... Kyoto has a great deal to see though...
Kyoto gives its name to possibly Japan's most historically and culturally rich prefecture (kyoto-ken), and is contained within the Kansai region. The city itself which was then known as Heian-kyo, was used as the country's capital before Tokyo ... Read review
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Kyoto to survive from the Heian period (794 - 1185); the city was initially constructed on a rectilinear grid-iron pattern, its name then Heian-Kyo was modelled on the Chinese capital city of Xian; from this picture it's seems hardly surprising that Kyoto and its glorious temples surrounded by trees of sumptuous autumn colours comes second only to Mecca as the most visited city in the world.
structures in Kyoto to survive from the Heian period (794 - 1185); the city was initially constructed on a rectilinear grid-iron pattern, its name then Heian-Kyo was modelled on the Chinese capital city of Xian; from this picture it's seems hardly surprising that Kyoto and its glorious temples surrounded by trees of sumptuous autumn colours comes second only to Mecca as the most visited city in the world.
Kyoto gives its name to possibly Japan's most historically and culturally rich prefecture (kyoto-ken), and is contained within the Kansai region. The city itself which was then known as Heian-kyo, was used as the country's capital before Tokyo and shares this privilege with nearby Nara which predates it. Along with Osaka, Nara is also well worth a visit if you are interested in learning a little about Japan's history or seeing many of its most beautiful shrines and temples; many of which are national treasures, UNESCO sites or important cultural properties. The earthquake devastated and recently rebuilt Kobe is also an easy distance (all are reached within half an hour to an hour by train) from Kyoto, making it the best possible location to view many of the country's prime sites. Boasting more than 2000 shrines and temples, a number of palaces, gardens and museums you would need quite some time to feel like you have seen everything in Kyoto. To see the most major sites three days intensive sight-seeing will probably suffice - be warned though, you'll probably come away with plenty of blisters and tired feet and legs. Investing in a very comfortable pair of shoes or sandals is a must!
GETTING THERE There are two real options when flying into Japan. The most convenient if you are just intending on visiting Kyoto is Kansai International Airport. This is located in Osaka, which can be reached most cheaply by JR train (costing 540yen and taking approximately 30 minutes) and quicker still by Shinkansen (bullet train).
If you are intending on visiting Tokyo too, you may well wish to fly in and out of the country's capital. You can reach Kyoto by Shinkansen in two and a half to three hours by taking the train bound for Hikari. This is expensive, costing around 19,000 Yen if you reserve a seat and approximately 15,000 Yen if you don't (this includes the Express train from Narita to Tokyo airport too), but is easy to use and incredibly comfortable with enough room to recline my seat whilst resting my backpack against the seat in front. The reserved seat restricts you to a particular car and seat (the car position is marked on both the car and platform), which along with your start and end time are helpfully marked on your ticket.
There is a request that all passengers have their mobiles on vibrate ensuring a peaceful and enjoyable journey. A map for toilets, telephones and vending machines are all marked on the seat tray, making it easy for ignorant foreigners to make use of the amenities. As it also affords some wonderful views of Japan's lush and varying countryside, including a great view of Mount Fuji, I would most definitely recommend a trip on Shinkansen as part of any visit to Japan.
STAYING IN KYOTO ON A BUDGET On our visit we stayed in Kyoto on a fairly tight budget. As a result, our room was pretty basic. Kyoto has more than enough to fill a hectic itinerary, so if you are intending to use it as purely a base, I would recommend Uno House (tel: +81 231 7763 and is located off the Marutomachi-dori within easy walking distance of the Imperial park) although it does come with a few minor disadvantages. Dormitories and private rooms are available. Ours was a private room and provided us with clean linen and Japanese style futon (light mattresses placed directly on the floor). Showers and asian style toilets are communal. Unfortunately in the middle of the Summer these do tend towards being a little smelly. However the hostel is friendly and has cooking facilities, making 2,000 Yen per night seem pretty reasonable especially when you consider that most accommodation in Japan is much more expensive.
TOURIST INFORMATION This is found in the station, and was something we really should have investigated as the guidebook maps were very hard to follow.
GETTING AROUND
For 500 Yen you can buy a one-day bus card, and for 1,200 a subway and bus pass - we only used the bus one. For individual journeys there will either be a flat fare, or you will have to take a ticket match the number on a board to work out the cost - payment is made at the front of the bus at the end of your journey.
ATTRACTIONS
My suggestion would be that you select an area with a couple of attractions that you desperately want to see, and then wander around any others that catch your fancy as you come across them. Don't try and see every sight as you may well end up feeling "all-templed out"! As a result, what follows is an account of what we saw in the order we saw them, and the sites that might have been interesting had we had more time.
