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Kyoto served as Japan's capital from 794 AD, when Emperor Kanmu relocated the capital to Heian-kyo, until 1868, when Tokyo was established as the capital. This long history has left Kyoto rich in historical sites and a major center of traditional Japanese culture.
When it comes to Kyoto, the top three popular attractions are well-known and must-see for everyone: 1. Kinkaku-ji Temple, 2. Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine, and 3. Kiyomizu-dera Temple.
Many people dislike tourist attractions, perhaps because the bustling crowds and noisy surroundings detract from their appreciation of the scenery. Kyoto's charm lies far beyond its popular tourist attractions, but rather in the undisturbed elegance and Zen spirit hidden within the ancient capital.
When it comes to airfare, most people focus on domestic budget airlines. Actually, Japan Airlines often offers discounts. This time, we took ANA (Japan Airlines), and the round-trip price, including meals, was 1,600 yuan, which was incredibly affordable! The baggage allowance was generous, and the seats were comfortable. There were none of the low baggage allowances and non-adjustable seats that plague budget airlines like Spring Airlines. To get a great deal, start looking at least four months in advance.
Website: https://www.ana.co.jp/zh/cn/?cid=SEAbaiduchina_201708016170ANA
There are often special fares available for those who purchase in advance.
Many people ask me what to buy before going to Japan. There are so many transportation passes available in Japan, and choosing one can be overwhelming. After researching numerous transportation cards and passes, we ultimately decided on the simplest option: the Icoca & Haruka round-trip pass.
If you go to Osaka, there are 1-day and 2-day passes, which include transportation and attractions. However, please note that if your attractions are not included, or if you cannot visit more than 3 attractions in one day, this ticket is not cost-effective.
In Kyoto, there are subway and bus day passes that allow unlimited rides within a day. Similarly, if you're visiting all the attractions in one area, there's no need to buy one. Furthermore, transportation in Japan is extremely complex, with JR and subway passes, and the two aren't interchangeable. Therefore, you can't use the JR subway with a one-day subway pass! Note⚠️💰
Cash is very popular in Japan, and while you can withdraw yen directly from convenience stores, it's recommended to bring plenty. Subway fares in Japan are much more expensive than in China, and you'll find yourself constantly having to top up your bank account. For our 14-day trip, we each had 100,000 yen, which was a bit extra, but not much.
The most important thing is to download Google Maps in advance. All routes and transportation methods can be found. Including time, route, exit, etc. Just enter the destination and you can search directly.
Location: 584 Komatsucho, 4th-chome, Yamato-Oji-dori, Higashiyama District, Kyoto City
Transportation: Take the Keihan Railway to Gion-Shijo Station and walk for about 7 minutes.
Admission: 500 yen
Kennin-ji Temple is ideally situated at the end of Hanami-koji. Despite being sparsely visited by tourists, it's frequented by locals. Its plain, unadorned walls and timber panels create a simple, unpretentious atmosphere, evoking a sense of indifference to fame and fortune.
Kennin-ji Temple is a Zen Buddhist temple, the first in Japanese history. While Zen Buddhism is a branch of Buddhism, its practice differs from other sects. It emphasizes meditation and concentration, rather than studying Buddhist doctrines. It advocates the principle of "no written words," emphasizing the need for inner enlightenment and understanding one's true nature in order to achieve enlightenment and reach a state of "mind without a clear mirror."
At its center, the Dharma Hall, you'll notice a slight departure from traditional Japanese architecture: the brackets beneath the double eaves are arranged much more densely than in other main halls. The capitals and intercolumniations are filled with brackets of the same rank, a practice more closely resembling that of traditional Chinese architecture. The Dharma Hall's ceiling features the famous "Double Dragons" painting, and the temple's folding screen depicting the gods of wind and thunder are both highlights of Kennin-ji Temple. However, I believe Kennin-ji Temple's greatest strength lies in its secluded tranquility, tucked away in the city.
