Kyoto

Kyoto city

Kyoto is crazy full of must-see and must-do activities. You certainly won't be bored.

getting around:

Bus: To see Kinkakuji, Kiyomizudera and other sights not on the subway system, buy a bus day pass for ￥500, available from a ticket machine at many bus/subway interchanges. Without one each ride within the city limits costs ￥220 regardless of distance, so worth it if you are taking more than 3 buses in one day.

The bus heading from Kyoto Station to Ginkakuji and Kiyomizudera is number 100 (with green background). This is the bus schedule for the whole day. http://www.city.kyoto.jp/kotsu/busdia/hyperdia/061242.htm

The first column (blue) is work-days; the second column (green) is Saturdays; the last column (red) is Sundays and public holidays. (Actually they are all the same!)

Visit the tourist information center at Kyoto Station for a map of the bus routes in English. Buses departing from the station can get very, very crowded so arrive early. The 100 and 101 lines are hugely popular since they serve the many temples in the eastern part of the city.

The following links to the schedules of all the Kyoto buses: http://www.city.kyoto.jp/kotsu/busdia/keitou/keitou.htm

Subway: They are faster, easier, more convenient and less crowded, but some places are too far from the subway stops. The subway lines are run by two different companies so you can't always buy a through ticket. Also stations with the same name may require you to go above ground and switch lines. There are subway and combination daily passes available.

Taxis: In peak tourist times the buses will be packed! Fortunately, taxis are relatively cheap and easy to come by. If there are a few of you it might just be worth it to take a taxi. Also don't just stick to the tourist buses - the passes work on plenty of other buses too.

Driving: There are several parking lots around Kyoto Station on the Kyoto Tower side of the station. They vary in size and price, but you should have no trouble finding a spot for about 1200yen per day. The prices seem to vary between 1000-1500 per day. The prices are listed by hour, but most lots also post a max for the day.

to stay:

Matsubaya Ryokan - very friendly owner, comfortable, well-priced and good location. Listed in the Lonely Planet.

K's house - is awesome. Clean rooms, friendly staff, good location, modern building. About ￥2500 per night for a dorm bed. 5-10 min walk from Kyoto statio http://kshouse.jp

Three Sisters - is for foreigners (like us!) only. About 10,000-en per night for one person. The charming sisters are in their 70s and have been running it for foreigners since after the war. Simple but well run.

Bak Pakkers Hostel - around 3000 yen per person per night) and in the dead centre of Gion, about 5 minutes walking distance from the nearest tube station. The staff are very friendly.

Mitsui Garden Hotel - near Shijo-Karasuma, very nice and has a great communal bath.

Guesthouse Bon - a small place and a bit out of the way in the north, but great. The owner just lets out the rooms in his house. He goes out of his way to be nice to people and it's really cheap. http://www.guesthouse-bon.com/

Watazen Ryokan - really good atmosphere, communal bath, prices pretty good 4~5000 yen per person and the location is excellent - right in downtown Kyoto (Nakajo), near Shijo-dori and Karasuma-dori.

http://web.travel.rakuten.co.jp/portal/my/info_page_e.Eng?f_no=17903&f_ptn1=kaigai

http://www.watazen.com/

Tani House is like a home away from home. They have several sized rooms depending on how many people you have. Cost - around ￥5000 yen double room for tatami and futons and you can stay in a house that isn't the main place where you have access to a kitchen, shower, breakfasts, a fridge. Also, there's a nice onsen nearby that is worth a visit. Decent English is spoken http://kansaiconnect.com/members/tani/

Maruko Inn a reasonable hotel only a few minutes from the station. The rooms are nice (very clean) and really cheap (relatively... about ￥8,000). The staff are nice, but don't speak much English. You can take the bus to get there.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g298564-d457033-Reviews-Maruko_Inn_Kyoto-Kyoto_Kinki.html

Kyo No En - around ￥4000 per person for a small two person share tatami room. The owner is a nice lady who speaks English. It's not on a train line, though so you ned to take a bus. It's within walking distance of Ginkakuji. Call 07-5721-8178.