A large number of places give leaflets in English, or have information printed on the tickets. Photograpy is permitted in most places, but keep an eye out for signs that state otherwise. It might be useful to know that 'ji' means temple, and 'jo' means castle, and that in these places you should assume that you will need to remove your shoes to enter any sacred areas.
- Kinkaku-ji (400 Yen) The Golden Temple is quite a spectacular sight and is set in some beautiful Japanese style gardens. The top two stories of the building are elaborately covered in gold leaf. Your first sight is a picture-postcard view of the Temple across a lake backed with trees. Like much of Japan's historical sights, the building that you see is not the building that originally stood there. This particular one was burned down in 1950 by an obsessed monk, and rebuilt in 1955 to the original specifications. Only one minor alteration was made, as the lower story was also given its gilt finish.
- Ritsumeikan University Kyoto Museum for World Peace (Free) We chose not to visit this Museum, but we walked past it on our way to Heian-ji. This museum is apparently very interesting, containing information on the Second World War that does not stint in its unflinching account of the atrocities Japan committed.
- Heian-jingu (600 Yen) The large steel gate to this shrine is located in the Museum area of the city and appears quite removed from the shrine itself. At the time we visited it was unfortunately boarded up, presumably for repair. Built at the end of the 19th century to commemorate the founding of Kyoto, it is a replica of another temple. But the expansive garden it a good place to rest your feet - especially on the seats on the Chinese style bridge.
- FureaiKan Kyoto Museum of Traditional Crafts (Free) This little underground museum thankfully has explanations in English as well as Japanese. Exhibits are presented with explanation of their use or how they were made. Videos also play, but there is less of an explanation of these, so it's sometimes a little more difficult to work out what they represent. This exhibition makes a welcome reminder of the traditional side of Japanese life that can be easily forgotten with viewing the city and its religious sites.
- Sho-ren-in (500 Yen) One of the Monzeki temples of the Tendai Buddhist movement, this temple appears to have been a sort of monastery. The little winding road is located slightly off the tourist route making it a small, but peaceful place. The layout is apparently unusual for a temple in that it is that of an imperial palace with beautiful printed screens, and from the uppermost building affords some lovely views of the gardens which apparently have not been touched for 800-900 years.
- Chion-in (400Yen) This particular temple boasts the largest gate, and the largest bell in Japan. The bell itself would need the strength of 17 monks to make it ring, and is located up a pleasant walk. The main temple building is enormous, and the scale is matched by the amount of gold on display.
- Kiyomizu-dera (400 Yen) This temple area was first built in 798, and is yet another reconstruction which was rebuilt in 1633. It is found up a small and steep road that is flanked by shops selling souvenirs, snacks and handicrafts. The fun feel is also carried on as you come up the hill and find a colourful entrance gate and the love stones. If you can walk with your eyes closed from one stone to the other your wish for love will be fulfilled. Unfortunately I missed, but my friend made it - the key was apparently in the shoes. She could feel a line in the stone with her shoes, but I couldn't!
I also particularly liked the dragon water feature that you use to wash your hands before you enter the shrine. Below the main hall is also a small waterfall called Otawa-no-taki that is believed to have therapeutic properties if you drink its waters. As everyone was using the same containers, we chose to miss the queues and walk on by.
Ginkaku-ji The Silver Temple makes a nice counterpoint to the Golden one, although despite its name, this Zen temple is not covered in silver - unfortunately the Shogun who designed it never had a chance to complete it. Like Kinkaku-ji the building was originally designed as a villa and then converted into a temple. The temple grounds give a nice opportunity to see the Zen style sand gardens. Carefully crafted cones of sand and geometric shapes sit amongst the pines. If you take the pathway up the hill, there is a rather good photo opportunity which allows you to see Ginkaku-ji poking out of the trees.
It is also possible to take a walk called the Tetsugaku-no-michi from the Silver Temple. This takes in a number of temples as well as a lovely walk along the river which during the cherry blossom season (early April) and could well take up an entire day if you wanted it too - as we didn't, we only stopped at a few.
- Nanzen-ji (400 Yen) We chose to only see part of the Nanzen-ji grounds by going up the steps of the gate. The gate is one of the largest I saw in Japan, and has a small shrine area that is beautiful to see. Fairly entertainingly, Zen chanting is piped up to the upper level to give more of an atmosphere. The view of Kyoto from the top is yet again, amazing. Apparently there are also impressive screen printings, leaping tiger gardens and a generally overlooked small waterfall shrine in a forested hollow. (One of the few things that I wish I had not missed).