Location: Nagaoka Kyotenjin 2-chome, Kyoto Prefecture
Transportation: Take the Hankyu Kyoto Line to Nagaoka Tenjin Station, exit at the west exit, and walk for 10 minutes.
Admission: Free
Nagaoka Tenmangu Shrine is dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, a prominent scholar and politician from the mid-Heian period (794-1185 AD), and is dedicated to praying for national peace. Because the shrine enshrines a real person, he is known as the "God of Learning." Visitors often pray for success in their examinations.
In April, the Kirishima azaleas lining the approach to the shrine bloom. Walking through the central aisle, you'll find large clusters of Kirishima azaleas to the south and north. Further up, you'll find the main shrine of Nagaoka Tenmangu Shrine.
The area is even less populated, making it a suitable place for walking in all seasons.
Location: 3 Kokuracho, Saga Kokurayama, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto City
Access: Take the JR Sagaranyama train to Toroko-Saga Station, then walk for 10 minutes
Admission: 500 yen
Next to the famous Okochi Sanso Garden in Arashiyama, there is the most sparsely populated but also the most surprising place in Arashiyama - Jojakko-ji Temple.
The temple's name comes from the Pure Land of Eternal Light. This land, one of the four Pure Lands in the Western Paradise, is known for its rationality and cause and effect. The Land of Eternal Light is the Land of Rationality. Eternity represents the Dharmakaya, tranquility represents liberation, and light represents prajna. Its immutability and unchanging nature are called "eternity," its detachment from existence and non-existence is called "tranquility," and its illumination of the mundane and the true nature is called "light." This is the land where the Buddha, who has attained the ultimate state of perfect enlightenment, resides.
Located in a secluded area, it's rarely visited. The temple gate is small, and the view is of a lush maple forest. The paths and streetlights are covered in moss, creating a sense of tranquility and antiquity. After much hesitation, I finally bought a ticket and entered. It's also a famous spot for viewing autumn leaves in Kyoto, and in summer, the delicate, verdant scenery is truly worth a visit.
The Niomon Gate is the oldest building on the temple grounds. Its thatched roof is also a rare sight. The long stone steps leading to the main hall are lined with lush maple trees on both sides, creating a beautiful view.
Walk through the bushes to the Duobao Pagoda halfway up the mountain, pass the Shiyu Pavilion, and reach the top of the mountain. You can see the Dongshan Mountain and the ancient capital on the other side of the city.
Address: No. 4, Saga Osawa-cho, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto
Route: Buses 28, 61, 64, 74, and 81 can directly reach Dajue Temple.
Admission: 500 yen
Daikaku-ji Temple is located in Arashiyama. It was built as the emperor's palace during the Heian period and later became a temple.
Dajue Temple, despite its significant political and historical significance, is a relatively untouched destination. Nestled beside a lake, it offers a tranquil and tranquil setting, making it a great spot for quiet cherry blossom and maple viewing.
The temple grounds are renowned for their vast beauty. Daikaku-ji Temple boasts a pond with a circumference of approximately one kilometer. Around 650 cherry and maple trees line its banks. As the birthplace of flower arrangement, Daikaku-ji Temple hosts a flower arrangement festival every spring and a Saga Chrysanthemum Exhibition in autumn.
Location: 570-2 Gionmachi Minamigawa, Higashiyama-ku, Kyōto-shi, Kyōto-fu 605-0074, Japan
Transportation: Get off at Gion-Shijo Station on the Keihan Railway.
Tickets: Ticket prices vary depending on the exhibition.
Gion is Kyoto's most famous geisha district. At its peak in the early 19th century, it boasted over 3,000 geishas. While the streets are charming, they're also crowded with tourists. Within this busy street lies an art museum: the Museum of Modern Art.
