Goodwill Guide on Kyoto Handicraft and Historical Sites
Here are some model tour courses, which might help you in making your plan in Kyoto.
Please feel free to modify the courses by adding or deleting some spots.
Model course-1
◎ Highlights of Kyoto in a Day (Total 7 hours by trains and buses)
This course covers three major spots of Kyoto in a day with a moderate tempo.
Fushimi-inari Shrine
Well-known Shinto Shrine with the tremendous number of vermilion colored torii gates leading up to the top of the mountain. However, we’ll walk through only an easy part of them.
Open daily. Admission free.
Kiyomizu-dera Temple and the neighboring Higashiyama area
This Buddhist temple at the halfway up a mountain greatly attracts many visitors with the 1,200 year old history and a magnificent view of Kyoto city.
In the neighboring Higashiyama area, the old buildings and winding roads paved with flagstones make for an excellent stroll to enjoy the atmosphere of the old capital.
Open daily 06:00-18:00(ordinary). Admission 400yen
Kinkaku-ji Temple (Golden Pavilion)
Perhaps, the most well known Zen temple in Japan. The gold-foiled pavilion with a beautifully laid out garden, was originally a villa of Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu (1358-1408), but on his death it was converted into a temple.
Open daily 09:00-17:00. Admission 500yen
◎ Gardens in a Day (Total 7 hours by buses and a rather long walking)
This course takes you some beautiful Japanese style gardens nestling along the foot of the northern Higashiyama mountains.
Ginkaku-ji Temple (Silver Pavilion)
This was originally built by Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa (1436-1490) who retired Shogun at the age of 37, pursued his deep interest in the arts for the rest of his days. The garden remains as a splendid early example of strolling along the pond type gardens.
Open daily 8:30-17:00 (9:00-16:30 for winter). Admission 500yen
Honen-in Temple
Welcomed by the thatched temple gate, we can enter the temple’s front garden through two sand mounds with seasonal figures raked on the top. Tranquil and peaceful. Occasional clacking sounds made by bamboo could intensify the quietness around.
Open daily 7:00-16:00. Admission free
Nanzen-ji Temple
Large wooden structures are dotted in the large temple precinct veiled with cherry and maple trees. The gardens around the man hall are typical dry landscapes composed of white sand and rocks. The temple also owns many wonderful Kano-school paintings.
Open daily 8:40-17:00 (-16:30 in winter) except Dec.28-31.
Admission to the main hall : 600 yen
Heian Shrine
The extensive and beautifully landscaped garden is behind the shrine’s main building. One of Japan’s great gardeners, Ogawa Jihei (1860-1933) designed it in the stroll-through style popular in ancient Heian times (9th to12th centuries) in order to keep with shrine’s architectural style. Freshwater from Lake Biwa makes the garden splendid in all seasons.
Open daily 8:30-17:30 (-16:30 in winter, -17:00 in spring and fall, Oct.22 09:30-11:30). Admission 600yen
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Model course-3
◎ Gardens in a half-day (Total 3 hours by buses)
These gardens are attached to the noted temples at the foot of northwestern mountains. To include Kinkaku-ji Temple is feasible with one more hour.
Ryoan-ji Temple
The famous Zen rock garden is in front of the main hall of the temple. A scattering of rocks nestled in beds of moss appears on a flat surface of white raked gravel enclosed by a rustic earthen wall. In contract, the outer grounds are full of greenery. The path runs by a large pond is peaceful with seasonal flowers.
Open daily 8:00-17:00 (8:30-16:30 in winter). Admission 600yen
Ninna-ji Temple
Since originally built in 888 until the Meiji Restoration (1868), the resident priest of this temple has been either retired emperors or the imperial family members. The current landscape garden behind the restored palace is for viewing from within a building laid out in the 17th century.
Open daily 9:00-17:00 (-16:30 in winter). Admission to the palace: 800yen
◎ Emperor and Shogun (Total 4 hours by buses)
Emperors and Shoguns are two pillars of the Japanese history.
Kyoto Imperial Palace
A large expanse of gravel surrounds the outer wall of the Kyoto Imperial Palace. Inside the wall, it preserves the look and ambiance of the Palace it has been in the time of Japan’s old dynasties.
Open daily 09:00-17:00 (-16:30 in Sep. & Mar., -16:00 in winter) except Mondays and Dec.28-Jan.4. Admission free, no reservation required.
Nijo Castle
Built in 1603 by Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616) for his residence in Kyoto. Original building Ninomaru Palace and the magnificent garden could convince us the strong power of the Shogun.
Open daily 8:45-17:00 except Tuesdays in Jul. Aug. Dec. & Jan. and Dec.26- Jan.4. Admission to the Palace and the garden: 1,300yen
Model course-4
◎ Buddhism and Art (Total 4hours by buses and walking)
Images of Buddhist deities are the objects of prayer as well as the works of art.
