian Shrine
      Cherry Blossoms at Heian Shrine
    by Rabbityama
  • Daigoji Temple
      Daigoji Temple
    by Rabbityama
  • Shimogamo Shrine
      Shimogamo Shrine
    by Rabbityama
 

Pro

joiwatani profile photo

  There are so many beautiful shrines and temples 


Con

BorderHopper profile photo

  Language can be a barrier if you aren't able to at least speak a few key words in Japanese. 


In a nutshell

joiwatani profile photo

  It is a must see in Japan. It is very beautiful. 

 

Explore Kyoto

Things to Do  

Gion (Geisha district)

Gion (Geisha district), Kyoto

 64 Reviews  It's not a long walk but it really holds a historical look. building looks new but in the old japanese style. Restaurants there are little above the average price wise. at the end of the road you will find the goin corner were you can watch their performance for 2000 en per person I think. Goin just... 

Kiyomizu Temple

Kiyomizu Temple, Kyoto

 98 Reviews  I really loved the short visit I made to this place. i like the atmosphere of this narrow streets with souvenirs shops along your way up the hill to the temple. the temple is realllllly huge and you will definetly enjoy your pics later. shops closes early, parking is very expensive around 800 en,... 

Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)

Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion), Kyoto

 102 Reviews  Three-storey Zen Buddhist temple. Each floor was done in different architectural style - the ground floor is Heian imperial architecture, the second floor typifies warrior aristocracy and the top floor is Chinese-inspired. 

Nijo Castle

Nijo Castle, Kyoto

 58 Reviews  Nijo Castle is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Nijo Castle is different from the other castles we visited in Japan as the main building, the Ninomaru Palace, is a single-storey rather than a tower with steep stairs. It is built in the shoin-zukiri style, with linked sections. The wall paintings are... 

See all 1,011 Things to Do in Kyoto

Hotels  

Hotel Granvia Kyoto

 6 Reviews and 743 Opinions  We stayed 3 nights at Kyoto Granvia Hotel from Feb. 27 to Mar 1, 2008. We paid Yen 17,600 per night,... 

The Westin Miyako Kyoto

 4 Reviews and 708 Opinions  This is a starwood hotel, definitly a high standard accomodation that we could afford for a web... 

See all 388 Hotels in Kyoto

Restaurants  

Pontocho district

Pontocho district, Kyoto

 15 Reviews  Kappa sushi is a Japanese rotating sushi chain, they do however also have this EXTREMELLY popular restaurant on Pontocho. There is usually a line-up on Friday or Saturday evening. We went on a weekenight however and got tables right away. There are counter seats as well as tables with views over the... 

Kaiten zushi

Kaiten zushi, Kyoto

 15 Reviews  There is a Kurazushi conveniently located between Ryoanji and Kinkakuji Temple. It features a variety of sushi, drinks, and desserts all rolling by on the conveyer belt for you to grab. If you want something specific, you can order if directly from the screen at your table. When you finish a plate,... 

Nightlife  

Gion and Pontocho

Gion and Pontocho, Kyoto

 18 Reviews  Onze is a nice little French wine bar in Shijo where most of the city's nightlife is located. There is a food menu featuring their breads, cheeses, and others foods. Then there is a separate menu for the drinks and alcohol. There are quite a few options for alchohol, and some other options as well.... 

"A" Bar

"A" Bar, Kyoto

 4 Reviews  A Bar is... A bar! It's one of the many hole-in-the-wall bars around the Gion area and it's popular among foreigners for some reason. There are a fair amount of drinking options and the menu is in both English and Japanese. Like many of the bars in the area, it is not very large and as more people... 

Transportation  

City Buses

City Buses, Kyoto

 40 Reviews  Kyoto City Bus is quite convinient for most of the touristic sites. 220 Yen, longer distances are more (these longer distance buses have black numbers). Ypu can get a One Day Pass for 500 Yen (for longer distances you pay a suplement, to Arashiyama for instance 220 Yen). Raku Bus: three routes (100,... 

Shinkansen

Shinkansen, Kyoto

 25 Reviews  When booking a Shinkansen to/from Kyoto and Tokyo, might be good if you can specify which side seats you would prefer when making seats reservation at any JR station. When I boarded the Shinkansen from Kyoto to Tokyo, all the seats on the left side of the train were taken up. Later realised that... 

Local Customs  

Visiting Temples and Shrines

Visiting Temples and Shrines, Kyoto

 41 Reviews  It's tradition but a lot of visitors of the temple miss this local custom! There is a covered fountain fronting the gate of the Ginkakuji Temple. The water fountain has a bamboo scooper where you can scoop the water to drink or to wash hands. Before entering the temple, a visitor should scoop the... 

Geisha and Maiko

Geisha and Maiko, Kyoto

 12 Reviews  In Gion at a Geisha bar. Again, this was only possible via an introduction. The Geisha were more sophisticated than the Maiko. They focused on the male members of our party. I asked a friend who often attends functions where Geisha are invited to entertain and she told me this was perfectly normal.... 