Despite being called a modern art museum, it's a museum seamlessly integrated into a Japanese garden. High-quality exhibitions are frequently held here, and since it's located within the Kobe Kabuki Theater, the second floor also features performances of Gion Kobe's Kyoto dance, geisha-geisha dance performances, and a photography exhibition showcasing the history of Tokyo dance and Gioncho.
Not many people actually enter the art museum. In addition to feeling the tranquility of the Japanese garden, you can also appreciate the works of artists, killing two birds with one stone.
Location: 540 Ohara Ein-machi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
Transportation: Take the Kyoto Bus and get off at Ohara Station.
Ticket price: 700 yen
Sanzen-in Temple is one of the three main temples of the Tendai sect, said to have been originally founded by the renowned Japanese monk Saicho Daishi. During the first half of the year, Sanzen-in Temple is awash in greenery, with towering ancient trees, moss-covered grounds, and the occasional cherry blossom, still in its twilight years.
The scenery is most charming in autumn, when the entire area is covered with red leaves. However, even such a famous autumn viewing spot is rarely visited due to its remote location.
There is an old wooden Buddhist temple nestled in the quiet moss, with a narrow path in the middle and towering pine trees on both sides.
Address: 1 Hiranomiyamoto-cho, Kita-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture 603-8322
Directions: Take the city bus to the Kinugasa-gakumae stop and walk for 2 minutes.
Admission: Free
Speaking of cherry blossoms, Hirano Shrine is a must-mention. It's one of Kyoto's most famous cherry blossom viewing spots, and even its emblem is a cherry blossom. The shrine boasts approximately 500 rare cherry trees, the largest number in Kyoto.
In early April, 500 cherry trees burst into bloom, extending the shrine's blooming season to over a month. Evening blossoms can be viewed at night. Hirano Shrine has held an annual cherry blossom festival since 985 AD, making it the oldest in Kyoto. Besides the cherry blossoms, the shrine also offers limited-edition cherry blossom and Japanese confectionery products.
Address: 657 Sanjusangendo Kairi-cho, Higashiyama District, Kyoto City
Access: Shichijo Station | Keihan Main Line
Fee: 600 yen
Sanjusangendo Hall is located midway between Kyoto's Rakuchu and Rakuto districts, adjacent to the Kyoto National Museum. Officially known as Renge-o-in Temple (a National Treasure), it stretches 125 meters from north to south. Its facade is divided into 33 rooms by pillars, earning it the nickname "Sanjusangendo Hall." It is one of the longest wooden buildings in the world.
Photography is prohibited inside, but the awe-inspiring experience is beyond words. The nine-faced, Thousand-Armed Guanyin statue is at the center, with 500 Buddha statues on either side. A total of 1,001 seated Thousand-Armed Guanyin statues are placed here. If you look closely, you'll notice that each one seems to have a different facial form, a truly breathtaking sight.
Address: 149 Okuyamada Kawakami, Ujitawara-cho, Tsuki-gun, Kyoto Prefecture
Transportation: Driving is the easiest way, if you want to take public transportation.
Depart from Osaka⬇️
Depart from Kyoto⬇️
Located in Ujitawara, a region known for its matcha production, Shojuin Temple is less than an hour's drive from Kyoto. It's a popular summer retreat, boasting summer temperatures 5°C lower than the average in Kyoto. The area also hosts the annual Wind Chime Festival.
The stunning ceiling murals in the guest hall of Shojuin Temple are also a great place to take in the scenery. The murals, totaling 160 in total, were created by a collaboration between several Japanese calligraphers and painters. Both the color scheme and the materials used are imbued with a distinctly Japanese aesthetic.
The most beautiful thing is the heart-shaped window, called "Inome-mado" in Japanese. It is a traditional Japanese window pattern, commonly used in temples and holy places, with the meaning of "eliminating disasters and attracting good luck."
Even more beautiful are the snow scenes and cherry blossom scenes.
Let’s skip some of the usual attractions and just take a walk in Kyoto instead of being tourists.
