Kyoto is a city we absolutely love to visit. We’ve stayed here regularly on our travels through Japan. There is so much to discover in its small alleyways and there’s a thriving Kyoto food scene, although it can be difficult to uncover as a first-time…
Explore the city with this self guided Kyoto walking tour around central Kyoto. Follow the marked route or pick attractions to suit your interests. This Kyoto walking tour of central Kyoto is entirely self guided. Take it at your own pace and spend the most…
Kyoto is a beautiful city to visit but it can get expensive. Here are our top 10 picks of fun and free things to do in Kyoto that you don’t want to miss. Did you know there are some great fun and free things to…
As a self-confessed and unashamed foodie, it’s not surprising that we found our way to Nishiki market (Nishiki Ichiba 錦市場) within hours of arriving in Kyoto. Known as Kyoto’s kitchen this is a market used extensively by locals to source fresh ingredients, artisan produce and…
Nijo Castle is one of the must see spots on our Kyoto list. We were really surprised to hear several visitors to the city say they weren’t going because there’s ‘no point when there’s no castle’. It is true that the main tower of Nijo castle…
Headed to Kyoto for springtime? It’s one of our favourite sakura spots in Japan so here are some of the best locations and events for viewing cherry blossom in Kyoto. In early March cherry blossom fever hits Kyoto. The ume (peach blossom) are wafting their…
Planning to see geisha in Kyoto? Head into the areas where they live and entertain. These geisha districts are known as hanamachi and there are 5 in Kyoto. The city of Kyoto is a dream for anyone with an interest in Japanese history. It’s a…
If you’re visiting this historic city a Kyoto geisha experience might be one of the things you’d love to do. For most foreign visitors an intimate evening with a geisha, or geiko and maiko as they are called in Kyoto is unlikely but we have…
Eikan-do is one of those temples that we wandering into off of the Philosophers Path without any intent or prior conception of what to expect. That can be a blessing and a curse. It’s nice to experience everything with completely fresh eyes and no expectations but also…
A super fast and efficient public transport system, being geographically compact and with so much diversity makes Japan an ideal country to explore. You don’t need to be constantly moving from one base to another to see new parts of Japan, so much is accessible within a reasonable commute from a central city. We’ve taken these trips from Kyoto but they’re equally suitable if you are based in Osaka, Kobe or Nara. Have fun!
In a city of over 1600 temples, you are going to need to quickly narrow down your choice. The most visually stunning, the most interesting history, the most spectacular garden in all seasons. These 15 represent some of the best temples in Kyoto for visitors – which will be top of your list?
The Philosophers Path in Kyoto (called Tetsugaku-no-michi in Japanese) runs alongside a section of the Lake Biwa canal lined with cherry trees in the northern Higashiyama (eastern hills) district of Kyoto. It begins at Ginkaku-ji (the silver pavilion) and ends at Nanzen-ji. Along the path you can…
