Fun things to do in Kyoto-fu

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A nice walking tour around Kyoto is the Johnny Hillwalker tour.
It takes 5 hours and covers only 3 km up and down narrow picturesque tiny streets.

A fascinating exposure the the side of Kyoto that few tourists see. The emphasis is on artists and their homes and on history. We observed some interesting aspects of actual home production, as practiced in Japan, of fans, ceramic work and rope designs.

Hajimi san is an excellent guide with a great sense of humor. His joke are worth hearing!

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Walking around Kyoto is a marvelous activity. So much to see and absorb. Absolutely amazing.

For a better understanding and more enjoyability (is that a word?) I highly recommend the book:
"Exploring Kyoto"
On Foot in the Ancient Capital
by Judith Clancy

Includes great maps and marvelous colour photos.

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The walking tour of "Johnny Hillwalker" is very worthwhile.
Run in English it is a slow stroll for about 5 hours covering a small section of the artists and craft section of Kyoto in depth.

It is fascinating watching fans being made - they are blown up by mouth individually!
Includes visits to a typical Japanese garden, a couple of Buddhist Temples and so on.

Hajimi Hirooka san speaks excellent English, is full of energy and even more patience!
He provides lots of interesting explanations along the way and is not above making some cute jokes.

The Cherry Blossom dance made me forget everything.
I had an exceptionally good seat - right under the musicians, below the entry walkway of the dancers and just 9 rows from the stage. It was an entrancing performance.
The dance told the story of one entire year from Spring Blossom time in the life of a Geisha. Included an agricultural scene in the summer, a fight between a palace guard and a Samurai, the loneliness and abandonment of winter and of course, the beauty of re-birth in the Spring.
I understood not one word of the minimal amount of dialogue, nor of the songs - but it wasn't necessary. The formal beauty of the dance, the stage scenery done with lights and the costumes made it all comprehensible.

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Fushimi Inari Taisha is a shinto shraine dedicated to the spirit Inari, located in Fushimi-ku Kyoto-city.

It is especially well known for the thousands of vermilion torii lining the paths on the hill on which the shrine is located.

The torii gates are all donations from individuals, families or companies.
The Inari spirit is considered to be the protector of grains, especially rice, and has thus historically been associated with wealth.

At the bottom of the hill is the Go-Honden Shrine and the Sakura-mon gate.
After following the torii lined hiking paths, you can stop at various food stalls that specialize in Kitsune udon, a popular noodle dish named after Kitsune which are regarded as the gods of harvest.

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The Heian Jingu is a Shinto shrine located at East side of Kyoto-city.
The torii before the main gate is the largest in Japan, and the main building (shaden), is designed to imitate the Kyoto Imperial Palace.

The Heian Jingu was built in 1895 for the 1100th anniversary of the establishment of Heiankyo (the old name of Kyoto).
The shrine is dedicated to Emperor Kanmu and Emperor Komei.

The former moved the capital to Heian, and the latter was the last before Emperor Meiji, who moved the capital to Tokyo.

The Heian Jingu is the destination of the Jidai Matsuri Festival, one of the three most important festivals of Kyoto.
The procession of this festival begins at the old Imperial palace, and includes carrying the mikoshi (portable shrines) of Emperors Kammu and Komei to the Heian Jingu.

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Ginkaku-ji is a temple and is definitely worth a visit site.

It was built by Shogun Ashikaga Yashimasa as a villa in 1482.

The villa's name Ginkaku translates as Silver Pavilion, but the shogun's ambition to cover the building with silver was never realized.
After Shogun's death, the villa was converted into a temple

Kitano Tenmangu is a shrine, called tenjinsan, enshraine Michizane Sugawara, also known as the "the god of learning".

Many tourists visit the shrine during plum blossom season in the Spring.

If you wish to pass a examination, the tenjinsan is a must visit sight.

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