Kyoto Garden Hotel - a decent location (downtown Kyoto), nice rooms, clean, free internet in the lobby, good restaurant, and super friendly staff. The rooms are fairly basic (comparable to Toyoko Inn). The cost about ￥6,000 a night for a single and ￥7,000 a night for a double (not including breakfast). Book it through http://www.japanhotel.net for a discount. http://www.kyoto-gardenhotel.co.jp/e/index.php

Motonago - an amazing ryokan you can book through the Japanese Guest House website. It is expensive, but worth it for one night. http://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/db/kyoto/motonago.htm

Note you almost always get better rates on the Japanese rakuten site because it lists different rooms than the English site.

to see:

Temples/Shrines:

Fushimi-Inari Shrine - Beautiful shrine built around a hill just South of Kyoto. Give at least half a day as you walk up to the shrine through hundreds and hundreds of red Torii gates and fox shrines. Mosquito repellant a must.

Daitoku-ji - fabulous temples, especially Koto-in

Kiyomizu-dera - very popular (and deservedly so) temple , in the hills of eastern Kyoto. Lovely and offers fabulous views of the city.

Kinkaku-ji - the world famous golden temple (see pic above). Very beautiful but you can't go inside.

Kodai-ji - gorgeous at night.

Ginkaku-ji - the silver temple (only they never actually put the silver on it so it is just plain wood.) Not as ostentatious as Kinkakuji, which makes it more appealing to some.

Ryoan-ji - very simple temple with a beautiful Zen rock garden.

Daigo-ji - very large temple complex famous for cherry blossoms. But even without them it'll definately keep you busy for a full day. Out of the city centre.

Gardens:

Arashiyama - area in the west but still within city limits (subway/buses go there). Lots of little temples, gardens and shrines and a really nice bamboo forest to walk through. There are also a lot of Japanesey stores.

Ginkaku-ji - exceedingly pleasant to stroll through. Lots of moss.

Heian Shrine - supposedly a replica of the Heian-era Imperial Palace. The Phoenix Bridge is a very pleasant place to sit and rest your tired feet.

Other:

Gion (Kobu) Kaburenjo Theatre - see the Miyako Odori (Cherry Blossom Dance) in April. Tickets from JTB near Kyoto station including with tea cermony. You see the geisha's preparing it and you can keep the dish they serve the sweet in. The geisha and maiko occasionally have performances. It's south of Shijo, off Hanami-koji; for reservations call 541-3391 (only in Japanese).

Nijo-jo (Castle) - quite impressive. Simple, yet ostentatious. Extensive grounds.

Nijo Jinya - near Nijo-jo. Very cool 300 year old house with all kinds of trap doors and and escape routes used by the Samurai. Entrance is 1000￥ but you have to make a reservation and have a Japanese speaker with you. Get more info in the Japan Lonely Planet.

Funaoka Onsen - an evening visit to these public baths can be fun; it's only ￥350, on Kuramaguchi-dori (west of the Kuramaguchi/Horiikawa intersection).

Sagano Romantic Train (or トロッコ "torokko" train). Worth it if you have time/want to spend the money. An open air train that runs up the river through beautiful mountains. (Arashiyama) Here you can see loads of wild monkeys too. Catch it after walking through the bamboo forest at the torokko station and either take it back or take a boatride down the river (except on Wednesdays).

Fire Dancers - on weekend evenings a group of random hippies, punks, etc gather below the Sanjo Bridge. They swing fire around, juggle it, eat it. It may be just in the summer time but it's definately something to watch.

You can do tea ceremony and sake tasting through WAK Japan. Interesting, but maybe a little pricey for what you get. http://www.wakjapan.com/

shopping:

Teramachi Shopping Arcade - a double pedestrian street that runs north to south. Tons of touristy shops, but some are quite high quality. There's also a bunch of fun, random stores, including one that specializes in antique ukiyo-e prints (they make a nice gift!).