- Eikan-do (500 Yen) Yet another fine view of the city if visable from Eikan-do (originally named Zenrin-ji), which was named after a priest named Eikan who built a hospital for the poor within the grounds of the original 9th century temple. I especially enjoyed seeing the Mikaeri-no-Amida Buddha (Buddha Glancing Backwards) which was built after Eikan had a vision. Apparently the Amida Buddha stepped down from the shrine and walked ahead of Eikan telling him to stop dawdling. It is probably best to follow the arrows to enjoy everything; you can then put your shoes back on and enjoy the gardens, which include some wonderful sculptures and impressive buildings.
- Muran-an (350 Yen) It could be easy to miss Muran-in, and in some ways that might not be the biggest shame. Advertised on the wall of the main road as free, it is probably slightly overpriced. The garden is very attractive with its rockery water feature, stepping stones and lush green foliage. It is possible to have tea in one of the buildings over-looking the little garden, but this looked to be expensive. The one claim to fame which makes the entrance fee slightly more bearable is that the builder and designer of the gardens, Aritomo Yamagata held the Murin-an Conference concerning Japanese foreign policy just before the Russo-Japanese War in the upper floor of one of the buildings. It is possible to go into the room, which still contains the same furniture, and take photographs without a flash.
- Gion Very few people will go to Japan without knowing a little about Geisha, and Gion in Kyoto has the largest concentration of this dwindling breed of highly trained attendants. Although you do feel slightly voyeuristic, Geisha spotting can take you through an area of Kyoto that seems to contain the contradictions of Japan. You'll walk along a main street with large shops (including an newly built expensively priced craft centre) and then suddenly find yourself walking along streets that have an unmistakable look of old Japan. I managed to glimpse one Geisha briefly, and we did find another woman dressed as one. We were both sceptical that she was a true Geisha due to the amount of photographs she was having with what appeared to be her family. Apparently girls can pay extortionate amounts to be made up as a Geisha for the day, and as she was obviously not 'rushing between appointments' we suspect she may well have been a fake.
- Kyoto Station (Free) You would probably rush straight through the station, but it is actually an attraction in itself. Sights of the city are impressive, and the architecture is a little bit different; although I'm not convinced that the glass makes it appear to float in the city as the information boards at the top would try to make you believe. It also appears to be quite a retail centre with arcades within the building and underground in the subway section. The area they describe as being a 'garden' at the top, would also benefit with a little bit of green, rather than just the concreted area.
- Kyoto Tower (770 Yen) When there are so many beautiful views of Kyoto this tower does seem a bit overpriced. Although it gives you the best view of the entire city and could be a good way to orientate yourself at the beginning of a visit with the direction of the main attractions being marked on the windows, it really is nothing special. Slightly tacky exhibits on the third floor of the observatory, above the shopping centre, do at least give you a feel of the seasons and festivals of Kyoto.
- To-ji (500Yen) To-ji is a 20 minute walk from the station, and doesn't really appear to be marked that well. It certainly doesn't appear to be sign-posted in English, although information is provided inside. The National Treasure of the five-storey pagoda which is apparently the tallest in Japan, and has been rebuilt a total of 5 times! I found particularly interesting the twenty-one statues arranged according to the Mikkyo Mandala (a religiously significant grouping) in the Ko-do (Lecture Hall). As you peer around the different gilt statues of different deities, you keep on discovering more, including some deities from the Hindu pantheon and some brought back from China.
-Nijo-jo (600 Yen) Nijo castle is another interesting place to visit. Probably the most fun elements are the nightingale floors which were designed to sigh in order to signal the approach of anyone for the Shogun's bodyguards. No matter what nationality, everyone can be seen bouncing up and down on the boards or trying to tiptoe across them without making a sound. The building is impressive, with the beautifully painted screens being the main attraction. Another building is the Honmaru which was originally built in 1847 for Prince Katsura and later became the Imperial Palace, which was moved from the Imperial Palace grounds in 1893. Another pleasant view is visible from within the very attractive gardens.
- Imperial Palace Gardens (Free) This is a pleasant place to see Kyoto's residents exercise their dogs and enjoy the evening, but really is nothing special - especially after the gardens that you will already have seen. There is also an opportunity to see the palace, but this does require that you request an invitation - something that may demand a little more organisation than you may wish.
