Introduction to Kyoto Prefecture
Kyoto is a prefecture steeped in Japanese history and culture, and is one of the most attractive tourist destinations in the country.
It is especially popular among travelers from Korea, China, Asia, and Western countries. The reason for this is that there are temples and elegant spots everywhere where one can experience the good old Japanese culture firsthand, making it an indispensable place to learn about Japan. Another reason is that it is easily accessible from major airports such as Kansai International Airport and Narita International Airport, which are the gateways to Japan. It is a popular tourist destination that Japanese people visit at least once.
Now, let’s get started planning your trip to Kyoto!
Geographic location
Kyoto Prefecture is located in the central Kinki region of Japan, roughly in the center of Honshu. It borders Shiga Prefecture to the east, Osaka Prefecture to the west, Fukui Prefecture to the north, and Nara Prefecture to the south.
History & culture
Kyoto Prefecture is an ancient capital of Japan with a history of over 1,000 years. Its history and culture include
- Cultural Assets of Ancient Kyoto: There are many temples and shrines registered as UNESCO World Heritage sites, including Kiyomizu Temple, Kinkaku Temple, and Ginkaku Temple.
- Traditional Crafts: Traditional crafts unique to Kyoto, such as Kyo-yuzen, Kiyomizu-yaki, and Kyo-koma, are flourishing.
- Japanese Cuisine: Kyo ryori is known as the pinnacle of Japanese cuisine, with its delicate appearance and refined taste.
- Tea Ceremony: The tea ceremony is a traditional culture that originated in Kyoto.
Tourist attraction
Kyoto is a beautiful place to experience Japanese history and culture, with numerous tourist attractions. The following is a partial list.
Kinkakuji Temple
This beautiful temple is covered in gold leaf and its official name is Rokuonji. With the lake in the background, Kinkakuji Temple offers beautiful scenery and is well worth a visit. Covered in gold leaf, Kinkakuji is one of Japan’s most iconic landmarks.
Ginkakuji Temple
Ginkakuji Temple, officially called Higashiyama Jishoji Temple, is a mountain villa built by Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa during the Muromachi period (1336-1573).
Please visit both Ginkakuji and Kinkakuji to see the difference with your eyes.
Fushimi Inari-taisha shrine
The shrine is famous for its 1,000 torii gates, which cover the approach to the shrine and create a unique atmosphere. Visitors can enjoy a typical Japanese landscape, and the view from the top of the mountain is spectacular. With its unique atmosphere, Fushimi Inari Taisha is popular among tourists.
Gion Town
The Gion district of Hanamachi is the center of traditional culture and entertainment. Geigi and maiko (apprentice geisha) walk the streets, and traditional buildings and ryotei (traditional Japanese restaurants) line the streets. At night, visitors can experience traditional Japanese culture in the teahouses and ryotei restaurants.
Nijo Castle
Nijo Castle was built to resemble the Imperial Palace of Heian-kyo, and is famous for its beautiful gardens. Nijo Castle’s garden is especially beautiful during the cherry blossom season, and visitors can feel the arrival of spring.
Nijo Castle World Heritage Site, Former Detached Palace Nijo Castle
Kiyomizu Temple
Kiyomizu Temple offers a breathtaking view from the stage of Kiyomizu. Especially if you visit during the cherry blossom season or the season of autumn leaves, you will be able to enjoy the magnificent view. Kiyomizu-dera’s magnificent gate and many shrines are also highlights of the temple.
Arashiyama
This beautiful area stretches over the valley of the Katsura River and is home to the Sagano Trolley Train and the Togetsu Bridge. The scenery is especially stunning when visiting during the season of autumn leaves.
Food culture
Kyoto is a place where one can enjoy traditional Japanese food culture, some of which are listed below.
Kyo-kaiseki
Kyoto is famous as the birthplace of kaiseki cuisine. Kyo-kaiseki is a traditional Japanese course meal, using fresh ingredients that change with the seasons. The dishes are served artistically, not only in terms of taste, but also in terms of appearance. Kyo-kaiseki, a fusion of seasonal beauty and deliciousness, is one of the pleasures of sightseeing in Kyoto.
