Just one year ago I was in Japan for my internship.
JNTO and Kintetsu invited me to go there with other journalists and travel agents from Europe for one week. The magazine TravelPro was my employer at the time and I enjoyed every minute of it.
We visited many beautiful locations in the South of Japan during the past week. Kyoto was the first place we went. This article will take you through some of the most important sights in Kyoto.
What must you visit on a Japan or Kyoto trip?
1. Fushimi Inari Shrine
You may have noticed the orange doors that tourists love to photograph. This shrine is located in Fushimi-ku. This walking path leads you through a tunnel made of tori gate. You will reach the sacred Mount Inari, which is 233 metres high when you pass through the gates. The shrine is where this mountain stands. You can go as far as your heart desires.
The mountain paths are the main reason why tourists visit Fushimi Inari Shrine, but it is also worth visiting the beautiful shrines around the gates. The famous Toyotomi deyoshi donated the Romon Gate in 1589, at the entrance of the shrine. The main shrine building, Honden (and several other impressive buildings) are located behind the Romon gate.
2. Nashiki Market
Nashiki Market, an indoor market is where you will find all types of Japanese foods. The market has more than 100 shops and restaurants. You can buy sushi, Japanese sweets and pickles.
Nashiki Market has always been crowded with both tourists and locals. Tourists can enjoy a wide variety of food, as well as the daily meals for locals. The market sells almost exclusively local products. Nishiki Market is also called ‘Kyoto’s Kitchen’, and its shops prove this name to be right.
3. Gion District
The district is known for its traditional geishas. They are Japanese women dressed in kimonos with red lips and a painted white face. The geishas also wear black hair wigs. Geishas are considered companions, and they are seen to be examples of sophistication and beauty.
It is difficult to get a good picture of a geisha. Visitors to Gion hope to see a geisha while on the way to an evening engagement or running errands.
The Gion district also has many shops, teahouses, and restaurants. Hanami-koji Street is the most famous area in Gion, followed by Shirakawa Area.
4. Nijo Castle
Nijo Castle is made up of several structures and a lovely garden. The castle was once the Kyoto Residence of the Tokugawa Shogunate, and later an Imperial Palace. Beautiful, traditional Japanese architectural style is used in the palaces.
The castle is divided into 3 areas. Visitors can access the Ninomaru Area where Ninomaru Palace can be found. Elegantly decorated ceilings, and sliding doors with beautiful paintings are found in the palace rooms. Like a small museum. The castle looks very different from what it used to.
Nijo Castle, a tourist attraction that is popular with tourists and designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1994 is not the only reason to visit the castle.
5. The Kinkaku-ji Temple is also known as the Temple of the Golden Pavillion.
The Golden Pavillion is located near the castle of Nijo. The temple is beautiful, photogenic and surrounded by stunning nature. This temple is an Zen Temple whose two top floors are covered with gold leaf. The temple has a beautiful structure with a great view of a large lake. The only remaining building of Yoshimitsu’s retirement complex. The temple has been destroyed several times over the years (due to different wars in Japan or Kyoto). This structure, as it stands today, was built in 1955. The temple has different architectural styles on each floor.
The beautiful temple gardens and the stunning architecture are worth a trip to Kyoto.
Kinkakuji, Japan’s Iconic Golden Temple
This picture is probably familiar to you. Anyone who has ever visited Japan is likely to have seen the Golden Pavilion at Kyoto.
This magnificent structure, called Kinkaku-ji by the Japanese is a Zen Buddhism temple that stands in a garden of breathtaking beauty.
The Kinkaku-ji, despite its beauty and pristine condition, has a very long history. First records are dated 1397. It was originally a villa that belonged to the Japanese Shogun, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. After his death it became a Zen Shrine.
The iconic golden roofs of Kyoto are now part of UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Do not let yourself be misled. The temple that you see today was only built in 1955. This is not the first time. The wooden temple has actually burned down twice!
You cannot enter this temple, unlike many others in Japan. The extensive gardens around Kinkaku-ji are open to visitors. You can enjoy traditional Japanese teas and desserts at this wonderful tea house.
The golden temple is open every day from 9am-5pm. The temple is accessible via public transportation (bus). It costs 400 Yen for adults to enter.
Avoiding Tourists in Kyoto
Kyoto is the oldest capital city of Japan and as such, it ranks high on the list of places to visit in Japan.
We wanted to visit the Bamboo Forest first.
After seeing photos and videos, we didn’t think it would be a pleasant experience. In our dreams, we walked in the woods and listened to nature’s sounds. We could only make this dream a reality by setting our alarm at 5AM so we would be at the park at 7AM.
The trip was well worth it
The only early risers were a few, but everyone was respectful and quiet. You are a true traveler if you’re willing to get up early at 5 AM. This strategy is highly recommended if you plan to spend a week in Kyoto or longer. You might want to consider only doing this every second day. It is hard to get up every morning at 5AM. As we spent three nights in Kyoto, we made different decisions based on our time available.
Kinkakuji, or the Golden Temple (Golden Temple), is also a top tourist attraction.
You will forget the crowds of people taking selfies and walking around in all directions when you see the temple. While we were at the temple, I’d like to share something unexpectedly cute that happened.
They asked us where we were from and what we liked most about Japan. The kids asked where we came from, and what our favorite things about Japan were. One group was conducting surveys to promote world peace. On a piece of paper, we had to write down a message about peace. It was fun to talk with these students, and take photos. Two different groups stopped us twice.
Gino, the most touristy area in downtown, is also where you can find great places to eat. The doors of many places are closed, and it appears that they’re dark. Try to open the door (they’re not shut). The place we found was a lovely little restaurant where we had a wonderful lunch. Tempura Tempurabune
Fushimi Inari Taisha has been voted the top attraction in Japan. Inari is “rice” and the locals pray at this temple for good harvest and safety of their families. From the shrine to the summit of the mountain, the famous torii gate extends. Gates have been given by individuals and businesses, and donations are still being made today.
It is open all day so I would recommend that you get up at 7am to make sure you are there. It gets really crowded later. You can only get out of tourists by walking more. Most people abandon this activity soon. You will need to dedicate an entire day to this event if you plan to complete it
My favorite thing to do was wander the narrow alleys in Gion after dark.
If you are lucky, geishas may be spotted. We saw a pair of them entering a Japanese restaurant along with some gentleman. The Geisha is a performer specializing in the ancient arts of dance, music, and conversation. You can get a good idea of what a Geisha is by watching the movie ‘Memoirs of a Geisha’. The film has a romantic component, but you can get a good idea of this ancient occupation and the photography in it is beautiful. The restaurant offers a menu with typical japanese food. It’s a little pricey and fancy, but well worth it to experience the culture of Japanese food. The price per person is $40 and you have to book a few days ahead.