Warnings Or Dangers  

Scams

Scams, Kyoto

 3 Reviews  At 650 yen a pop most people bought two or three of these "Johnny Jumpers". Hey, that seems like a bargain to the duped customers handing over the Yen. A couple of thousand Yen and they're already anticipating the laughs they'll get from the guys in the office (especially when their co-workers see... 

Street Safety

Street Safety, Kyoto

 2 Reviews  As stated before, Japanese bike riders and pedestrains do get a little close to you when you transerse their sidewalks. What I find is that they are really just trying to second guess where you'll be when they intersect you. So pick a line of walking or a path if you will, and stick to it. If you... 

Tourist Traps  

Food and Dining

Food and Dining, Kyoto

 7 Reviews  If you are a picky eater, make sure to point the food at the window gallery if you wanted a particular food. Don't choose the food that you don't know how it looks like or taste like. The reason why? You end up wasting your money! I am not a picky eater but still, there are some food that are new... 

Gion (Geisha District)

Gion (Geisha District), Kyoto

 3 Reviews  Looking for geisha's? Be satisfied with the knowledge that you are not gonna see them in Kyoto. Even not on the time the billboards in the hostel (J-Hoppers) says they are on location. One should say this is a tourist attraction, but it's a really trap. 

Off The Beaten Path  

Ohara Area

Ohara Area, Kyoto

 6 Reviews  Ohara is a major stomping ground for Japanese 'aki-front' followers; when the nation gets bored of pining for cherry blossoms and instead glues its eyes to NHK for the first news reports of Kyoto's maple leaves turning autumn red. 

Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple

Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple, Kyoto

 2 Reviews  Otagi Nenbutsu-ji, beautiful buddhist stone sculptures. In Arashiyama, go to Adashino Nenbutsu-ji, where one can walk the bamboo grove. pass this temple, follow the walking path north,till one reaches the orange torri, walk through it and continue walking for another 10 mins. the Otagi temple is on... 

Favorites  

Tourist Information Center

Tourist Information Center, Kyoto

 6 Reviews  The Kyoto SGG Club,Goodwill Guide Volunteer Services of Kyoto, and the Rotary International District 2650 Club of Kyoto are giving away free maps to tourists in Kyoto. The map is in black and white and back to back. The tourist map can be taken at the Information Center at the Kyoto Station where... 

City Districts

City Districts, Kyoto

 3 Reviews  Depending on how many days you are staying in Kyoto, map out the places you are going to see. The temples are located in different areas: 1. Higashiyama Area - The attractions around this area includes Chionin Temple, Yasaka Shrine, Maruyama Park, Kodaiji Temple, Ryozen Kannon Temple, Yasaka... 

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The Place

Plan a Kyoto vacation with reviews, tips and photos posted by real travelers and Kyoto locals

Experience Kyoto
  •   2,227 Tips and Reviews
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The People

71 Members Live Here
 
Advice from the Locals
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 Cultural Capital Kyoto - Kyoto became the nation's capital in 794, ushering in the Heian Period. The city was modeled after the Chinese capital Chang-an in a grid and called Heian-kyo. Toji Temple (East Temple) and Saiji... 

71 members live in Kyoto

 

Questions and Answers

jerimiah42 profile photo

Q:  Hi, I am considering buying a 2 week JR Pass for my travels in Japan, but I find it very confusing and have a lot of questions.... 

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A: I also had similar questions about the JR pass prior to my Japan trip. If you do the math, the cost of the 2-week Japan-wide pass would be about the same as a R/T plane... 

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Top Kyoto Writers

1

Kyoto is a must see for every tourist in Japan!

joiwatani profile photo

 Kyoto is one of the most beautiful places I have been. So, if you are interested in going to Japan, you must consider going to Kyoto City. Plan to stay there for at least three days to be able to... 

2

WORLD OF ITS OWN (Kyoto,Nara,Osaka,Himeji & Kobe)

bkoon profile photo

 I*T*I*N*E*R*A*R*Y DAY 1 Kyoto (Kiyomizu Dera Temple and Gion Area) DAY 2 Kyoto (Sanjusangendo Temple, Heian Shrine, Nanjenji, Ginkajuji Temple and Karawamachi Area) DAY 3 Kyoto (Kinkajuji Temple,... 

3

Cultural Capital Kyoto

Rabbityama profile photo

 Kyoto became the nation's capital in 794, ushering in the Heian Period. The city was modeled after the Chinese capital Chang-an in a grid and called Heian-kyo. Toji Temple (East Temple) and Saiji... 

4

Kyoto

Gili_S profile photo

 In July 2009 we visited Kyoto for few days and had wonderful time exploring this city and its major sites. To most sites you can just walk or take a short bus trip, join me in a city tour as I walk...... 

5

KYOTO - THE HEART OF JAPAN

Pixiekatten profile photo

 In my opinion Kyoto is one of the most magnificent cities is the world - from what Ive seen so far! Its a beautiful vibrant city where modern life meets old traditional Japan. Twice I have been to... 

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Travel Editors for Kyoto

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