Walking Like Locals

Sightseeing

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  Walk3 mins

  Pontocho

  Pontocho is the most popular dining area located between the Kamogawa river and Kiyamachi street. It offers a unique romantic atmosphere with an old stone paved road. The alley is packed with restaurants on both sides offering a wide variety of cuisines such as fusion, Italian, Yakitori and so on which everyone can enjoy.

  Directions
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  Train36 mins

  Arashiyama and Togetsukyo Bridge

  This is a tourist friendly district with a variety of lovely cafés, restaurants, and other attractions. You will have a lovely day even if it involves just walking around this area. The Togetsukyo Bridge is a wooden bridge which is a well known central landmark spanning the Katsuragawa river in Arashiyama. It is particularly popular during the cherry blossom and fall color seasons.

  Directions
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  Train20 mins

  Kyoto Tower

  Kyoto tower is Kyoto’s tallest structure, it is 131 meters tall and is locates just across from Kyoto station.There is a viewing platform located 100 meters from the ground and gives you a 360 degree view of Kyoto. You can enjoy the restaurants and souvenir shops inside the tower.

  Directions
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  Train20 mins

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  Bus25 mins

  Sanjusangendo

  The name Sanjusangendo (literally 33 intervals) derives from the number of intervals between the building’s support columns. This is definitely a must see, including all the national treasures, 1002 statues of a 1000-armed Kannon (Senju Kannon), Furai and Raijin there. It is said that if you look, you can find a that the Kannon looks like the person you miss!

  Directions
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  Train30 mins

  or

  Bus30 mins

  Nanzenji (Zuiryusan Taiheikoukoku Nanzenji)

  Nanzenji is one of the most important Zen temples in all of Japan. It is the head temple of the Rinzai sect of Japanese Zen Buddhism. It is famous with a garden called ‘Toranoko (baby tiger) Watashi’ which is named after the view of the garden in which it looks as if a baby tiger is crossing the river. The entrance gate called Sanmon is also famous and was used by one of Kabuki’s most famous scenes played by Goemono Ishikawa with the line of ‘stunning view!’.

  Directions
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  Train25 mins

  Fushimi Inari Shrine (Fushimi Inari Taisha)

  Fushimi Inari is the most important of three thousands shrines dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god. It is known as the God of bumper crops, a rush in business, peace in the household, and many other wishes. The highlight of Fushimi shrine is Senbon Torii (thousands of torii gates) which starts with two dense, parallel rows of gates from the shrine’s main grounds.

  Directions
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  Walk15 mins

  Yasaka Shrine

  Yasaka shurine, also known as Gion shrine among locals, is well known for the one of the three main festivals in Japan, the Gion Matsuri. The Nishi Ro Mon (The West gate) is a symbol of the shrine with its beautiful vermilion gate. It is the head of all Yasaka shrines all over Japan. It is also popular among women who come to worship the gods for beauty.

  Directions
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  Train20 mins

  or

  Bus25 mins

  Nijo Castle (Nijojo)

  Nijo castle was built in 1603 as the Kyoto residence of Tokugawa Ieyasu. It was designated a UNESCO world heritage site in 1994. The Ninomaru palace was used as the residence and office of the shogun during his visits to Kyoto. On the last day of Tokugawa era, Tokugawa Yoshinobu along with fifteenth Shogun announced his will of the restoration of imperial rule. The Ninomaru palace and Ninomaru garden is a popular among tourists.

  Directions
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  Bus30 mins

  Toji Temple

  Toji Temple, literally ‘The East Temple’, was founded at the beginning of the Heian Period two years after the capital was moved to Kyoto which is now the only temple remaining from the Heian period. It was designated a UNESCO world heritage site in 1994. It is the head of Shingo sect of Japanese Buddhism and includes the national treasure, Kondo Hall as well as the important cultural property, Kodo hall. Across from Kondo and Kodo stands Toji’s five storied pagoda, at 55 meters, it is the highest wooden pagoda in Japan.

  Directions
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  Bus30 mins

  Kiyomizudera Temple

  It was erected on the hillside of Higashiyama, where you can climb Shimizu zaka and Gojo zaka. Special evening visits are held in spring, summer and autumn. Many people visit the “Shimizu stage” which was built using suspension in which 18 pillars of Japanese zelkova are supported by timber, and the stage is lined with cypress. With the beauty of the four seasons in the background, the main hall rises above the terraced cliffs and offers one of the best view of the city.