JAPANESE FOOD
Sushi, tako-yaki (battered balls containing octopus), okonomi-yaki (a fried batter with seafood, vegetables and a special sauce that varies from region to region), tempura, soba noodles, ramen noodles - the list of great food goes on. The only thing that I would avoid is Oden which is a variety of fried food. The main problem with it is that it is often reconstituted fish which I found soggy and tasteless, even if it is cheap. Apparently the one thing that is meant to be specific to Kyoto is tofu. This can be sold marinated and raw or cooked with meat and is a bit of an acquired taste.
I would recommend Zuzu, on a road off Pontocho-dori in an area that contains many different restaurants. Although the restaurant and bar is a little more expensive than most, it has plenty of atmosphere and a staff that speak relatively good English.
You'll probably find that lunchtimes are the ones you want a light snack. Convenience stores such as Lawsons and Seven Elevens seem to crop up everywhere. One of my particular favourites are triangles of rice wrapped in seaweed with fillings such as tuna (generally the blue label one!) Although eating food on the street is frowned on a little.
Different flavours of ice cream such as sweet potato and green tea are a refreshing change, along with a snack that contains similarities with slush puppies - ice flakes that have flavoured syrup poured over them.
Vending machines are found everywhere, including inside temple areas and have a variety of drinks you won't find in the United Kingdom, such as Melon or Grape soda which might be something different to try – since returning I have heard that these are available in Chinese speciality shops though… Although we didn't find many in Kyoto, there are also vending machines selling hot tea and coffee in cans.
MONEY IN KYOTO Make sure you take plenty of currency as finding an International ATM can be a bit of a challenge.
JAPANESE PEOPLE
Provided you nod (a greeting and sign of respect in Japan) to everyone, the people are infinitely helpful. There is a great urge to understand that can bridge the language gap. Although I would suggest that you take a good phrase book with the phrases written in the Japanese script as well as written phonetically in English, these basic words might be quite useful:
Arigato gozaimasu - formal thank you Domo - informal thank you, excuse me Dozo - please Sumimasen - excuse me Sugoi - great Egoi - English Hai - yes
As well as being very forgiving of the English not knowing their language, I found the Japanese to be incredibly helpful and friendly often volunteering help if they think you are having problems - although you should expect to be laughed at a little or questioned about England. The laughter tends to disguise their shyness but is much preferable to being scowled at as I think the English are particularly prone to do.
This trip was taken in August 2004. At this time of year Japan is very hot and humid. If you have fair skin it is essential that you use suntan lotion even when it is overcast. (That's the one time I got burnt!)
Advantages: Enormous temples, exciting centre & good wooded walks. Disadvantages: Disappointment if you let the guidebooks build it up too much & expensive.
...KYOTO
I went to Kyoto determined to dislike it. Everyone had said I should go – parents, employer, students and friends had all told me how wonderful it was. However, I’d also heard several things that put me off. For example, Kyoto does not have a baseball team. Apparently you must live in Kyoto for three generations before you’ll be accepted as a “Kyoto person”. When I met other westerners working in Japan those that ... ...of this edition live in Kyoto we discover) I was quite ready to pass it by entirely. However, flight times and weekends falling as they did I found that I had three days at the end of my stay in Japan and that unless I spent them in Kyoto I would place my chances of catching my plane in severe jeopardy. Thus I boarded the 23:00 overnight bus from Hiroshima, surrendered Y6020 and at 5:58 the next morning I rolled into town – Kyoto would have ...
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Advantages: Cheap area, gorgeous attractions and temples, good for short visits! Disadvantages: Limited activity so best for -5 day visits.
...Airways. We visited Kyoto for 3 days. We got there via Shinkansen from Tokyo, and stayed at the New Miyako hotel, just over the road from Kyoto station. Kyoto was absolutely gorgeous and very easy to navigate around. You can get just about anywhere you want to from Kyoto Station. There are buses, subway trains etc. 220 yen is all you need for a bus ride to anywhere along the Kyoto bus lines. That works out at around £1. You just hop on the bus and ... ...is via the bus from Kyoto station, You can also go via rail - JR Sagano line, which is a 5 minute walk away.
I definitely recommend a visit to Daigoji temple, accessable via subway. Its very understated and isn't in many tourist guides. From Kyoto station you'd need to catch the JR Tokaido main line and get off at Yamashina station. Then you'd need to hop onto the subway train, getting off at Daigo station. Its a very impressive building and is ...
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Advantages: beautiful, hundreds of temples and shrine Disadvantages: real danger of shrine overload
...Tokyo encapsulates modern Japanese culture Kyoto does the same for traditional Japan. For the most part it doesn't disappoint the shear number of Temples and shrines to be found here is absolutely incredible. Some of them are extreamly famous and as expected are pretty impressive but some of the better finds are hidden away on the outskirts of the city and exploring is very much rewarded.
