I’m Dan and this is Kyoto.
I'm going to let you in on a secret… Kyoto is my favourite place in Japan.
Its 17 UNESCO world heritage sites, made up of temples, shrines and gardens are everything
I wanted to Japan to be. Traditional... beautiful... peaceful.
But what gives Kyoto its understated edge is the blend of old and new. Sitting alongside
the ryokan, pagodas and kagai flower streets is a modern city that may not have the buzz
and general craziness of neon neighbour Tokyo, but I think it’s the perfect introduction
for your first time in Japan.
As you can see, Kyoto is a pretty awesome place, and for me it’s probably one of the
most unique destinations I’ve ever been to. So, let’s take a look at how I got here.
Flights from the UK will arrive at Osaka Kansai International airport 60 miles south of Kyoto.
From here you can take one of Japan’s super-efficient trains into the city or hop on the Airport
Limousine bus.
The JR Haruka Express takes 75 minutes to Kyoto Station, stopping at Shin-Osaka along
the way. My one-way ticket cost 1,880¥.
The Limousine Bus departs from the first floor of both terminals and takes 90 minutes to
reach Kyoto Station, after which it makes several further stops across town. If one
of these stops is near your hotel, the bus may end up being quicker than the train, so
check their online timetable before making your journey.
If you hold a British passport you will not need a visa to enter Japan and can stay for
up to 90 days as a tourist. You’ll need to fill out a landing card when you arrive
and may need proof that your departure flight is booked.
When it comes to discovering new cities, I am a massive advocate of getting the bus.
Why? Because it’s a great way to do some cheap sightseeing, and in Kyoto it’s also
a particularly good option and here’s why.
Somewhat surprisingly for Japan, Kyoto does not have an extensive subway network. Yes,
there is a metro, but we found that when visiting Kyoto’s tourist sites it generally worked
out quicker to get the bus. And like I said, you get to really see the city.
When boarding, get on at the back and off at the front. Kyoto buses have a single flat
fare of 230¥ that you must pay as you get off. The driver will not have change, so make
sure you have the exact money when buying a single. However, I recommend doing what
I did and picking up a 24-hour pass for 500¥.
I picked mine up from one of those vending machines right there, which are outside Kyoto
train station, which is super nifty because as you can see, the buses are right there.
As for navigation, get your data sorted and use Google Maps, it’s as reliable as ever
in Kyoto. Alternatively, you can use the Arukumachi Kyoto route planner app, which is free on
iOS and Android.
Up next, my top tips for Kyoto’s surprisingly busy tourist hotspots.
First up is Kyoto’s old town, Gion. This is the place to go for traditional Japan and
my personal favourite; if you're a fan of Memoirs of a Geisha and all things historical
and cultural, while topping up your Instagram feed, this is an absolute must-visit, though
it can get rather busy...
Kinkaku-ji, or the Golden Pavilion, is you guessed it, covered in gold. According to
local custom the gold plating will purify negative energy. The temple itself is stunning
although there isn’t a whole lot else to do here once you’ve got the obligatory photo.
My top tip for visiting this popular tourist attraction: go early to avoid the crowds and
then move on to my personal favourite, Ginkaku-ji, or the Silver Temple..
Now this is what I had in mind when I thought of traditional Japanese temples. A gentle,
quiet and relaxing garden with some beautiful buildings.
Next up is the Fushimi Inari shrine and its thousands of orange torii. This legendary
site is one of Japan’s most famous and most photographed. It’s just a short hop out
of Kyoto city centre.
To get here, take the JR line to Inari. A return from Kyoto Central where we got it
from was 280¥. The gates line the paths up to the Inari mountain
and if you can get ahead of the crowds is a beautifully serene experience. The walk
to the top will take a couple of hours, but the views over the city make it well worth
it in my opinion. Fushimi Inari is open 24 hours a day all year round and best of all,
is free to enter!
Last on our list is another site further along the line from Fushimi Inari, Nara. Or more
specifically, Nara Park and its hundreds of friendly Sika Deer.
Just got off the train at Nara Park and there are deer everywhere. I don’t know if you
can see them behind me. Looks like a mum and two babies, so I don’t want to get too close
in case they eat me.
So of course, I was eaten right away! You can buy crackers to feed the deer, just be
aware that once they know you have some, they’ll go for you! Pro tip here is to stay calm and
hold out one cracker at a time, just like this.
To get to Nara we took the JR Nara line from Kyoto to JR Nara Station, which cost 690¥
each. Make sure you get the 45-minute direct service instead of the local service which
will take 70 minutes.
I love pretentious food, so when I found out Kyoto had over 100 Michelin stars, I knew
this was the place for me. Now that’s a lot of restaurants to go and try. I’d recommend
starting at the department stores though. Here’s why.
Department stores in Japan are typically multi-storey behemoths, with each floor dedicated to different
sections. And while the stores in central Kyoto can’t match the scale of those in
Tokyo, they’re certainly cut from the same cloth. Often, the top floors are dedicated
to restaurants and places to grab a quick bite.
So here’s the thing about Japan - the attention to detail and the care taken in food preparation
is unrivalled. The food on offer here is nothing short of spectacular, and the best part about
sticking to the larger department stores is the wide variety of options from which to
choose.
My tip for Kyoto is to head to the station. The Isetan store in the station building has
both the top and bottom floors dedicated to food. The top is a selection of restaurants,
but best of all, the bottom floor is a huge food hall with just about anything you could
imagine. This is the absolute best place to load up your packed lunch before a day’s sightseeing.
The currency here is the Japanese yen where £1 buys between 140 and 150.
Now, despite the country's technological advances, Japan is still a heavily cash reliant society,
preferring coins and notes over credit and debit cards, which can be a bit of a pain
unless you're prepared.
My advice: work out your budget, work out what you’re gonna bring and bring the whole
lot in cash.
ATMs are available in major banks, post offices and 7-Eleven stores, though these can be closed
from 9pm and not always available at the weekend. If this is the case, some convenience stores
and shopping centres are 24/7.
Credit cards are accepted in most hotels and department stores, but only some restaurants
and ryokan.
Another thing about money in Japan - tipping - here it’s just not done and I can’t
tell you how refreshing that is. It’s because you’re seen as being charitable rather than
generous, and in Japanese culture it’s about delivering a fantastic service, it’s expected.
So if you’re leaving a tip, you’re actually being quite insulting, so just don’t do
it.
Here’s what we spent:
Return flights from London with one stopover like ours can be had for around £650.
Our 3-bedroom rental house was 165 pounds per night.
Worldwide travel insurance with Holiday Extras was £16.
This pork katsu was 1,512 yen. Entry to Kinkaku-ji was 400 yen each.
This green tea ice cream was 350 yen at the Kinkaku-ji golden temple.
And entry to Ginkaku-ji was 500 yen per person.
For up to date exchange rates visit xe.com, and as our time in Kyoto comes to a close,
don’t forget to subscribe for more tips and even exciting travel guides.
That’s it for Kyoto, I have had an absolute blast and I cannot recommend you get yourselves
here quick enough. If you have any tips of your own or any questions just leave us a
comment. Sayonara!