Planning resources and itineraries for Kyoto, Japan. Tips to save money, avoid crowds, best temples & shrines, plus tons of photos by Tom Bricker.
Welcome to the second installment of our ongoing series highlighting the best restaurants in Kyoto. In these posts, we share our favorite dining options from around the city that offer good food at great prices. While we’re big fans of ramen and udon, we also highlight other cuisine like tempura, steak, Matcha, etc. If you missed […]
Today we wandered around Kyoto enjoying the cherry blossoms that are reaching full bloom. Realizing most people aren’t planning a trip to Japan during sakura season, adding even more to our already multi-thousand word Kyoto Cherry Blossom Viewing Guide & Sakura Season Tips post might be excessive. Instead, I thought a photo update might be […]
This post offers a step-by-step itinerary for Central Kyoto, with advice on transportation between temples, museums, and other points of interest recommended in this Japan touring plan. If you’re visiting for 3 or more days, you should dedicate the third day of your itinerary to Downtown and Central Kyoto. In a way, you can think […]
Otagi Nenbutsu-ji is a temple in Arashiyama with a collection of 1,200 Rakan Buddhist statues. It’s one of Kyoto, Japan’s most unique and, frankly, bizarre temples. In this post, we cover whether this off-the-beaten path temple is worth your time, details about its fascinating history, and also offer some tips for visiting. Honestly, I’m still […]
Daikaku-ji (大覚寺) is a partially-free temple complex near Kyoto, Japan’s Sagano and Arashiyama districts. In this post, we’ll share photos of the temple, thoughts on our visit, tips & info for visiting, and whether it makes sense to simply experience the free areas or splurge to enter the paid buildings. In terms of those buildings and […]
Our 1-day Western Kyoto Itinerary features a range of temples, gardens, and other stops in Arashiyama and Sagano, along with one of the best places to see monkeys in Japan (because we’ve got our priorities straight). In this touring plan, we’ll provide strategy for efficiently seeing everything from UNESCO World Heritage Sites to under-the-radar gems, […]
Okochi Sanso Villa (大河内山荘) is a garden and the former residence of Denjirō Ōkōchi, a famous Japanese actor, located in Kyoto, Japan. In this post, we’ll share photos from Okochi Sanso Villa & Gardens, plus thoughts from our visit, and whether it’s worth the money. For many visitors to Japan, a stop at one of […]
Silver Pavilion (Ginkaku-ji Temple) is one of Kyoto, Japan’s most popular zen temples and gardens located at the edge of the Higashiyama mountains. In this post, we’ll offer tips for visiting Ginkakuji Temple, photos of the silver pavilion and its beautiful gardens, and whether it’s worth your time to make the trek out to the […]
Kennin-ji (建仁寺) is the oldest Zen temple Kyoto. Located in Gion, which is renowned as Japan’s most famous geisha district. In this post, I’ll share photos I took at Kennin-ji Temple, its history, info & tips for visiting, thoughts on our experience, and whether Kennin-ji is worth your time. Despite Kennin-ji’s claim to fame as […]
Higashiyama District is a historic neighborhood in Kyoto, Japan nestled between Kiyomizudera and Maruyama Park. The area features restored traditional townhomes (machiya) with a variety of shops, restaurants, cafes, in a picturesque setting evoking the look of “Old Kyoto.” In this post, we’ll share photos of the Higashiyama District and offer tips for what to […]