Kyoto is the spiritual heart of Japan and for a long period of time was the Capital of Japan. It is filled with temples, shrines and cultural spots like no other in the country. I spent a week in Kyoto, but did most of my sightseeing in 1 day. I'm going to show you 4 of those sightseeing spots that you are able to do in 1 day with plenty of time for each location, The Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Fushimi Inari Shrine, Kiyomizudera Shrine and Gion & Shijo Dori.
This tourist spot is located at the base of the Western mountain range that surrounds Kyoto. By train from Kyoto Station it will take you 30minutes on the San-en Line, then another 13 minutes walking.
The main entrance is a bit discreet, but thanks to technology the map on your phone will tell you exactly where it is, that and the snack shops lining the street.
Only a minute walk in and you will feel like you are miles from civilization.
It's very serene and comforting to walk through, as most forests are.
Especially when you have a slight hangover....
There are lots of tourists so you should plan to arrive early if you want to avoid the crowds.
Even with it's serenity there are houses that sit in and beside the forest. This isn't bothersome and in my opinion is an added element of interest to the forest, especially a beautifully landscaped house like this one.
That is one of the most perfect entryways to a house I have ever seen.
Moving on.
Before I knew it I was out of the forest and on my way to the next adventure only 1 hour away by train to the opposite side of Kyoto.
Most readers will recognize the iconic images of the orange/red torii(gate). I went here really not knowing much about this site. Just those iconic images.
From Kyoto Station it is only a 6 minute train ride on the Nara Line.
The shrine is just across the street from the station so you can't miss it.
The shrine is dedicated to the fox god, Inari Okami, that grants fertility & prosperous agriculture.
When you arrive you enter through a large torii followed by a long walkway that leads to the temple grounds and another torii.
Continuing to the left, past the temples, the picturesque torii begin.
There are several paths with these torii in various stretches. They will take you up the mountain to several different shrines or you can take a short cut after the first two paths to a an exit which I did.
After the first torii path you come to the first shrine.
Then you continue left up and down a longer path.
While I did have to wait for some pictures, I was very lucky that the pathways were not too crowded so I was able to get wonderful shots.
And then you are out of the second batch of torii lined paths. From here you can continue to go up the mountain or head down to the exit.
One thing to note, there are monkeys here. Signs are posted all over saying do not feed them and do not take pictures of them. Apparently if you take pictures of them they can become aggressive.
A look back before we leave.
Now we are off to the next location a few stops away!
I am pretty sure Kiyomizu-dera is the most famous shrine in all of Kyoto. It sits atop a mountain in the range surrounding the Eastern side of Kyoto, however getting to Kiyomizu-dera is a bit of a chore.
The train from Kyoto station involves 1 transfer, a 20 minute ride and a 20 minute, 1.8km walk. You can take the bus, but buses are not very easy to navigate for foreigners. Whatever route you chose, make sure to walk the last stretch up the hill past all of the different shops. It's worth it.
Once you get to the temple you are greeted by a large pagoda and of course a large torii.
Looking back towards downtown Kyoto.
Just behind the pagoda is the iconic temple with a 5 story tall deck built out of giant timbers.
There is small fee to enter this part of the temple grounds. It's only a few dollars, but well worth it.
From the deck you can relax and enjoy the views of Kyoto or the shrines below.
If you continue around the temple you will arrive at the second, red temple from which the famous pictures are taken.
Forgive the green dot.... it's an Apple bug.
After taking all the photos you can there are still more spots to shoot the temple from as you continue.
However we must move on. Even exiting the temple grounds you are greeted with stunning visuals.
As you make your way back don't forget to stop by one of the many gift shops or my favorite, the ice cream shops.
Japan has a lot of unique flavors of ice cream that can ignite your taste buds. One flavor my wife introduced to me 20 years ago is "kuro goma" black sesame.
Since that time I always seek it out when looking for ice cream. It has a bit of a nutty flavor that is difficult to describe other than a manly ice cream. Whatever flavor you choose you can slowly enjoy it on the 15 minute walk to our next location.
Gion and Shijo Dori are fairly close to Kiyomizu-dera about a 15 minute walk
Gion is the old part of Kyoto full of private restaurants and geisha houses.
(These 2 pictures were taken a different day.)
You really can get a feeling of stepping back in time here, but unless you have a reservation or introduction you probably won't be visiting any of the restaurants.
Walking through Gion I was lucky to spot a Maiko, at least I think she was a Maiko. Maiko are Geisha in training. Look closely.
Because there isn't a lot for foreigners to do in Gion other than take photos and experience the buildings let's move on to Shijo Dori.
Just before crossing the bridge to the entertainment district don't forget to get a picture or visit the Kyōto Shijo Minami-za Kabuki theater. A gorgeous building from 1929.
Crossing the bridge over the Kamo river from Gion will take you to the main shopping & entertainment district on Shijo Dori(Shijo Ave.). Restaurants line the river with their beautiful outdoor dining.
You can enjoy a memorable dinner there or enjoy a bottle of wine down on the river shore with your significant other. Either option will give you a wonderful memory of your visit to Kyoto.
Just past the river there is a small man made stream that runs parallel with the Kamo river. This is where I took the pictures of the crane being fed here.
There are endless bars, cafe's & restaurants along this street.
If you continue along Shijo dori the street becomes an shopping mecca with anything and everything available.
I wasn't able to make it to any of the other shopping & entertainment districts in Kyoto, but this one did appear to be the main area judging by the amount of people.
One other thing to note, the architecture & design in Kyoto easily identifiable as Japanese. Some might even mistake Frank Llyod Wright influence, but it's authentically Japanese. Even the hotels.
This Comfort Inn looked amazing.
I really have no idea how much there is to see or do in Kyoto, but in the week I spent there I realized I loved it have to go back. Not only to see the other sites, but also to enjoy the places I did have a chance to visit, again.
I will say of all the temples and shrines I visited I think Fushimi Inari was the coolest. Every step gives you something to photograph. I also loved the "Wabi-sabi" of each tori being out of level or off centered. It was amazing. So that would be my "Osusme" recommendation.
I'm not done showing you Kyoto, I just wanted to show what can be accomplished easily in 1 day with plenty of time at each location. Some time in the near future I'll take you on a tour of the restaurants I ate at and the hotel I stayed at for about $25 a night! Until then, the next installment of Adventures in Kansai P3 will focus on Osaka. See ya next time and thanks for reading!
If you missed Part 1 it's here.
All pictures taken with my iPhone 11.