Matcha
Kyoto is famous for its matcha (powdered green tea), and matcha can be enjoyed in many forms in Kyoto. Visitors can enjoy matcha sweets and matcha lattes at tea shops. Tea ceremony experiences are also available, providing an opportunity to learn how to prepare matcha tea and learn about Japanese culture.
Hamo dishes
This dish uses hamo (Like to Japanese conger eel), which is in season in summer. Hamo is a fish with many small bones, but it is made easy to eat by cutting the hamo into small pieces by inserting a knife 25 times within a space of only 3 cm. Because it requires a highly skilled chef, hamo is one of the rarest of gourmet foods and is not available everywhere.
Yudofu
Yudofu is a popular dish in Kyoto, where tofu is heated in a light broth. Characterized by its gentle flavor and simple preparation, it is especially popular during the cold season. It can be enjoyed at traditional yudofu restaurants.
Kyoto vegetables
Kyoto is famous for its fresh and delicious vegetables. Kyoto cuisine uses locally grown kyoyasai (Kyoto vegetables) and offers a variety of dishes that change with the seasons. Although they can be purchased in Japanese supermarkets, today vegetables are considered a luxury item compared to regular vegetables.
Obanzai
Obanzai is a traditional Kyoto home-style dish that enjoys a homely flavor. Obanzai restaurants serve dishes made with local ingredients, allowing diners to enjoy local flavors.
Yatsuhashi
It is one of Kyoto’s most popular souvenirs. It is a Japanese confectionery made of rice flour, sugar, and nikki (a Japanese spice similar to cinnamon), wrapped with red bean paste and green tea. The sweet and sticky texture makes it a relatively easy dessert to enjoy, even for first-timers.
Activities
Kyoto offers a wide variety of activities, all of which offer a uniquely Japanese experience.
Kimono Rental
To further enjoy Kyoto’s traditional culture and scenery, rent a kimono and explore the city. Numerous kimono rental stores offer a variety of kimono designs and colors to choose from. Visiting gorgeous temples and shrines and taking pictures in kimono is also an enjoyable experience.
Tea ceremony experience
Kyoto is the birthplace of the tea ceremony (chanoyu), and you can experience making powdered green tea while learning the tea ceremony. You will receive instruction from a tea ceremony master while experiencing the basics of the tea ceremony and Japanese culture. As part of the tea ceremony training, you will learn how to make and serve sencha green tea and enjoy the world of Japanese culture.
Cherry blossom and autumn leaf viewing
Kyoto is a place where one can enjoy beautiful scenery in each of the four seasons, especially during the cherry blossom season and the season of autumn leaves. In spring, parks and temples are dotted with cherry blossom viewing spots where visitors can enjoy rows of cherry blossom trees. In the fall, you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of the autumn leaves around Arashiyama and Kuramadera Temple.
Normally, it is enjoyed on foot, but we think it is interesting to view it from a boat, so we have included a link to a boat rental store in Arashiyama.
Working store
In Kyoto, you can also enjoy working stores making traditional crafts. Whether it is pottery, bamboo craft, or dyeing, you can learn the techniques from Kyoto artisans and create your own work of art. By taking home the crafts you make, you will have a token of your experience with Kyoto’s culture.
Bamboo Forest
Located in the Sagano area of Kyoto, Bamboo Forest offers an excellent opportunity to stroll through a bamboo grove. Walking through the bamboo grove, you can enjoy the scenery and the beauty of nature. The atmosphere that prevails in the quiet bamboo grove is a unique Kyoto experience.
Walking tour of Gion
The Gion area of Kyoto is a blend of Japanese tradition and elegance, with beautiful sidewalks and streets. While strolling in the Gion area, you may see traditional wooden townhouses and geisha maiko. At night, you can also enjoy traditional ryotei restaurants and gei-maiko performances.
Temple tour
Kyoto has many temples with beautiful gardens. A temple tour is the best way to experience Japaneseness. The following are some of the most popular temples.