  Directions
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  Train40 mins

  Byodoin Temple

  Byodoin Temple was founded originally by a son of Fujiwara no Michinaga, Fujiwara no Yorimichi who refashioned Byodoin Temple, which had previously been a residence of his father, into a temple in 1052. The Grave of Fujiwara no Yorimasa who committed suicide after taking up arms against the Heike clan, is in the garden. Phonenix Hall (Hodo) which is well known as it adorns the back of the Japanese ten-yen coin, has gotten back the original color of the building after having its exterior restoration construction was completed in 2014 after a process that took sixty years to complete.

  Directions
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  Walk20 mins

  Kenninji ( Kenninji temple)

  Kenninji is a temple which serves as one of the head temples of the Rinzai Sect of Japanese Buddhism. The Sango (literally, “mountain name”) is Tozan, The　principal image is Shakyamuni buddhaand the founder was Eisai ( who is also known as Yousai).
  
  Kenninji is ranked third among the five great Zen temples of Kyoto. You can enjoy watching various works like The Wind and Thunder Gods (Furai Raijin) and brilliant drawings by Kaihoku Ryuho as well as walking around a garden from the Momoyama Era (1568–1600) called Chisen Kaiyu shiki Garden which is a style of garden that features a path around a pond. The temple also holds various historical cultural properties such as old books from china at The Ryosokuin.
  *The display is a replica

  Directions
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  Walk20 mins

  Chioin temple

  Chionin is the head temple of the Jodo sect of Japanese Buddhism, its Sango (literally, “mountain name”) is Kachozan. The full name is Kachozan Chionkyoin Otanidera. The principle is Shakyamuni buddha and was founded by Honen (133-1212) who is the founder of the Jodo Shu of Buddhism. The statue of Honen is displayed at the main hall. Honen spent his final years here. It is even after Edo period, the buildings of temple now is build long after Honen passed away.

  Directions
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  Bus25 mins

  Kodaiji Temple

  Kodaiji temple was established in 1606 in memory of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of Japan's greatest historical figures, by Hideyoshi's wife Nene who is also enshrined at the temple. The remnants of Fushimi castle were used as materials to build the temple, and Nene herself lived there for nineteen of her final years.

  Directions

Theater/Museum

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  Bus25 mins

  Ryozen Museum of History

  The Ryozen Museum of History (Bakumatsu Museum) was opened in Kyoto in 1970 as the first　comprehensive museum which specialized in the Makumatsu period and Meiji Restoration in Japan. The museum collects, investigates, researches, and holds public exhibitions of calligraphy, artifacts, letters, and various materials and literature from notable people active during this period such as partriots, feudal lords, the Emperor, court nobles, writers, and painters in order to exhibit the thoughts and actions of the people who lived through these events regardless of whether they were pro or anti-shogunate. One hundred items in over 500 collections are displayed at the exhibition.

  Directions
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  Train20 mins

  Kyoto international manga museum

  A “Manga Wall” with a volume of 50,000 manga published since 1970 is arrayed on bookcases and is 200 meters long which anyone can freely read. You can even find manga in English if you wish to spend a day to relax there.

  Directions
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  Train20 mins

  Kyoto National Museum

  The museum was first opened in 1897 as the Imperial Museum of Kyoto. It changed to its current name in 1952. The museum collection contains more than 14,000 works of ceramics, painting, sculpture, calligraphy, textiles, lacquer wares, and much more. These are displayed in a wing known as the Heisei chishinkan. Special exhibitions are held a couple of times per year.

  Directions
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  Walk15 mins

  The museum of Kyoto

  It offers a very interesting permanent exhibition which details the history and the culture of Kyoto. You can visit a special exhibition on the 4th floor, enjoy watching a vary of art work from Kyoto at the exhibition section on the 2nd and 3rd floor, and see historical films detailing the history of the Kyoto region at the film theater on the 3rd floor. Also, it worth visiting the Annex, the old building of Bank of Japan Kyoto branch, which was designated as an important cultural property as an example of modern Western architecture.

  Directions

Shopping

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  Walk10 mins

  Gion shotengai

  Shotengai in Japanese means “shopping arcade” or “shopping street.” It is here that you can find the local life style. On a shotengai, you will enjoy finding various things such as Japanese sweets, Japanese pickles, and some other Japanese crafts. You can also enjoy checking out the small streets that branch off from the main street.

  Directions
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  Walk10 mins

  Nishiki Market (Nishiki Ichiba)

  Nishiki market is a popular market which is always busy with lots of people and known as Kyoto’s Kitchen. It is a lively retail market which specializes in foods such as seasonal Kyoto vegetables, vegetable pickles, yuba, which is made from soybeans, Unagi which is Japanese for grilled eel, tsukudani which is preserved food cooked with soy sauce, dried foods, tea, and sweets. You can enjoy yourself while walking in the market as well as find some really great restaurants to try while inside the market.

  Directions