Planning resources and itineraries for Kyoto, Japan. Tips to save money, avoid crowds, best temples & shrines, plus tons of photos by Tom Bricker.
Our 2019-2020 Kyoto, Japan guide offers planning tips & tricks, hotel recommendations, best temples & shrines, transportation hacks, where to eat, crowd info, and more. Before we get to the basics, we’ll share updates and why we love Kyoto so much. (Updated November 6, 2019.) If you’re already in Kyoto and are scrambling to figure out […]
Our 2019 fall colors forecast for Japan offers peak viewing info & tips for popular autumn foliage spots, including Kyoto, Tokyo, Mount Fuji, Miyajima, Hiroshima, Himeji, and Nara. We’ll also share strategy for visiting the best temples, shrines, and evening illuminations. (Updated November 6, 2019.) Autumn is one of the most stunning times of the […]
Gion is Kyoto, Japan’s famous geisha district, located between Yasaka Shrine and the Kamo River. This guide offers info & tips for visiting, dining & dessert recommendations, including Gion in a Higashiyama itinerary, and how to spot geisha. (Updated November 7, 2019.) Although Gion is a fairly small district, it packs a powerful punch. The […]
Want to escape the crowds of central Kyoto? This 1-day Kurama, Kibune, and Northern Kyoto itinerary is a great option for weekends, peak season, fall colors season, hot summer days, during festivals or special events…or really any random day. It includes some of our absolute favorite temples & shrines in Japan, including a couple you’re […]
Our 1-day itinerary for Uji & Kyoto is an efficient step-by-step plan of attack for visiting this region of Japan, including green tea spots, four different UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and a variety of temples & shrines. It’s a jam-packed day that takes you to several excellent spots on the southeastern outskirts of Kyoto. While […]
Nishiki Market is known as Kyoto’s Kitchen or Japan’s Pantry, and is an incredibly popular food spot both with tourists and locals. We have a love-hate relationship with this dining hotspot and bona-fide attraction, and will cover the pros & cons, avoiding the crowds, and more in this guide to Nishiki Market. For starters, Nishiki […]
Daigoji Temple (醍醐寺) is one of Japan’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and is a complex sprawling an entire mountain southeast of Kyoto. In this review, we’ll share info and our thoughts on visiting, including whether it’s worth the time and money. The question of time and money when it comes to Daigoji Temple is an […]
If you’re visiting Japan for the first time and only have one week to experience the highlights, this day-by-day itinerary is for you. It focuses on Tokyo, Kyoto, and a couple of diversions rather than taking you on a whirlwind and superficial tour of the entire country. For starters, we’d implore you to visit for […]
Our first-timer’s guide to Kyoto covers what you need to know to plan the perfect trip to Japan’s cultural capital, and second most popular destination in the country after Tokyo. Avoid common mistakes and learn everything for the ideal vacation with our top 10 tips & tricks for your first visit to Kyoto, Japan. (Last […]
We pick up from Part 1 of our What’s New in Kyoto, Japan post with more on temple construction, soda updates (including new Coke and Pepsi flavors), cool summer fun in northern Kyoto, and more. We’ll also share some ‘just for fun’ photos from this visit to Kyoto. But first, we encountered a family of […]