Getting there- Most travellers will arrive at either Osaka ... ...the price. Both arrive at Kyoto station. From the station find the right exit and start exploring, most of the sights are to to the north of the station.
Trains from Osaka to Kyoto are frequent and only take about half an hour.
Getting around- Local buses cover most routes, remember to pay when you get off not on. Hiring a bike can be a good idea, the centre is very flat and it saves a lot of time.
What to do- Take in all the sights, go searching ...
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Advantages: A very spiritual but vibrant city with places easy to find Disadvantages: When it's hot - it's sticky, if you like that kind of thing!!!
...spent 3 fabulous days expolring Kyoto in May this year and I loved every moment. The city is set out in a grid pattern, so finding places is simple and most people speak some degree of english. I loved the temples and shrines - the Golden Pavilion is a must see, the reflection in the water is awesome and the surrounding gardens are beautiful. The Daiokuji Temple Complex with the Zen Gardens at Daisen-In are another definite to behold. Another 2 great ... ...only way to travel to Kyoto in style is by the bullet train, which arrives at the futurist looking station. The only down side was that it was very hot and sticky when I was there, however I used the very good public transport instead of just walking everywhere which is possible if you so desire. I can't wait to return to explore all the other places I had to miss out during my 3 day trip. ...
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Advantages: great history Disadvantages: can get crowded
Kyoto is a must for anyone visiting japan, along with Tokyo. Whereas Tokyo is the modern, vibrant japan, Kyoto is the old Japan. Kyoto is easy to find your way around, as all the underground stations have the signs written in English. The main attractions are the gold and silver temples. The gold temple is stunning - a two story building completley covered in gold leaf. The nice thing about the temples is that they are all set in their own tranquil ... ...that the tourist sites in Kyoto can get very crowded, especially with partied of school children. Be prepared also for them to want to take your photo! As with all of Japan, accommodation in Kyoto is expensive. Eating out is OK, but make sure you try the Japanese food and don't just stick to Macdonalds! ...
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Advantages: Friendly people, good train links, plenty of interesting places to visit Disadvantages: Nightlife options are limited, truly dreadful wine.
..., Virgin, JAL and ANA.
I chose to fly to and from Tokyo (Narita airport), however it is also possible to fly to Osaka (Kansai) which is about 350 miles away and convenient for Kyoto, the old capital and in my view a must see destination in any Japan trip. It is also fairly common to fly into one airport and out of another. Narita Airport is about 80km from the centre of Tokyo and taxis are very expensive, it would easily cost £150 in a taxi so the best advice is to take the train or an airport bus into the city. I am not sure how much this cost as uncharacteristically we had not researched properly and ended up jumping into one of only three taxis outside the airport. We jumped out and diverted to a train station somewhere between Narita and Tokyo once we saw the fare increasing at an alarming rate. The train fare from wherever we were was...
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Advantages: Great location Disadvantages: Not as clean as it should be, dodgy decor
...On previous visits to Japan I've been lucky to find some good value and good quality hotels. I'd never stayed in Kyoto before and having looked at the options online I chose to stay at the Karasuma Kyoto hotel.
The reasoning for my decision was that it wasn't the most expensive hotel (although still £75 a night) and in a good location. I'd read that the interiors were dated, but that's fine with me as long as things are clean. Sadly it wasn't as great as I had hoped.
Location
The hotel does score some points here. It's two stops north on the Karasuma subway line from Kyoto station. If you arrive via the subway be sure to exit the station by South Exit 6, it comes out right in front of the hotel, you'll see it directly in front of you with the Starbucks at the front, just as in the photo.
Being very close to Shijo dori you...
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Advantages: Great places to visit, many things to do, new technologies Disadvantages: some things are pricey especially the latest technologies, jet lag
...I visited Japan last summer with a friend and we spent about a month there. We visited the following cities: Tokyo, Osaka, Hiroshima and Kyoto.
~Tokyo~
Tokyo is a lot like London. It's made up of a number of very distinct villages - each with their own character and often populated with a variety of characters - some of whom may only come out at night - and are not necessarily vampires! Most of the main areas in Tokyo are stops on the Yamanote Line - Tokyo's equivalent of the Circle Line (only more efficient!). Getting a day ticket to go round this line doesn't turn you into a train spotter. It is an ideal way to get your bearings and it provides a reasonable overview of the City. The streets of Tokyo are laid out in a grid pattern similar to those of New York and other larger cities. At first sight, each street not only looked...
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14.10.2008
01.05.2005
