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Kyoto
Understand
Kyoto was the capital of Japan and the residence of the Emperor from 794 until the Meiji Restoration of 1868, when the capital was moved to Tokyo. During its millennium at the center of Japanese power, culture, tradition, and religion, it accumulated an unparalleled collection of palaces, temples and shrines, built for emperors, shoguns, geishas and monks. Almost alone among Japanese cities, Kyoto escaped the Allied bombings of World War II, although it could be argued that the concrete redevelopment that turned 95% of Kyoto into an ordinary Japanese city did just as thorough a job.
Eat
If you've just stepped off the train and the first thing on your mind is a bite to eat, there are several restaurants on the tenth and eleventh floors of the Isetan department store attached to Kyoto station. Most of the offerings are Japanese, including a veritable Ramen village, with a few casual Italian cafes as well. Local specialties include: hamo (a white fish served with ume as sushi), tofu (try places around Nanzenji temple), suppon (an expensive turtle dish), vegetarian dishes (thanks to the abundance of temples), and kaiseki-ryori (multi-course chef's choice that can be extremely expensive).
Budget Musashi Sushi one of the oldest kaitenzushiya (conveyor belt sushi) restaurants in Kyoto, it is located directly across chain Kappa Sushi at the corner of Sanjo/Kawaramachi. All of the sushi is handmade, though it may take a while to see something new float by. Fortunately, the seats surround the chefs, so you can request whatever you want if you don't see something you like. Price: ¥137 per plate (usually 2 pieces per plate). Kappa Sushi is a chain kaitenzushiya (conveyor belt sushi) restaurant on the corner of Sanjo and Kawaramachi at the entrance to the Shinkyogoku/Teramachi covered mall. Lots of variety, but quality matching the price, this restaurant being the type to use machines to cut rice and fish. Price: ¥100 per plate (usually 2 pieces per plate). Kick-up Bar is a tiki-themed bar & grill outside the Keage Tozai line subway station and across from the Westin Miyako Hotel. They have the best meatball sandwich in Japan for ¥800 and loaded pizza made from homemade dough (medium for ¥1500) Santouka Ramen is a Hokkaido style ramen shop in the Sanjo-Keihan above-ground plaza & bus station. For about ¥900 they have excellent pork broth ramen. Don't forget the broth-boiled egg for ¥200. Look for the line outside. Mr. Young Men is a pleasantly grubby okonomiyaki restaurant downtown, at the corner of Shijo and the covered shopping street of Teramachi. Basic English menus are available. A basic dish of Osaka-style okonomiyaki will run about ¥800, although a few variations (including a bizarre cheese and potato version) are available for about the same price. Hati Hati is an Indonesian restaurant on Kiyamachi, near Takoyakushi. It has great food and atmosphere, but it's occasionally converted into a bar and a performance space for local bands and DJs at night on weekends. For really late night food on Kiyamachi, there is a cheap, open-air falafel...
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Hotels in Kyoto
 | Aranvert Hotel Kyoto  |
Score 8.675 from 32 reviews | | 179 Higashi Kazariya-cho, Gojyo street, Shimogyo-ku |  |
| Vending machine: First floor
Emergency exits: Four exists on each floor
Payphones: Two on first floor
Two on third floor
Public bath/ relaxation
Open: 5:30 PM to 1:00 AM
The great bath commanding a panoramic view provides you with relaxation.
This panoramic bath is on the highest floor.
The women's bathroom commands the Kyoto Tower, Higashi Honganji Temple, and Nishi Honganji Temple in the front direction.
Please relieve the stress of your travel in the sumptuous location where you can see the rows of traditional houses peculiar to this ancient city. ... more | | |
| | Urban Hotel Kyoto  |
Score 8.5 from 9 reviews | | 4-59 Nishiura-cho, Fukakusa, Fushimi-ku |  |
| Parking : 85 parking spaces (800 yen)
Other facilities : Kiosk / Handicap facilities ... more | | |
 | Hotel Granvia Kyoto  |
Score 0 from 0 reviews | | JR Kyoto Station, Karasuma Chuo-guchi, Shiokoji-sagaru, Karasuma-dori, Shimogyo-ku, |  |
| As the most sought after deluxe property in Kyoto, the hotel houses over 1,000 pieces of contemporary artworks throughout the premises exudes a museum like quality. The artwork of Kyoto-based artists, some of the most famous in Japan, is prominently featured among the paintings, sculptures, and industrial art on display and accentuated by photographs adorning the guest rooms. ... more | | |
| | Kyoto Garden Hotel  |
Score 7.95 from 32 reviews | | Oike-Minami-Iru, Muromachi-dori, Nakagyo-ku |  |
| Parking: 20 parking spaces (free / first-come-first-serve) ... more | | | | More hotels in Kyoto |
| Arashiyama and Sagano Walking Tour |
4 hours |
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Sagano is located northwest of the Kyoto Basin and covers an area of 16 acres. Start with a walk through Sagano Bamboo Grove which sits in a basin surrounded by mountains in the greater area of Arashiyama
Then onto Jojakkoji Temple located halfway up a mountain, this temple has a 12-meter-high pagoda in its precinct and is graced with many Japanese maples. Jojakkoji was the final home of Empress Dowager Kenrei-mon-in, a principal character in the "Tale of the Heike" one of the most important works of classical Japanese literature. It is said to be built as a nunnery and has a history streching back to the 6th century. The temple?s principal treasure is a statue of the Jizo, which has been desiganted an important cultural property.
Later visit Tenryuji Temple which is one of the head temples of the Rinzai Zen School and was established in 1339 by Takauji the first shogun of Ashikaga shogunate, in memory of the Emperor Godaigo. It is famous for its landscape garden, which unlike the temple buildings has survived in its original form.
Finally walk through Togetsukyo Bridge, literally meaning "Crossing Moon Bridge". The present bridge was rebuilt in 1934 using
steel but faithfully copying the structure of the original bridge.
Click here for more information and Booking Details
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| Kyoto Morning Tour - Golden Pavilion, Nijo Castle, Kyoto Imperial Palace |
3.5 hours |
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Kyoto was Japan's capital and the emperor's residence from 794 until 1868. It is now the country's seventh largest city with a population of 1.4 million people and a modern face. Enjoy this morning tour to see some of the main highlights of this wonderful city, steeped in culture.
Tour Highlights Include:
- Nijo Castle
- Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion)
- Kyoto Imperial Palace
- Kyoto Handicraft Center
Please see the information in 'Itinerary' for details about visiting each place.
Please note: You can combine this tour with the Kyoto Afternoon Tour (TYO_N280) as the Afternoon Tour offers a pick up service from the Kyoto Handicraft Center (which is where this Morning Tour concludes) at 2pm. Please make a separate booking for the Kyoto Afternoon Tour (TYO_N280) if you wish to do this.
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Ryoanji
Ryoan-ji temples what must be the most famous and photographed zen garden in Japan. Be prepared for the crowds of people that throng the site, and it is more likely that you find inner solitude in the surrounding gardens, than at the famed zen garden. You can take Bus 59 from Kinkakuji to Ryoanji.
| type: | Fountains and statues |
Kiyomizu Dera
This temple is perched on a hillside, overlooking much of Kyoto. Of
note is the huge platform (where you get a great view of Kyoto on a
fine day), supported by hundreds of wooden struts. Sharing the same
compound, are a number of smaller shrines. Try to arrive early in the
morning to beat the crowds. The temple is open early, so you can make
this your first stop of the day. The area surrounding the temple is
sprinkled with shops selling crafts and foodstuff.
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