Top 10 Things to do in KYOTO, Japan | Go Local | Cal McKinley

Okay, it is Friday, February 10th, and I am in, that was supposed to be a sort of grand shot of Kyoto, I'm in Kyoto. Just two and a half hours west of Tokyo, Kyoto is in an entirely different world. The former capital of Japan boasts its own unique cuisine, towering Buddhist temples, and some of the most beautifully constructed gardens in the world. There's a lot to unpack for this city, I'm going to be taking you through my top 10 favorite things to do in the city of Kyoto. Number one, Fushimi Inari Teisha, otherwise known as the Shrine of a Thousand Gates. This shrine is dedicated to the god of rice and sake, which turns out the Japanese use a lot, so you can already imagine that this shrine is going to be pretty epic. The path starts at the bottom of the Inari Mountain, and winds its way to the top, where you can get amazing 360 degree views of the city. Lining the path all the way to the top of the mountain are thousands of torii gates, and each gate is a donation from a company or an individual, and can cost anywhere from $4,000 for a smaller gate, all the way up to $90,000 for one of the larger ones. Remember, that's per gate. The hike to the very top of the mountain takes about two hours, but it only takes about 30 minutes to reach the first vantage point of the city. Not bad for a 45 minute hike. And the best part is, it's absolutely free. If you want details about the best way to get there, definitely check out my website, which I'll put a link for in the description. It'll have more details about all the stuff that I'm talking about in this video. What I really like about Kyoto, and what makes it slightly different than Tokyo, is kind of obvious, but it's just smaller. So you can wander the back streets, find little alleyways that barely fit cars, super cool old architecture, something you can't really do in Tokyo just because it's so loud and there's just so many people. But anyway, right now I'm headed to the Tokyo Imperial Palace, which is traditionally where the emperors of Japan ruled for hundreds of years. Should be pretty cool. Number two on the list is the Kyoto Imperial Palace, which was the residence of the Emperor of Japan up until 1869. However, even after the new palace was built in Tokyo, successive emperors would still hold their enthronement ceremonies in Kyoto. So needless to say, there's a ton of history here. The complex itself is pretty impressive, it boasts 4,300 feet north to south, and is surrounded by two different sets of walls, each over 15 feet tall. Now surrounding the palace are the Kyoto Gardens, which I think are just as interesting as the palace itself. I mean, don't get me wrong, the architecture is amazing, and the history is pretty fascinating, but at the end of the day, it's just a really cool looking building. And that being said, entrance is free, and it's not a bad place to spend an hour or two. Number three is Nishiki Market, better known as Kyoto's Kitchen. This five block long open air market specializes in food related products. It's popular with both tourists and locals, and it's a great spot to spend an afternoon taste testing some exotic Japanese snacks. Many of the shops are family owned, and have been passed down from generation to generation. One of the most notable shops, Aritsugu, is famous for its handcrafted knives. It was founded by Aritsugu Fujiwara, a master swordsmith, in 1560. Talk about a killer Christmas gift. Now for a quick lesson in transportation. So when it comes to Kyoto, you have three main ways of getting around. The first, and my personal favorite, is a bike. Rented a bike, which is, I think, the best way to see a city. The second is the extensive metro system that runs to every major area in the city. And the third, and probably the most difficult to master, are the buses. The way it works, I think, is that when a bus is getting closer, it ticks to the next circle. So I'm taking the 204, which means it should be approaching the city. That wasn't too bad. Messed up giving the change, but I put it in the return, so they'd accept, I don't know. It's not until you start to master public transportation that you really get a feel for what it's like to be a local in the city. Not that I've mastered the buses at all. Number four and five, Temple of the Golden Pavilion and Ryoenji. Probably the most popular attraction in Kyoto. Temple of the Golden Pavilion, also known as Kinkaku-ji, is another Zen Buddhist temple. It's one located in northern Kyoto. Unfortunately, the building was burnt down several times, including once in 1950 when it was set on fire by a fanatical monk, and the current structure was built in 1955. In addition to the temple itself, there are various gardens