Kyoto Travel Guide 京都之旅

KYOTO TRAVEL GUIDE 京都之旅

My third time visiting Kyoto. However, this Kyoto trip is a different kind of amazing and memorable because I was visiting with my fiancé. Kyoto is truly a beautiful and peaceful place. Every time I visit here, I only manage to stay 1 or 2 nights. I wish I had more time to explore this beautiful land next time. This post is about how to travel from Tokyo to Kyoto, things to do in Kyoto, food and sharing our Yukata experience with you guys.

Kyoto, once the capital of Japan, is a city on the island of Honshu. It's famous for its numerous classical Buddhist temples, as well as gardens, imperial palaces, Shinto shrines, and traditional wooden houses. It’s also known for formal traditions such as kaiseki dining, consisting of multiple courses of precise dishes, and geisha, female entertainers often found in the Gion district.


HOW TO TRAVEL FROM TOKYO TO KYOTO

  • Nozomi - the fastest Shinkansen (RM521.54) one-way in peak season, and can get you from Tokyo Station to Kyoto Station in about 2 hours and 20 minutes. 
  • Hikari - which is slightly cheaper (RM510.08) one-way which rakes a little longer at 2 hours and 40 minutes.
  • Kodama - reaches Kyoto in about 3 hours and 50 minutes, and for the same price as Hikari. Knock a few hundred yen off the prices if you're traveling off-peak; that anytime outside spring and summer holidays, Golden Week, and the New Year period.

If you want to keep things super cheap, then the Shinkansen probably isn't your best bet. However, it is the smoothest and easiest way of traveling from Tokyo to Kyoto, and there are ways to make your Shinkansen journey cheaper.




Normally people travelling to Kyoto from Tokyo. Of course, if you're planning to visit only the Kansai area, you can google how to travel from Osaka to Kyoto as well.

The Shinkansen is so comfy and we do take a nap for a while during the trip to Kyoto.

If you're feeling hungry, no worries, you can actually purchase a bento, sandwiches or some snacks on the train. For us, we bought the bento and the green tea as our breakfast.


YUKATA

So some of you might don't know how to differentiate between Kimono and Yukata. Since our trip to Japan was during summer time, so we were wearing yukata instead of kimono. A yukata is a Japanese garment, a casual summer kimono usually made of cotton or synthetic fabric, and unlined.




When I was the first visit to Kyoto with my family, I was envy to saw some of the girls dressing in kimono/yukata and having the photoshoot.

Since we were travelling on a tour, so we don't have time for that.

I'm lucky enough to have the opportunity now.






Although it's not my first time to experience Yukata, I'm still feeling excited while dressing them because we gonna have a DIY photo-shooting.

It was my fiance first time trying Yukata as well. I feel glad that he's willing to wear a Yukata and have a photo-shoot with me. While we having photo-shoot, I saw a few of the couples that girls are wearing Yukata while guys are wearing their own clothes. It seems that some guys are not willing to dressing like that and walk around. Lol.
Website : https://kyotokimono-rental.com
Cost : 5,600 yen

How to get there
From Kiyomizudera 
Go down Kiyomizuzaka (Matsubara Street), and turn on the 4th corner of Kiyomizudera Keishadō to Gojōzaka. The walk takes about 4 mins.

City Bus
Get off Kyoto city bus at Gojozaka Bus Stop. Walk along Gojozaka 5 minutes, pass Chawanzaka and notice their store on the right.


ATTRACTIONS
  • Kiyomizu-dera



Kiyomizu-dera, officially Otowa-san Kiyomizu-dera, is an independent Buddhist temple in eastern Kyoto. The temple is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto UNESCO World Heritage site.





It was my third time to visit this beautiful temple and I actually blogged about it before. You can read the post at the bottom part of this article.



Kiyomizudera (清水寺, literally "Pure Water Temple") is one of the most celebrated temples of Japan. It was founded in 780 on the site of the Otowa Waterfall in the wooded hills east of Kyoto, and derives its name from the fall's pure waters. 

The temple was originally associated with the Hosso sect, one of the oldest schools within Japanese Buddhism, but formed its own Kita Hosso sect in 1965. In 1994, the temple was added to the list of UNESCO world heritage sites.

We took about 1 hour for the dressing. Since the weather is so hot, we had the kakigori to cool down our body heat before to take a walk. Fiance ordered the melon flavour while I had ordered a lemon flavour of shaved ice.





You can actually buy some amulet for your own. There are some variety of amulets such as wealth, health, study and lucky etc.

Every time during my visit to Kiyomizudera, I will always to do a divination to test my luck. Or maybe I should say I'm curious about my future.

Fortunately, every time I also got the luckiest result. I keep it in my wallet every time I got the note. Hopefully, it can bring me some luck.

The Otowa Waterfall is located at the base of Kiyomizudera's main hall. Its waters are divided into three separate streams, and visitors use cups attached to long poles to drink from them. Each stream's water is said to have a different benefit, namely to cause longevity, success at school and a fortunate love life. However, drinking from all three streams is considered greedy.


