Kyoto Travel Guide - The Best Things to Do in Kyoto for First-timers

So we are in Kyoto, so this is probably my favorite Japanese city of them all and don't get me wrong I do love the madness that is Tokyo and Osaka But there's just something about Kyoto that just speaks to me and tells me that this is the quintessential Japanese city that you have to visit no matter what sort of travel itinerary you have in plan Now I think that's probably because for me at least it's sort of this unique blend of modern cityscapes as well as sort of the cultural and historic value this city has on offer and there's no better place to experience that blend than in Gion. Gion is the old quarter of Kyoto. There is so much life there and it's still the main Entertainment district of the city. Tons of bars, eateries, everything you could think of. Now obviously, it may not be like the old times of Kyoto, but for its modern iteration, it's pretty good If I had to pick one season to visit Kyoto, then it would have to be autumn This is when the leaves change to their orange-red tones that make the city even more magical But do book your accommodations months in advance as autumn is arguably the busiest season in Kyoto Spring is a fine alternative while summer despite its hot and humid weather Do enable you to experience the city's famous Gion Matsuri, the summer festival So how many days do you need in Kyoto? Personally, I would suggest staying anywhere between three to five days as that will give you ample amount of time to visit the most important places in the city The best way to get around the city is via trains and buses. For that, you'll need an IC card It works like any other electronic travel card. Add funds and just tap in and tap out The card also works in most major cities including Osaka and Tokyo You may also consider the Kansai Foo Pass This pass will cover public transportation throughout the Kansai region It's worth considering if you plan to visit other cities in the region such as Osaka and Nara Kyoto can be divided into several key areas. The main ones you need to know about are Northern Kyoto, known for its several shrines and temples such as the Kinkaku-ji temple, is generally a quieter residential area Arashiyama, which is known for its splendid natural scenery and features attractions such as the bamboo forest and the monkey park Central Kyoto, where you'll find mostly hotels, shops and restaurants It's not the main sightseeing destination, but due to the central location and being a transportation hub It's arguably the best place to stay if you want to have easy access to all of Kyoto's different areas Gyoen, the city's old quarter and main entertainment district. The streets here are lined with historic buildings, speciality shops, bars and eateries Personally I recommend staying anywhere near the Gyoen area if possible However, if you plan to do a lot of exploring, then staying in the central area might be a better idea For more information regarding transportation or accommodations, check the description box below We'll begin in the area of Gyoen Kyoto's old entertainment district. This is where you'll find the many famed historic streets and buildings in Kyoto This is why the first thing to do here is to simply explore the many streets of Gyoen some noteworthy streets are Ni-nen-saka and San-nen-saka Both are filled with different shops and cafes all housed in traditional wooden buildings There's also Hanami Koji, known for maintaining the original appearances of its many tea houses and buildings along its path It's also a famous spot for spotting geisha and meikos and you'll probably at least spot one if you hang around here for a little while However, it's important to point out that the city has decided to impose a photography ban in Hanami Koji Along with many other areas in Gyoen due to issues with certain tourists. As such, I encourage you to follow these local rules You should also not miss the famous view of the Yasaka Pagoda You can usually find a street filled with photographers trying to get that perfect shot When you're ready for some food, there are two areas I recommend dropping by. The first is Nishiki Market It's a narrow and long shopping street lined with hundreds of shops and restaurants It's a great place to sample the many different flavors found in Kyoto One place to check out in particular is this little seafood shop in the market called Kimura Fresh Fish Once you order what you want You're usually led to a place right inside this shop where you can quickly enjoy the meal while the shop continues to bustle away For a lighter meal or just some refreshments, then I highly recommend visiting a shop called Task Baton It's a small shop slash tea house, which offers an amazing shaved ice dessert, which is best enjoyed with a nice cup of tea Another place I would suggest is Kagisen Yoshifuza. When I'm in Kyoto I always make sure to stop by this shop. It's known for its traditional Japanese sweets Their most famous dish is these kuzukiri noodles that you dip in this sugary sweet sauce When in Kyoto, you spend some time visiting the city's many temples and shrines Some of my favorites are Natsumiji Temple, famous for its aqueduct and rock garden Eikando Temple for its beautiful garden, making it one of the best places to watch the autumn foliage in Kyoto You may also consider visiting the Yasaka Shrine, which is the main shrine here in Gyoen If you come during the summer, you