and tea houses that are spread out around the premises. The path you are taken on goes counterclockwise around the lake, and there are plenty of opportunities for pictures, so I recommend not stopping to get one at the beginning, as this is where everyone groups together, and it makes the otherwise peaceful temple grounds feel like you're at Crane Central Station. So the Naijo Castle was built in 1603, and the compound covers an impressive 2.9 million square feet of ground. Now originally it was the residence of Tokugawa, which is the name that some of you might be familiar with as the first shogun of the Edo period. Unfortunately, the buildings there were actually built in the late 1800s, because the originals burned down in a city-wide fire. You'll notice that most of the buildings and attractions in Kyoto had burned down at one point or another, and part of that is due to the Japanese use of washi, which are basically paper walls that are used extensively in Japanese traditional architecture. Number 7, the Yamazaki Whiskey Distillery, just 30 minutes south of Kyoto. Okay, just got finished with my tour of the Yamazaki Whiskey Distillery, which was pretty impressive. I have no idea how whiskey was made, although I've always been kind of interested in it, and that was definitely a really cool experience. And for 1,000 yen, it's great. I mean, they give you a whiskey tasting at the end as well. I saw a barrel of whiskey that has been there since the year I was born. Pretty interesting place. Also, side note, you have to be 20 to drink in Japan, but they don't ask questions if you don't say anything. Okay, headed out to dinner now, which I'm super excited about because Kyoto is actually supposed to have its own unique style of Japanese food. Even though it's probably going to be very similar, there are supposed to be a few dishes that they do differently, which I'm pretty excited to try. Number 1, let's see what Kyoto has to offer. As the former seat of power for Japan, Kyoto has a diverse and rich food culture, with their own unique take on traditional dishes such as ramen and sushi. You can also find a ton of crazy fusion restaurants that combine ingredients and techniques of Kyoto cuisine with cooking styles from all over the world. I spent three weeks in Tokyo before coming to Kyoto, and I was expecting more or less the same in terms of food. But when I got here, every meal that I had completely blew me away, in not only its flavor but also its creativity. If you want a list of specific restaurants and places to try, definitely check out my food map, which I'll put a link for in the description, where you'll find a list of my favorite restaurants and street food spots in the city. So I'm on the path to Arishiyama, which is sort of outside of Kyoto, about 30 minutes away by train. There's a bunch of temples, there's also the famous bamboo forest, which I'm excited about. There's even a monkey temple, I think. I tried to time it as close as I can to sunset, so it looks really beautiful right now, but unfortunately the monkey temple is already closed, so keep that in mind if you do want to see that. It's a little bit of a hike, which I was not prepared for. It's pretty awesome, though. Okay, so I got to the top and was told that it is closed today, with no explanation. Just opened the door and then said it was closed and shut it. He didn't thank me for coming up. On the bright side, there was a 400 yen admittance fee, which means that now I can spend 400 yen more on sushi night. More good news is that the bamboo forest is just on the opposite side of the river. That's just a viewpoint. So it's a win-win. Kind of. I want to feel how cold this water is. Oh, not bad. Pretty cold, though. Well, I guess that means I'm not swimming back. Dang. That was the plan. Number 10 is the Philosopher's Walk. The Philosopher's Walk is a narrow stone path that winds its way through Kyoto's Higashiyama district. What draws so many people here and what makes it stand out are the hundreds of cherry blossom trees that line the path. The best time is to visit in April, when the trees start to bloom. As you can see in the video, there wasn't a lot happening when I went mid-February, but it's still one of the most peaceful spots in the entire city and the perfect place to sit down and have lunch. The path starts at the silver pavilion, Jinkaku-gi, and ends two kilometers down the way in the neighborhood of Nenzen-ji, which is a fun place to walk around. So I hope you guys enjoyed that video. If you stuck around to the end, thank you. It means a lot. Go ahead and click the video on the top left to see what you shouldn't do while in Japan. And click the video on the bottom left to see my top 10 things to do for the city of Tokyo.