Kyoto Japan – 10 Ideas on What to See and What to Do

Recently awarded the World top travel destination to visit by the British Magazine Wanderlust, Kyoto is one of the ancient capital cities of Japan, and a booming modern cultural centre. UNESCO gave Kyoto the World Heritage Site title, with more than 17 architectural attractions, and 4 places designated “Places of Scenic Beauty”.

As a visitor, we have difficulties deciding which of the hundreds of temples, castles, or gardens are the most worth seeing. This is why we will list the top 10 places to visit for a first visit to Kyoto. There are also a multitude of classes to attend wish you to get a better understanding of the Japanese culture. Whether you are after a gastronomic experience or you are an amateur of walking vacations, Kyoto is the place to go.

1. Kyomizu-Dera

On our list, Kyomizu-Dera temple is the number one must-see attraction and one of the top tourist attractions in Japan.

Originally built in 780 and later destroyed by fire this wooden temple was finally reconstructed in the mid 1600s. The massive wooden structure surrounded by lush gardens, small lakes and teahouses is great for every season’s vacations. The variety of flora makes it colourful in spring, summer and of course in late October, early November, when all the gingko biloba trees turn yellow and the red autumn foliage of maples give the wooden terrace of the temple a special light.

Its location is fairly central and easily accessible by foot along the Kamogawa River or by bus, and taxi. We loved the fact that you can walk down from the hill, following the pedestrian lanes of Sannenzaka and Ninnenzaka, full of shops and ceramic workshops.

2. Kinkaku-Ji

Another temple featured on the World Heritage List and famous for its specific architecture and its bright gold colour is the Golden Temple, or Kinkaku-Ji in Japanese.
Located in the middle of a pond, it is worth spending half-day to visit the park surrounding the building and to enjoy a green tea degustation under the trees in hot summer days.

It is situated a little out of the centre in Kita-Ku, and the best way to access the temple is by bus or taxi. On certain days the temple gets quite busy accepting tourist groups on their combination visit to Kinkaku-Ji and Nijo Castle. Opening hours are from 9am to 5pm, and guided tours can be joined on site. The entrance fee is 400JPY for adults and 300JPY for children.

3. Nijo Castle

One of the top 10 attractions in Kyoto is Nijo-Castle. It is located in Nijojo Cho, Horikawa district of Kyoto, an easy bus ride from the central station or a 15-minute taxi ride from any central hotel. The site opens at 8.45 am and closes at 4pm. You will be required to take your shoes off, when entering the building and will be given a small plastic bag to carry them around. The castle closes for New Year holidays and every Tuesday in January, July, August and December. Admission fees are 600JPY for adults, and 350JPY for children.

The construction of the castle started in 1601 ordered by a Japanese feudal lord, Ikegawa. By 1626, the two main buildings were completed. The first citadel was then destroyed by fire in the 18th century and rebuilt to its more modern form. The second citadel however escaped the fire and was later included into the UNESCO World Heritage Site list.

The most striking feature of the castle is arguably its squeaking wooden flooring, which helped the imperial guards to spot intruders. We really enjoyed the cinematographic atmosphere of this place, an authentic Japanese architecture, gardens and historical place.

4. Arashiyama

Arashiyama is a rural village located around 15 minutes by train from Central Kyoto (use the JR line for easy access, or Hankyu Railways). It is often described by the Japanese locals and media as one of the top tourist attractions in Kyoto and Japan for the wonderful natural beauty if offers. You can choose to go on a traditional wooden boat river cruise, or just hike the bamboo forests and explore the many temples around the village. In autumn, the “momiji” or “red leaves” give a splendid look to the riverside. It is a favourite with romantic Japanese couples and families as well as foreign tourists.

5. Take a tea-ceremony class

Kyoto offers a lot of classes for tourists and those who wish to learn more about the Japanese culture and one of the most interesting things to do is to take a tea-ceremony lesson offered, for example, by the Kyoto International House in Sakyo-Ku. There also a calligraphy class or a basic Japanese language course on offer – both are really worth doing experiences, the time permitting.

6. Enjoy the Daimonji Summer festival

Daimonji, also known as “Gozan no Okuribi”, is one of the Obon festivals held in Japan during August. All over Japan Obon is a special time to welcome ancestors’ spirits with bonfires and fireworks.

One of the top tourist attractions in Kyoto is to take part in the five large bonfires ceremonies on the hill of the city. Each hill and bonfire represents a specific Chinese Kanji character such as “Dai” (which means “large”), or “Funagata” representing a boat.

7. Heian Jingu

Heian Jingu is a Shinto shrine and is probably the best known landmark in Central Kyoto. It got its present day appearance during two reconstructions in 1895 and 1976. The major draw point of the shrine is the garden. In October the celebration of the Jidai Matsuri takes place here. If you happen to be in Kyoto that particular month, the procession of the “Mikoshi”(shrine) is not to be missed! Personally, we really enjoyed taking photos there and witnessing the coming of age ceremony of Japanese youngster turning 20 years old. “Seijin Shiki” is often the occasion to wear a traditional kimono, visit the shrine, and party on.

8. Take a rickshaw tour

This is one of the most popular activities for tourists in Kyoto, both foreigners and the Japanese. The rickshaw drivers dressed in traditional costumes take you around many central attractions in Kyoto. They make a kind of a guided tour explaining what you are passing by, and it will be a truly memorable experience. A good company to start with is Ebisuya. They have branches all over Japan, and manage several offices in Kyoto, Arashiyama and Higashiyama areas.

9. Dress like a Geisha

Geishas are inevitably the top tourist attraction in Kyoto. Both foreign tourists and Japanese locals dream of meeting a geisha or maiko walking the narrow lanes of the ancient capital city. While it is not always easy to spot a real Geisha, it is an extremely popular to dress like one, putting on a kimono and white make-up. Special agencies such as KyotoMaica located in Higashiyama rent out geisha’s and maiko’s outfits and help with make-up, too. Gentlemen will probably prefer trying on a Samouraï’s role. The standard plan usually starts around JPY6,500 and goes up to JPY 20 000 if you like to stroll around Kyoto and take photos with your own camera.

10. Dance and sing the night away in one of Kyoto’s karaoke booth

A quintessential Japanese experience for visitors all ages is to give a try to the famous karaoke booths. Some bars and clubs in Kyoto have karaoke booths, karaoke rooms, mostly private, which you can share with friends. Karaoke as we can know it in other countries in a public audience is not very common in Japan.

If you prefer a Western-like karaoke experience then probably your only choice is KiBar opened in 2017. It features a traditional counter wine bar on the first floor, as well as Karaoke lounges on the 3rd floor. It is easily reached from Central Kyoto as it is located in Pontocho lane, only 10 minutes from all main train stations.