Kyoto

This itinerary was built for three full days in Kyoto, including a day trip to Nara (Day 2) and a morning excursion to nearby Arashiyama (Day 3).

Detail 1

Central Kyoto

  • Fushimi-Inari-Taisha Shrine: Myriad tori (shrine gates) at this vast shrine complex

  • Nintendo Corporate Headquarters

  • Toji Buddhist temple

  • Rengeoin Sanjusangendo: Buddhist temple with 1,001 statues

  • Explore Higashiyama Ward (entertainment district with authentic teahouses, craft shops, and pottery shops)

  • Sanneizaka (Sannenzaka): traditional shopping zone on a hill

    • Fukubukuros = lucky bags?! Check out Pokemon Center Kyoto

  • Kiyomizu-dera

  • Kasagiya
    This fine little teahouse near the top of Sannen-zaka, a short walk from Kiyomizu-dera Temple, is almost too quaint for words. It’s rickety, cramped and oozing with old-Japanese flavor. There’s an English menu and their tea, sweets and shaved ice treats (in summer) are delicious. It’s the perfect way to power yourself through an afternoon of sightseeing in Southern Higashiyama.

  • Ryozen Kannon Statue

  • Kodaiji Temple

  • Dinner at 7:30 PM: Gion Tempura Kappo Hasegawa


Detail 2: Nara

Afternoon: back in Kyoto

  • Pokemon Center Kyoto

  • Nishiki Market and Shopping District

    • Get the tofu donuts in Nishiki Market street

  • Teramachi Street (shopping)

  • Shijō Kawaramachi (shopping district with boutiques)

  • Explore Gion area: entertainment districts with authentic teahouses, craft shops, and pottery shops

  • Have to go to Tsuriji Honten in Gion for matcha parfaits

  • Tea: Kagizen Yoshifusa
    Located on Shijo-dori, in the heart of Gion, this esteemed Kyoto sweet shop has a beautiful tearoom hidden in back. The tearoom overlooks a small garden and it’s almost always blissfully quiet. There’s an English menu and they’re quite comfortable with foreign tourists. You can choose from a variety of classic Japanese sweets to go with your tea. This is highly recommended when you need a break in Southern Higashiyama

  • New Year’s soba (tradition) at Honke Owariya

  • Joya-no-kane

    • After feasting on New Year’s Eve, many Kyotoites head to their local temple to perform joya-no-kane, a sacred bell ringing ceremony. Here, people line up to ring the giant temple bells and wish for good fortune in the New Year (and to get rid of bad karma from the old). Technically, the bells are supposed to be rung 108 times, a number symbolizing the sins to which the flesh is heir, but many temples will allow everyone a chance to ring the bell even if it exceeds this number. Here are some good spots to participate in or observe joya-no-kane:

    • Chion-in: This vast temple houses Kyoto’s largest temple bell in a special enclosure above the main precinct. The bell is rung by a team of 17 monks, who fall with all their weight on ropes to swing the massive log-like clanger into the bell. If you want to see this, you’ll have to go very early and stand in line.

      • Nanzen-ji Temple: If you’re willing to stand on line, you can take a turn ringing the bell at the atmospheric bell tower of this fine Zen temple.

      • Kurodani Temple: Located on a hill above the city, the night view alone here is worth the trip. If you get here about an hour before midnight, you’ll have a chance to ring the bell with the locals.

      • Shinyodo Temple: This lovely temple in Sakyo-ku is very popular with Kyoto’s expat community as a place to ring in the New Year. The monks here serve hot medicinal tea to visitors, who then stand on line to ring the bell. I once spent a magical New Year’s Eve here waiting to ring the bell in deep snow

  • Visit Kyoto shrine or temple at midnight: Hatsumode (New Year’s First Visit)

    • After ringing the bell at the local temple, many Kyotoites head to their local shrine or one of the city’s grand shrines to perform hatsu-mode, the all-important first shrine visit of the New Year. Those who don’t visit a shrine on the evening of December 31st will almost always go on January 1st, 2nd or 3rd. Once at the shrine, Kyotoites will stand on line to ring the bell and say a prayer for a good New Year. Foreign visitors are more than welcome to join the queue and say a prayer. Some shrine-goers will also draw an omikuji (fortune) by shaking a numbered stick out of a special container and telling the number to the waiting attendant who will hand over the corresponding fortune (this costs Y100). Some shrines serve special sweet alcohol-free sake called amazake to their guests on New Year’s Eve, and this is a great way to beat the chill.

    • Yasaka-jinja Shrine: Sitting on a hill overlooking the Gion geisha district, bustling Yasaka-jinja is easily one of the most atmospheric places to ring in the New Year.

      • Near Yasaka, can also go to Chion-In, Shoren-In, Kodaiji, and Kiyomizu-dera


Detail 3: Arashiyama

  • Hop on a train to Arashiyama

  • Mountains of Kyoto

  • Arashiyama Station

    • Monkey Park Iwatayama (open from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM)

    • Togetsu-kyō Bridge: landmark bridge with a scenic footpath

    • Tenryu-ji Temple

    • Arashiyama Bamboo forest

    • Okochi Sanso Villa, Garden

  • Walk north into the mountains to:

    • Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple

    • Hatsumode (New Year’s first visit)

  • Head west to Omuroouchi area (30-minute train/bus ride)

  • Lunch?

  • Ryōan-ji with Zen rock garden

  • Kinkakuji temple

  • Take a bus (25 min) into north-central Kyoto

  • Shimogamo-Jinja: 2,000-year-old shrine in a serene forest

  • Head down to central Kyoto

  • Maybe Nijojocho (Nijo Castle) is open? Website says closed Dec 29-31

  • Ippodo
    Located on Teramachi-dori Street, a short walk north of downtown, this is my favorite tea shop in Kyoto. It’s the perfect place to pick up some Japanese tea to take home with you. And, next door to the shop, there’s a small café where you can sample some of the shops excellent matcha and leaf teas like gyokuro and sencha

  • Dinner?