Gion - not just the long line of shops framing Shijo running west from Yasaka-jinja, but also the backstreets between Yasaka-jinja and Kiyomizu-dera.

eating and drinking:

Gion Corners - great if you don't have much time because they present 6 or 7 different type of cultural things with an English summary. It's expensive but the experience outweighs the cost. Make a reservation at your hostel/hotel or at the tourist info in the station.

Takeuma - a tiny little restaurant in Gion, just a couple of blocks away from Gion Corners. What it lacks in atmosphere it makes up for in the over-the-top deliciousness of it's kyo-ryori dishes prepared right in front of you at the bar. The owner apprenticed at Kitcho, a famous (and fabulously expensive) restaurant elsewhere in Kyoto, and he'll devise a menu for you as long as you make your reservations a day in advance (in Japanese). The dinners range from ￥12,000, extra if you want sake - but it's worth it.

Phone 525-1156. Hrs: 17:00-22:00; closed on Mondays

Hiranoya - a beautiful thatched-roof teahouse restaurant with terrific food called, located along a narrow river gorge on the road to Kiyotaki (north of Arashiyama). They serve ayu in the summer (￥15,000) and yudofu in the fall (￥4500). Be lulled into a lazy lunchtime stupor by the sounds of the stream gurgling just outside my paper-screen window.

Phone: 861-0359. Hrs: 11:30-21:00 daily.

Sarara - has fabulous sushi and sashimi. Their website has a map of how to get there. http://www.wa-sarara.jp/english_detail.htm

Pontocho Dori - across the river from Gion. Really sweet little side street with some great Asian fusion restaurants and pretty cool ambiance. A great place to stroll, pretty affordable and many restaurants have a nice view of the river and Gion (though they are much more exclusive). Kanji recognition is helpful as menus rarely have much English, hiragana/katakana or pictures.

Katsukura - reportedly the best tonkatsu ever. There are two locations; one on the top floor of the Isetan Department Store in Kyoto Station, the other (hard to find) in the shopping arcade by Sanjo.

Musashi Sushi - conveyor belt sushi. Again, two locations: one in the basement of Kyoto Station, one on the street just outside the mouth of the shopping arcade at Sanjo. Order the aburi unagi for something special.

Sujata - Indian food, and you get to watch them cook it, too!

Morita-ya - they have a sukiyaki or shabu-shabu course. The restaurant is right on the river so if you ask for a river view it can be fun. The food was good and you can get a private tatami room overlooking the river.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/asia/japan/kyoto?poi=143413

http://www.moritaya-net.com/

Activities:

Seeing Geisha/Meiko:

Peter Mc Intosh leads a walking tour of the Gion geisha district. He's a Canadian who's been in Kyoto 12 years, is married to an ex-geisha, and is a cultural liason/photographer of geisha. It's not guaranteed that you'll see a maiko in full dress, but he knows all the places to look. Cost is around ￥3,000 per person.

However, some people have had bad experiences. The rule is that you get no confirmation of the tour until the day before when you have to call his cell phone to confirm that he's actually going to show up and take you around. Some people have reported being unable to get in touch with him despite leaving several messages.

http://www.kyotosightsandnights.com

Also walking around Ponto Cho you're sure to catch some in full gear at work. Or go to the 2nd floor of the train station where at the tourist office you can book tours with volunteer university students. All you have to pay is their transportation and lunch or whatever.

Another option is The Johnny Hillwalker tour. It's 5 hours long for 2000 yen and very information packed. Everything is as advertised, including a stop for sushi and tea. Very professional. It can get quite crowded as it's on a drop in basis, but even with 60 or so people in a group, he handles crowd control and lecturing very well so that everyone benefits from the tour. Info is here: http://web.kyoto-inet.or.jp/people/h-s-love/

Meiko/Geisha makeover:

There are many companies in Kyoto where you can be dressed up as a Maiko. It takes 3-4 hours and you get to walk around outside after you`re all done up too and

everyone admires you. "It`s like being famous and really fun!"

