Old Moaner Travel
I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list
Kyoto
From 794 through to 1889 Kyoto was the seat of the Imperial court and therefore the capital of Japan before the court moved to Tokyo. Although no longer the state capital Kyoto is very much considered to be the cultural capital of Japan and is a major tourist destination.
Home to many temples and shrines from various religions these sites are collectively a UN World Heritage Site. It is also fortunate that Kyoto escaped serious bombing in World War Two, although it had a close escape as it was on top of the military list for the detonation of the first atomic bomb. Kyoto was only removed from the target list following the Secretary of State for War, Henry Stimson, directly appealing to President Truman for it to be removed.
His primary argument was that destroying Kyoto, with its cultural heritage, would so damage relationships with the United States that any post-war reconciliation would be impossible. (for the same reason targeting the Imperial Palace in Tokyo was also discounted). However it has also been stated Stimson had an emotional attachment to Kyoto, visiting the city many times when he was Governor of the Philippines, it's also been said he spent his honeymoon in Kyoto.
Whatever the reason modern tourists should be grateful Kyoto was spared resulting in Kyoto having the greatest concentration of pre-war buildings in Japan.
That doesn't mean Kyoto is stuck in the past, it has it's modern buildings as well, the moat notable being Kyoto Station and the Kyoto Tower. Most of the new building has been sympathetic to the history of the city although as you walk round modern Kyoto don't be surprised if you suddenly stumble across an ancient shrine or temple.
Getting There
Kyoto does not have its own international airport, with the nearest being Itami Airport in Osaka, a 50 minute bus ride way from Kyoto. Itami does have direct flights from Europe.
However most international visitors arrive via Tokyo and Kyoto is served by Shinkansen trains from Tokyo, up to ten trains an hour during peak periods, with the fastest journey time being 2 hours 12 minutes.
Getting Around
Kyoto has an extensive bus network with buses servicing all the main tourist sites. The bus service is also foolproof as all buses call at the bust station located outside Kyoto Station, so even if horrendously lost you can, at least, find your way back to the main railway station.
A flat fare of 230 yen (£1.75) applies within the city for journeys extending outside the city a variable fare system operates.
When travelling by bus you pay on exit and if paying by case you need the exact money, change machines are available. However most passengers use one of the many pre-paid smart cards available in Japan.
As I said buses do reach all the main tourist sites, which is more than can be said for the local railway service. As in many Japanese cities the local railway network is confusing with different companies operating different lines. There are 5 JR lines in addition to a private rail company, in addition to which there are two subway lines in operation. One subway line goes north - south, including a stop at Kyoto station, whilst the other goes from the south east to the west of the city, with the lines intersecting at Karasuma Oike. Private lines intersect and usually you have to pay for each line separately. My advice is if you have a JR Pass use it on the JR lines, for all other lines, including the subway, use a pre-paid Pasmo or Suica card, it's much easier than attempting to purchase a ticket at the excess fare window.
If you really don't want to use a pre-paid card, and to be honest you would be stupid not to, then your best bet is to buy an access ticket at your starting station, usually around 180 yen (£1.43) then at your destination pay any excess fare that may be due.
The city centre roads are more or less a grid system and the roads relatively flat, at least in the main city itself, so cycling is an option for getting around, however be warned if you do not park you bike in a designated cycle parking area (which can get very crowded) the bike will be impounded.
There is a hop-on, hop-off sightseeing bus, which I jihad planned to take advantage of but subsequently changed my mind, there were two reasons for that decision. Firstly the previous evening I went on an evening sightseeing trip with the same line, Sky Hop. That trip was an unmitigated disaster, partly the lines fault and partly the sites fault. In the case of the latter many of the sites were not illuminated which made a night-time sightseeing somewhat redundant. However it was the service from the tour company which really hacked me off. There was a live guide giving a comprehensive commentary in Japanese, which is fair enough. English speakers had to rely on a recorded commentary, not usually a problem as that tends to be the norm on these type of tours. However this one was dreadful. Firstly whoever recorded the commentary was not a native English speaker and had a boring monotonous voice.
If that wasn't bad enough the commentary kept stopping and restarting and then starting the next location before it had finished the last location, if the trip hadn't been so expensive it would have been comical. With regards the hop-on hop-off the following day, looking at the leaflet in detail the bus doesn't actually stop at some of the main sites, in one case it was a 32 minute walk to the attraction, although a 10-12 minute walk was more common.
What To See
With over 2,000 shrines alone, there is a lot to see in Kyoto and, as I've already said, the place is steeped in history, so you may think it strange where I'm going to start this guide, but bear with me.
Kyoto Station is, invariably the place where most visitors to the city will arrive and the expansive, modern station is an attraction in its own right. It's a station that never seems to sleep and it always bustling with humanity, whatever time of day you visit.
Surprisingly the station is one of the largest buildings in Japan. Of course being Japan with its complex rail infrastructure the station is actually three stations in one, with the major section being dedicated to JR services, including the Shinkansen. Smaller substations serve the private Kintetsu railway and the subway station serving the Karasuma (green) subway line.
Of course it is more than just a railway station. Beneath the station there are two underground shopping malls with mainly small shops but the centre is home to a large range of eateries, so if you're feeling peckish and fancy a quick bite head here.