Sanjusangen-do Temple
Originally built in 1164, the current building restored in 1266 after a fire is the 120m long wooden building. Inside, the splendor of this temple lies in the beauty of the group of one thousand standing images of Thousand-Armed Kannon. In front of the Kannon, the vivid dynamic figures of the twenty-eight guardian deities stand showing the surpassing technique of the sculptors in the 13th century.
Open daily 8:00-17:00 (9:00-16:00 in winter). Admission 600yen
Kyoto National Museum
The museum mainly focuses on pre-modern Japanese works and Asian arts. The museum houses over 12,000 works altogether, of which 6,000 are on display at the museum. Fine arts (sculptures, paintings and calligraphy), Handicrafts (pottery, fabrics, lacquer wares and metal works) and Archaeology (the objects of archaeology and historical interest) are three major groupings.
Open daily 9:30-17:00 (-20:00 on Fri. & Sat.) except Mondays, Dec.25-Jan.1.
Admission 700yen (During special exhibitions are held, the admission for the special exhibition applies)
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◎ Scenic Arashiyama (Total 6 hours by trains or buses and walking)
Nestled at the foot of the far western mountains of Kyoto, along with the tree-covered gorge of the Hozu River, Arashiyama offers some of the city’s finest scenery. It takes 25 minutes to get there by JR train from Kyoto station.
Tenryu-ji Temple
One of the head temples of Zen Buddhism originally built in 1339. Despite of many fires since then, rigorous training continues here to this day. The garden behind the main hall incorporates mountains at the backdrop into the scenery to enhance the beauty of the pond and features a bold style.
Open daily 8:30-17:30 (-17:00 in winter). Admission to the garden: 500yen
Bamboo Forest
It’s about 200m long path, stretching from the Nonomiya Shrine to the Okochi villa. The play of light and shadow, fresh air, nice smell of bamboo, sounds of branches and leaves rubbing each other, a gentle breeze, these make the forest very special.
Open any time. Admission free
Kameyama Park Observatory
The observatory offers a breath-taking view of the Hozu River gorge 40m underneath. At the middle of the opposite side mountain, a small Buddhist temple is in sight with five colored curtain. A Japanese inn able to be reached by a boat nestles at the riverside. Occasional passing of the riverboats and Sagano Sightseeing Trams also could be seen.
Open anytime. Admission free
Togetsu-kyo Bridge
The old wooden bridge spanning over the Katsura River is one of principal sights of Arashiyama. The bridge, with the mountains in the background, is represented in many a scroll and screen painting. Nearby the north foot of the bridge, many restaurants, souvenir or curio shops are flocking to make this area the most lively spot in Arashiyama.
Open anytime. Admission free
◎ Sake Brewery and Water (Total 4 hours by trains and walking)
At the southern part of Kyoto city, Fushimi, rejoices in plenty of fresh underground water. Taking an advantage of it, the area has been flourished as the home of sake breweries. To include Fushimi-inari Shrine is feasible with two more hours.
Gokonomiya Shrine
Fresh water spring is gushing in this shrine. The water has been so fragrant that the Seiwa Emperor (794-1192) admired it and conferred the name meaning good aroma on the shine. The prayer hall with elaborate carvings and brightly colored main hall are reminiscent of splendid style of the early 17th century.
Open daily 9:00-16:00. Admission free
Sake Brewery---Gekkeikan-Okura-Kinenkan
More than 400 tools for sake making in old days are preserved and exhibited here. After learning the process of sake making, sake tasting awaits you.
Open daily 9:30-16:30 except Aug.13-16, Sep.9 and the New-year holidays.
Admission 600yen including a souvenir.
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Model course-8
◎ Strolling the Down Town (Total 4 hours by intermittent walking)
Setting aside the Kyoto’s main shopping street Shijo-dori, Kyoto provides various shopping opportunities to suit for anybody.
Teramachi -dori
From the crossing of Teramachi-dori and Marutamachi-dori toward the south, the street is dotted with some old established shops specializing in goods like green tea, washi, stationeries, lacquer wares, antiques and so on.
Open daily, shops vary in hours but mostly 10:00-20:00.
Sinkyogoku Shopping Arcade
Starting from Sanjo-dori up to Shijo-dori, 500m long roofed pedestrian shopping arcade is packed with souvenirs, curios, and apparel shops, dotted with Buddhist temples and shrine.
Open daily, shops vary in hours but mostly 10:00-20:00.
Nishiki Market
Known as “Kyoto’s Kitchen,” the lively retail market is a great place to explore the variety of culinary delights that Kyoto is famous for. The narrow five-block long shopping street is always crowded with locals and tourists.
Open daily, shops vary in hours but mostly 10:00-18:00.
Gion
The district where Geiko (alias Geisha) and Maiko (apprentice Geiko) culture flourishes is called the Kagai. Out of five existing Kagai in Kyoto, Gion is the largest. The Gion area is filled with teahouses and long-established restaurants built in the machiya style. At certain times of the day, Geiko and Maiko can be seen heading to their engagements.
Open daily, shops vary in hours but mostly 10:00-20:00, restaurants much later.