Two examples are -

Yumemiruyume (ゆめみる夢) - very close to Kiyomizu temple. http://www.yumemiruyume.com - It`s all in Japanese, but プラン (plan) shows the different options they have. The main difference is the walking time and how many photos you get. With ゆめみるプラン you can walk around for 50 minutes instead of only ten as in the basic plan. The price for this was 13,650yen. I also got the CD with all the photos they took. You may be able to walk to the temple but the shoes are harder to walk in than they look! Get the longer walking plan if you want to take photos at the temple. The couple plan (カップルプラン) is 18,900yen for two.

Yumekoubou - http://www.yumekoubou.info/english/top.html - 4 locations to choose from (Kyoto station, Gion, Arashiyama, and Kiyomizudera) and look a little more professional. They have a Mother-Daughter plan for 18,900yen and the Maiko makeover starts at 13,125yen for photos and a walk.

Here's a list of places, some of which may be Japanese only websites:

http://www.maikotaiken-katufumi.com/

http://www.kimonosite.com/kayoo/

http://business2.plala.or.jp/okamura/

http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~aac37880/

http://www.jin.ne.jp/geisha/

http://www.sadachiyo.co.jp/

http://www.chikkian.com/

http://www1.ocn.ne.jp/~tsujii/

http://www.eigamura30.com/

http://www.nishijin.or.jp/

http://www.yumekoubou.info/

http://www.yumemiruyume.com/

http://www.kyonomai.com/

http://www.maiko-henshin.com

http://www.hensin-maiko.gr.jp/

There's a few mentioned on the Immortal Geisha website as well.

http://www.immortalgeisha.com/links_01.php

The Tourist Information Centre on the 9th floor of the mall in Kyoto station will give you a list of places that do Maiko Henshin - it has languages spoken, packages, price estimates, if you can walk outside or not, etc.

New Year:

Is amazing. There's a bunch of temples linked together by paths over on the north-eastern side of the city - Chion-in is one of them. The paths are full of festival tents and stands, and at midnight they ring the giant bell at Chion-in. The ring is so low that you can barely hear it but feel it reverberate in your chest. This larger-than life bell (74 tons) is the largest in Japan. It's rung 108 times by 17 monks at the New Year ceremony. This represents the 108 desires which Buddhists beleive can distract us from the path to enlightenment, so to watch it being rung means your New Year is sure to get off to a good, fresh start! You have to wait in line to watch it so be sure to turn up early (before 11.30pm); they ring it at intervals over the next hour. Everyone shuffles along slowly, guided by the marshalls, and you don't get to see the ringing for the full duration (you don't have to see it to hear and feel moved by the slow, low-pitched melancholic tolling.) There's a hushed excitement and a magical atmosphere. That together with the cold night air and the fairytale views of the city lights below and the stars above... the stuff goosebumps are made of! The few foreigners are made to feel very welcome. Once the ringing is over, crowds disperse into the neighbouring street markets and nearby nightlife district.

Other good options are:

Fushimi-Inari Shrine and Yasaka Shrine which is in the same area as Chion-in. People flood the street leading up to Yasaka shrine before entering to do their prayers and such after midnight. Be warned that if you want to get into the grounds, you should either get to the front of the line early or cheat and go in from one of the back entrances.

Although some attractions are closed at New Year, so much is open that there is more than enough to do for about 3 days. Nijo castle is closed for a couple of days but all the major temples and shrines are open. You can check what's open & closed over New Year here: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2276.html

The public transport over that period is really not such a big deal. Even if trains are full, you seldom have to wait for ages before you can get a seat.

TOP TIPS

• The 2nd floor tourist info at the train station is okay, but on the ninth floor you will find a new Kyoto prefectural tourist info with English speaking staff, a schedule on a bulletin board in English about what's going on in the city, internet access, etc. It's worth checking out, especially to learn about special events. (It's actually in the Isetan Department Store in case you're having trouble finding it)
• If you're looking for stuff to do, try to get your hands on the free Kyoto Guide. They should have them on the 9th floor Tourist Info place. Or you can print out the complete calendar from their website http://www.kyotoguide.com. They outline a monthly walk as well; if you can get the print version they have very handy maps.