Kyoto is one of the most popular cities to visit in Japan, and it's easier to see why with its traditional culture, incredible shrines and temples and nearby attractions.
The city is quieter than its neighbours Osaka and Tokyo and it's very different to take a stroll through the streets in Kyoto compared to the louder districts in the other parts of Japan. Here are a few things to do to kill time in Kyoto and enjoy the tranquil city and its beauty:
Visit one of Japan's Most Famous Shrines
Kyoto is home to lots of pretty shrines, including the Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine, which is definitely a tourist hotspot in Japan. If you've seen people's photos of their visits, this infamous shrine is bound to make an appearance.
Its bright orange Torii gates are incredible and seem to go on forever. We only made it halfway through the shrine before our legs started to ache! There are all different sized Torii gates leading you to different paths and smaller sections with more shrines. If you go up the first lot of steps and turn right, you can make your way up to the top of the mountain - beware it is a forty-five minute walk up!
In one section, we found a super friendly feline that wouldn't leave us alone! We later discovered there are people there that look after the cats, and the shrine is in fact the kitties' home! In fact, you can even see where they sleep - adorable!
Witness the Golden Pavilion
Located in the Kita Ward, the Golden Pavilion, also known as the Kinkaku-ji Temple, is a beautiful building sat amongst the water. There is also a Japanese garden surrounding it, meaning you can have an aesthetically-pleasing walk around too. It is a JR train and a bus ride away, but it is well worth the trip! It certainly didn't get its golden name for being dull looking!
Check out the Local Temples
Alike to Tokyo, Kyoto is full of temples that are open to the public for visitation. We managed to get to two of the biggest temples in Kyoto - Kiyomizu-dera and the Kodaiji Temple. Both offer a peaceful walk around the grounds and lots of picturesque buildings and views of the city. There are also a lot of kimono rentals in Kyoto, so expect to see lots of friends and couples dressed up traditionally and walking around these temples taking photos.
At Kodaiji Temple, if you look hard enough, you can catch a giant Buddha in the trees. We couldn't find it in the temple grounds, but you could catch a glimpse of it from the car park next door. There's also a little snippet of a bamboo forest too!
Take a Break in Arashiyama
If you've got a spare day, or even half-a-day, take the train down to Arashiyama - it is well worth it! There are lots of things to do in this part of town, including exploring a bamboo forest, taking a trip on the romantic train and even a monkey park! You could easily spend hours there, exploring the shops, eating ice-cream, sampling the fried food goods and even checking out an animal cafe! You can also get a good view of the mountains, before climbing it to see the monkeys!
Arashiyama Monkey Park is an amazing place to visit, but prepare for a long walk up the mountain! The main part of the park is located a twenty minute stroll up (I say stroll...it's more of a heavy panting, claw and climb up the path). There are stairs to begin with, then the path zig-zags up until you find the shelter. There's a large slide to play on too! The monkey shelter puts you behind the cage, so you can feed the free monkeys jumping around. You can buy the food from the counter inside the cafe; it is ¥100 a pack and you can choose between nuts, apples or bananas. We found their favourite was the apples, so make sure to pick up a few bags of them! It's chilly up there, so remember to take a jacket or jumper too! If you're lucky you can catch a feeding show, where the rangers will gather you around in a circle and chuck monkey food out to the animals - it is mayhem! Remember not to look the monkeys directly in the eye as it can anger them (I do not want to know how they figured out that was bad...).
Walk around Yasaka Shrine
The Yasaka Shrine is located in the Gion district of Kyoto, and is at the end of a street filled with restaurants and shops. It offers a historical side to the city and is beautiful to visit both during the day and at night. We walked around the shrine during the dark, and it was beautifully (but dimly) lit by lanterns that matched the temples and buildings around them.
From the main gate, you can catch a glimpse of the traffic flowing in and out of the main road, which is pretty picturesque.
Find a Cute Bar for a Sake
No trip would be complete without sampling the city's food and drinks! Find a cute bar in the city where you can enjoy a tipple (or two) before heading home. We found a lovely bar in the Gion district, which had a vintage and bohemian vibe! It was an izakaya called Rutubo, and there was even a resident dog! The food was tasty and the drinks were refreshing!
Kyoto was such a peaceful and traditional place - I hope you found my list enlightening as much as the city was!