Planning resources and itineraries for Kyoto, Japan. Tips to save money, avoid crowds, best temples & shrines, plus tons of photos by Tom Bricker.
Kōmyō-in is a sub-temple of Tofuku-ji located near Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto, Japan. It’s a hidden gem best known for its traditional Chinese dry landscape garden. In this post, we’ll share further thoughts, tips, photos, and anecdotes from Komyoin Temple. While Komyoin ranks as #30 on our list of the Top 100 Temples & Shrines […]
Kurama-dera (鞍馬寺) is a mountain temple in Northern Kyoto that is one of the most beautiful places in Japan. In this post, I’ll share photos I took at Mount Kurama, info & tips for visiting Kurama-dera, and thoughts on my experience of hiking from the village of Kurama up the mountain and over to Kibune. […]
As we detail in our Dining Guide to Kyoto, Japan, the city is renowned for its Michelin-star restaurants and traditional Japanese cuisine. However, sometimes you just want a delicious burger. In this post, we review the best burger joint in Kyoto, and share our experience devouring their biggest burger. Some of you might be cringing […]
Kyoto, Japan is home to thousands of shrines and temples–literally. Most cost around 500 yen, but some are free to enter. In this post, we rank the best options that don’t charge an admission fee and recommend which to include in your itinerary. While spending around $3 to $5 per temple may not sound like […]
%ARABICA is the most popular coffee shop in Kyoto, which is the heart of Japan’s third wave coffee scene. Founded in Kyoto and the source of the iconic % symbol coffee cups that are now ubiquitous in Arashiyama and Higashiyama, % ARABICA is incredibly busy and beloved. This post reviews whether %ARABICA is worth your […]
Yoshida Shrine is one of several temples and other places on a hill overlooking Kyoto University. This cluster includes some of our favorite hidden gem temples in Japan: Kurodani Temple, Shinnyodo Temple, and Yoshida Shrine along with its array of sub-shrines. In this post, we’ll share further thoughts, tips, photos, and anecdotes from Yoshida Hill […]
If you have two days during cherry blossom season in Kyoto, Japan, our step-by-step itinerary walks you through the best sakura spots in Arashiyama, Higashiyama, and more. This efficient plan avoids crowds, sees the most stunning temples & shrines, and maximizes your time in the world’s most beautiful city for cherry blossoms. Our 2-day Kyoto, […]
This 1-day Kyoto cherry blossom itinerary offers a walking route for seeing as much as possible during Japan’s popular sakura season. An efficient touring plan is important for Kyoto not just because there are a lot of beautiful cherry blossoms (they’re pretty much everywhere!), but because crowds can be overwhelming. Our plan of attack helps […]
Iwatayama Monkey Park is the home of Japanese Macaque in the Arashiyama Mountains of Kyoto, Japan. This post features my photos from several visits to the park, info & tips for visiting this wild snow monkey gathering place, and a review of whether it’s worth the time and money. Monkey Park Iwatayama is located on Mount […]
This post offers a guide to sakura season in Kyoto, sharing our favorite cherry blossom spots, photogenic temples, plus tips & tricks for avoiding crowds that descend upon Japan every April. We also take a deeper dive into the topic, highlighting hidden gems for cherry blossom viewing where you’ll find fewer people and no busloads […]