On the second floor of the station is the grand staircase and in the evening a light show, which changes seasonally, is projected onto the steps. Although t is visually stunning it's an absolute bugger if you want to use the stairs during the show ..... I haven't seen the figures for how many people do fall but I envisage it's not insignificant.
Go to the 11th floor of the station and the Skyway tunnel allows visitors to walk the full length of the station, 45m above the central hall, with windows providing views of the city and station below. Open from 10:00 to 22:00 it's not for vertigo sufferers.
Next up is another modern attraction, the Kyoto Tower is the tallest structure in the city standing 131m high, there is a viewing floor 100m high offering scenic views of the city and surrounding mountains, on a clear day it's possible to see Osaka. Built in 1964 the tower is as old as the Shinkansen.
The viewing platform is open from 09:00 - 21:20 (last entry is at 21:00) and the cost is a very reasonable 800 yen (£6.08). At the bottom of the tower you can find a public bathhouse.
Right, that's enough of the modern stuff, let's have some culture and history now. As we've already discovered Kyoto is the cultural capital of Japan and everywhere you turn you'll find shrines and temples tucked away. Some of the smaller ones are well worth visiting as, clearly, the bigger temples and shrines attract most of the visitors and can be unbearably busy and crowded. If you must visit the big sites then visit first thing in he morning or just before they close.
I'll continue with the sites I actually visited then will mention some of the other popular attractions.
The Fushimi Kandakara Shrine is situated is the south east of the city, with the main shrine situated at the base of Mt Inari.
The shrine is reached by catching a Kintetsu train to Inari, two stops down the line from Kyoto Station, from the station it's a short walk to the shrine.
The main Shinto shrine is, itself, impressive but the main attraction are the orange torri gates, over 10,000 main ones, with it's said up to 22,000 smaller gates.
The main gates line a path through a bamboo forest in a 2½ mile (4 km) walk to the top of Mt Inari. There are countless small shrines lining the route, which operates on a one-way system due to the large number of visitors. Once near the top opening in the trees offer good views of the city.
The final section of the climb is two-way traffic so it can get busy.
A useful tip for the way down though, once clear of the two way stretch there is a fork in the path, with the left hand fork being a torri lined descent, which seems to be the most popular. The right hand fork, however gives a more rugged but infinitely more scenic descent to the pace, initially passing some ornate shrines and stunning, small gardens, before giving some close up views of residential houses before rejoining the torii route near the main shrine.
You do need to be fit for this visit, as the path is steep in places, but it's worth the effort, with the added bonus of there being no admission charge.
There are places to buy drinks and snacks along the route but it's worth bringing a bottle of water with you.
Nijō Castle will be familiar to fans of the film Shogun as this is where the external shots for the film were taken.
The castle was home to the Imperial Court before it relocated to Tokyo.
The fortified site consists of two palaces and some lovely gardens. There is an entry fee and you can pay to see just the gardens or the gardens and buildings. Garden only entrance is 600 yen (£4.55) with an additional 400 yen (£3.03) fee to visit the palace. Opening hours are from 08:00 (08:45 October to June) until 17:00 (18:00 July and August), last entry is one hour before closing.
Higashi-Honganji Temple is situated a ten minute walk from Kyoto Station, is actually two temples belonging to the biggest Buddhist sect in Japan.
Building began at the end of 16th century and as well as the buildings themselves the complex is home to some interesting fountains.
Free to visit this is a handily located temple to visit if time is at a premium.
The grounds of this complex are relatively boring with only a few trees, however a few hundred yards away you will find the temple's gardens at the Shosei-en Garden a tranquil retreat in the heart of the city.
Described as a formal strolling garden it is a relaxing place to while away an hour and it's easy to forget you're actually in the middle of a bustling city. Admission is 500 yen (£3.79) and the garden is open from 09:00 - 17:00 March - October and 09:00 - 16:00 November - February.
Although now associated with the temple the origins of the garden can be traced back to the 9th century.
Gion is the famous geisha district, located around Shijo Avenue between Yasaka Shrine in the east and the Kamo River in the west. It is filled with shops, restaurants and teahouses, where geiko (Kyoto dialect for geisha) and maiko (geiko apprentices) entertain.
Gion attracts tourists with its high concentration of traditional wooden machiya merchant houses. Many of these houses are restaurants although the prices can be eye watering.
Other sites worth visiting.
Kyoto has a large and popular railway museum, opened in 2016 and situated a twenty minute walk west of Kyoto Station. The museum is home to 53 retired trains ranging from steam trains through to retired Shinkansen, along with loads of railway memorabilia. Open daily apart from Wednesdays (unless Wednesday falls on a public holiday, in which case it will open) from 10:00 - 17:30, admission is 1,200 yen (£9.10)
The Imperial and Sento Palaces are popular attractions, with the grounds of the former being open daily apart from Monday. To visit the Sento Palace you need to book in advance to join a guided tour, which is conducted in Japanese only.
If visiting in Autumn then Tofukuji Temple in the south east of the city is worth visiting due to the stunning autumn colours of its trees.
(prices quoted above are correct as of September 2019)