Kiyomizudera is best known for its wooden stage that juts out from its main hall, 13 meters above the hillside below. The stage affords visitors a nice view of the numerous cherry and maple trees below that erupt in a sea of colour in spring and fall, as well as of the city of Kyoto in the distance. The main hall, which together with the stage was built without the use of nails, houses the temple's primary object of worship, a small statue of the eleven-faced, thousand armed Kannon.

How to get there : Kiyomizudera can be reached from Kyoto Station by bus number 100 or 206 (15 minutes, 230 yen). Get off at Gojo-zaka or Kiyomizu-michi bus stop, from where it is 10 minutes uphill walk to the temple. Alternatively, Kiyomizudera is about 20 minutes walk from Kiyomizu-Gojo Station along the Keihan Railway Line.

Admission : 400 yen


  • Fushimi Inari-taisha

Fushimi Inari Taisha (伏見稲荷大社) is the head shrine of the god Inari, located in Fushimi Ward in Kyoto, Japan. The shrine sits at the base of a mountain also named Inari which is 233 meters (764 ft) above sea level, and includes trails up the mountain to many smaller shrines which span 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) and take approximately 2 hours to walk up.




It was my first time here actually! Didn't manage to visit here last time due to tight schedule. I'm glad that I did this time thou.


First and foremost, Inari is the god of rice, but merchants and manufacturers have traditionally worshipped Inari as the patron of business. Each of the torii at Fushimi Inari Taisha has been donated by a Japanese business. This popular shrine is said to have as many as 32,000 sub-shrines throughout Japan.




The shrine became the object of imperial patronage during the early Heian period. In 965, Emperor Murakami decreed that messengers carry written accounts of important events to the guardian kami of Japan.

These heihaku were initially presented to 16 shrines, including the Inari Shrine.



There are so many Instaworthy places here and my fiance found this hidden spot. Not bad right?

From 1871 through 1946, Fushimi Inari-taisha was officially designated one of the Kanpei-taisha, meaning that it stood in the first rank of government supported shrines.

How to get there : Fushimi Inari Shrine is located just outside JR Inari Station, the second station from Kyoto Station along the JR Nara Line (5 minutes, 140 yen one way from Kyoto Station, not served by rapid trains). The shrine can also be reached in a short walk from Fushimi Inari Station along the Keihan Main Line.

Admission : Free

  • Teramachi and Shinkyogoku Street 

After we back to the hotel for a shower, we walk to  Teramchi street for dinner and shopping. Right in the middle of downtown Kyoto, these two streets form the heart of Kyoto's main shopping district. The eastern street, known as Shinkyogoku, is filled with tacky souvenirs of almost every descriptions - need a shirt reading "Ichi-ban" (Number One)? This is the place to go.

The western street, known as Teramachi, is an altogether more refined place, with a variety of art galleries bookshops, and clothing shops. In addition, you'll find several shops selling religious goods like incense, Buddha images, prayer beads and the like. These shops are a holdover from the 16th centuries when the warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi moved many of the city's temples to Teramachi Street in an effort to control the clergy (the name of the street, Teramachi, literally means "temple town")


FOOD
  • Gion Tamejiro


We had our lunch at Gion  Tamejiro during our visit to Kiyomizudera. Fiance had ordered a set which comes with rice and ramen. I had ordered a ramen and a mixed berry drink. Overall the food is nice and comes with the right portion.

  • Ichigo Kakigori

The weather is too hot and having one kakigori per day is not enough! Thus, during our visit to Fushimi Inari, fiance bought me an Ichigo Kakigori to reduce my body heats. Seriously, I almost fainted due to the hot weather. It actually served with condensed milk but I had insisted the seller does not apply any milk on top and he keeps asking me why. Lol. 

  • カオススパイスダイナー

My apologies. I really can't find the English name of this cuisine. I only managed to found the Japanese name on the Internet. When we walk in Teramachi street, we passed by this cuisine and the curry scent is so strong here. Well, strong enough to attract us to go in. It is a Japanese curry cuisine which served Jamaican food as well.

There are only 3 main courses to order in this restaurant. All you need to do is just choose set A, B or C. Frankly, their food is freaking delicious! The curry scent is the wild factor and so yummy! This was my first time to tried the Jamaican food and surprisingly taste so good. Strongly recommended to you guys when you're visiting Kyoto.


TRAVEL VLOG
(YouTube Channel : TheShinilola)


JAPAN TRAVELOGUE

10 comments

  1. Glad you enjoyed visiting my hometown, got more places to visit can bring you next time, also less tourists.

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    Replies
    1. Sure babe, this time the schedule is quite tight.
      Will visit you next time babe :)

      Delete
  2. Omg! So many instagrammable places there! U have been there 3 times d, i did not even start mine journey yet haha

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  3. so pretty la you. I have been to Kyoto twice too. cant miss this historical place when visit South JP

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  4. My next place that I want to visit is to Kyoto! Thanks for your insightful itinerary about Kyoto! I really like your outfit you wear in Kyoto too.

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  5. Kyoto is one of my favorite city to visit. Recently I heard the locals are complaining about overtourism. I am worried that many uncultured guests would damage its serene beauty.

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  6. I shouldnt read this with my bf... hahaha.. now his turn keeo asking for kyoto trip... thanks for the guide babe!

    ReplyDelete