- Fushimi Inari-taisha shrine
- Kiyomizu Temple
- Nijo Castle
- Toji Temple
- Kinkakuji Temple
- Kitano Tenmangu Shrine
- Tofukuji Temple
- Heian Shrine
- Nanzenji Temple
- Tenryuji Temple
Seasonal Recommendations
Kyoto is a place where one can enjoy the beautiful scenery of the four seasons.
Spring
- Cherry blossoms: There are many famous cherry blossom viewing spots in Kyoto City. Cherry blossoms at Kiyomizu-dera Temple and Arashiyama are especially beautiful. Buy some refreshments and enjoy a picnic while watching the cherry blossoms. Be sure to dispose of your garbage in the designated garbage cans.
Summer
- Kawadoko: Enjoy a cool meal on a kawadoko (riverbed) along the Kamo River.
- Gion Festival: One of the three major festivals in Japan, the Gion Festival has a history of more than 1,000 years and is held from July 1 to 31. The festival is especially popular on July 17 and 24 because of the powerful parade that attracts many tourists.
Autumn
Autumn Foliage: There are many places in Kyoto City famous for their autumn foliage. Kiyomizu-dera Temple and Arashiyama are especially beautiful in autumn. Kyoto in autumn is considered to be the most scenic and the time to experience Japaneseness.
Winter
Tourist attractions: Since there are not many tourists during the cold season, winter is recommended if you want to avoid the crowds and visit tourist attractions. Also, the streets of Kyoto with snow on the ground are very picturesque and highly recommended. Since snow falls only a few times a year, it is a rare experience.
Local Culture
Local culture in Kyoto is very rich, with many traditional arts and festivals.
Festival
There are four representative festivals in Kyoto.
Aoi Matsuri (May): Aoi Matsuri (hollyhock festival) is an elegant procession that decorates the refreshing early summer in Kyoto, and on May 15, visitors can watch a procession that seems to recreate the time of Japan 1500 years ago.
Gion Festival (July): One of the three major festivals in Japan, the Gion Festival has a history of more than 1,000 years. July 17 and 24 are especially popular with tourists because of the powerful parades.
Kyoto Godaisan Okuribi (August): You can watch a ceremony to send off the spirits of ancestors by lighting fires on the surface of mountains to make letters. This is a famous summer event.
Jidai Matsuri (October): This event allows visitors to appreciate Kyoto’s 1,000-year history as if it were a play.
Traditional crafts
- Kyo Yuzen: A dyeing technique characterized by vivid colors and delicate patterns.
- Kiyomizuyaki: Pottery made in the Kiyomizu Temple area.
Transportation
Access to Kyoto is very convenient, and below are the main modes of transportation and their details:
Shinkansen
The fastest way to get to Kyoto from Tokyo is to take the Shinkansen bullet train (Nozomi or Hikari). The journey from Tokyo takes about 2.5 to 3 hours, and after arriving at Shin-Osaka Station, you can access Kyoto Station via the JR limited express train.
Railway
The JR conventional train is another way to access Kyoto. From Shin-Osaka Station, it takes about 15 minutes to reach Kyoto Station by limited express train. JR lines are also available from Osaka and Kobe, with convenient access by limited express and rapid trains.
Other public transportation systems in Kyoto City include the Karasuma and Tozai subway lines.
Airplane
The nearest airports to Kyoto are Osaka International Airport (Itami Airport) and Kansai International Airport. From Itami Airport, Kyoto can be reached by bus or train, which takes about 1 hour. From Kansai International Airport, you can reach Kyoto in about 2 hours by limited express Harmony or bus.
Express Bus
Highway buses provide access to Kyoto from many cities. Bus terminals are located around Kyoto Station, and highway buses run from Tokyo, Osaka, and other cities.
Automobile
Access by private car is possible, but beware of traffic congestion. There are many paid parking lots in Kyoto City, and parking lots are scattered around tourist attractions.
Bicycle
Kyoto is an excellent city for sightseeing by bicycle, and many tourist attractions and cityscapes can be explored by bicycle. Bicycle rentals are available throughout the city.
Lastly
Kyoto is a place where you can experience Japanese history and culture, as well as enjoy beautiful nature and delicious food. Please visit Kyoto and enjoy the charm of Japan.