can witness the famous Gyoen Matsuri festival, which is also held at the shrine Finally, Kiyomizu-dera Temple, which is best known for its wooden stage near the main hall The temple sits on a hillside, which offers visitors a nice view of not only the city, but also the many cherry and maple trees below After a day of heavy exploring, it's time to relax and enjoy a good meal. Under the Nishiki Market, the second area I recommend searching for a good meal is Ponten-jo The area is filled with many types of restaurants and bars, anything from seafood, soba, and yakiniku While Kyoto isn't really the prime destination for the famous Kobe beef But if you still want to have a little taste in a casual environment, then I recommend swinging by Steak and Wine Here you order some authentic slice of Kobe beef If you're not up for spending on Kobe beef, then alternatively I recommend visiting the several establishments of Yakiniku Hiro They offer a great selection of quality meat, and it's relatively affordable If a hearty bowl of noodles is more your thing, then one of the best places for some excellent ramen is at Ramen Sen-no-kaze I prefer their tonkatsu ramen, but they also offer a shio, shoyu, and mizu version This place can get quite busy, so you may find yourself waiting in a queue Next, we move to the area of Arashiyama Arashiyama is one of the most popular areas in Kyoto It provides a nice change of scenery with its mountain range, rivers, and greenery It is also here you can find the famous Arashiyama Bamboo Forest The forest or grove is home to hundreds of bamboo trees, which can grow upwards of 30 meters Being amongst the many trees is indeed a special experience that shouldn't be missed Just remember to get here early if you want to avoid the crowds Right next to the bamboo forest you can find Tenryu-ji One of the main Sen temples in Kyoto and famous for its beautiful Japanese garden If you're up for a short hike, then I highly recommend making the walk up to Senko-ji temple The walk itself is a highlight as you'll walk through a dense forest area Until you reach the secluded temple that offers a scenic view You'll also be able to greet a famous little Shiba Inu, which is the temple dog of Senko-ji Not too far from the temple you can find the Iwatayama Monkey Park, known for housing over a hundred snow monkeys It takes a good 20 minute walk up to see the monkeys But once you're here, you can feed the monkeys by purchasing snacks supplied by the staff at the park Before we leave the Arashiyama area, the last thing I would recommend checking out is the Sakono Railway Also known as the Romantic Train It takes you on a scenic ride along the Hosugawa River and it's a very popular scenic train ride especially during the autumn season Once you reach the last stop, you can either take the train back or opt for a two-hour boat tour back Following the Hosugawa River. I recommend the boat tour if possible As we move away from Arashiyama, we head up to the northwestern end of Kyoto Where we can find the famous Ginkaku-ji temple, also known as the Golden Pavilion It's one of the most popular buildings in Japan and attracts thousands of visitors annually The upper floor is covered in gold leaves while the lower floor is built of natural wood Originally built as the retirement home for a shogun, it was later turned into its current state, a Zen Buddhist temple There are many other temples and shrines to explore in the area But if you have the time, then I would recommend doing the Kurama to Kibune hike It takes around 30 minutes by train from central Kyoto to reach Kurama But it's well worth the trip since it's a lovely little hike that leads you through shrines and temples While being surrounded by the area's splendid nature Finally, we head towards southern Kyoto where you'll find arguably the most visited place in all of Kyoto the Fushimi Inari Shrine Fushimi Inari is the most important shrine dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice In Japan, foxes are believed to be Inari's messengers This is why you'll find multiple fox statues spread across the shrine grounds For most people, the shrine is mostly famous for its thousands of Torii gates Which follows a network of trails leading up to Mount Inari All right. So last year I was here in Fushimi Inari with my brother and during that time we came here during the summer around I think like late afternoon and There were a decent amount of people but this time probably Way too many so we're just gonna jump in and take a few shots As for the most popular places in Japan, you'll find crowds But if you just keep going up the trail, you'll often find that the crowds thin out a bit Alternatively, you can either visit during the morning or evening hours when things are a bit more quiet Next to the shrine you'll also find a little food market where you can try some street food and local snacks We ourselves opted to taste a few items after our shrine visit All right, so that's it for this video on Kyoto I've listed a bunch of things for you to do when you're in the city as well as some food options along the way If you're craving for some additional Inspiration then you can check out my top 10 Kyoto video where I list a few more activities on the list But for now, I hope this video helped and gave you the information you needed for a great time in Kyoto If you have any questions, then leave them in the comments below. This is Alan until next time