🇯🇵 Kioto

📍 About Kioto

Eternal Japan. 1600 temples, Zen gardens, and geishas in the Gion district. Historic heritage, must-see museums, and impressive architecture.

🗺️ What to do & see in Kioto

• ✅Stroll in a kimono through the Higashiyama district: rent one at *Yumeyakata* (avoid shops near Kiyomizu-dera, they're more expensive) and walk along the cobblestone streets of Sannenzaka. The elderly will smile at you as if you were a ghost from the Meiji period. Go early to avoid the heat and crowds.
• ✅Attend a tea ceremony at *Camellia Garden*: it's not a show, it's a 45-minute ritual where you'll learn to move the cup as if it were crystal. The matcha tea tastes like freshly cut grass, and the wagashi (traditional sweet) is so delicate that it's a shame to eat it. Book in advance: they only accept 6 people per session.
• ✅Visit the Nishiki market at 6 am: the fish stalls, freshly made tofu, and plum pickles smell like authentic Kyoto. Try the *tamago yaki* (sweet omelette) at *Ainan*'s stall, where the lady has been making the same dish for 50 years. By 9 am, it's already full of tourists with selfie sticks.
• ✅Alternative: Get lost in the Pontocho district at night: this alley along the Kamogawa river is a succession of tiny bars where salarymen drink whisky and street musicians play the shamisen. Enter *Bar Alchemist* (no sign, look for the red door) and order a *highball* with yuzu lemon. The owner, a former banker, will tell you stories about Kyoto that aren't in the guides.
• ✅Alternative: Bike the philosopher's path: rent a bike at *Kyoto Cycling Tour Project* (500 yens/day) and ride along the canal from Ginkaku-ji to Nanzen-ji. Stop at *Okamoto* to try their *matcha latte* with red bean ice cream. If you go in April, the cherry blossoms fall onto the water like confetti.
• ✅Alternative: Watch the sunrise from Kiyomizu-dera temple: it opens at 6 am, and if you arrive before 7 am, you'll have the wooden terrace to yourself. The sun rises between the Higashiyama mountains, and the sound of the temple bells resonates like in the 8th century. Afterwards, walk down the *Sannenzaka* stairs and have *yudofu* (boiled tofu) for breakfast at *Okutan*, a hidden restaurant in a alley since 1635.

🏛️ Must-see attractions in Kioto

• ⭐Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)
• ⭐Gion district
• ⭐Fushimi Inari-taisha
• ⭐Kyoto National Museum
• ⭐Arashiyama and the bamboo forest

✈️ Getting to Kioto

Shinkansen from Tokyo (2h15).

💡 Travel tips for Kioto

• 💡Wear socks without holes: in many temples and restaurants, you'll be asked to remove your shoes. The Japanese look at socks as if they were your business card (and holes, a personal offense).
• 💡The transportation in Kyoto is a chaos of bus lines that don't always run on schedule. Download the *Kyoto City Bus* app (in English) and pay with the *ICOCA* card (the same as in Tokyo). If you're going to move around a lot, the daily pass (700 yens) is a good deal, but avoid using it during rush hour (7:30-9 am).
• 💡At temples, don't give tips to the monks who ask for money at the entrance: they're scammers. Real monks don't ask for money. If you want to make an offering, leave it in the wooden boxes near the altars (100-500 yens).
• 💡The tap water in Kyoto is drinkable and tastes better than in Tokyo (it comes from the mountain springs). Fill your bottle at any public fountain: you'll see locals lining up at the *mizuya* (water fountains) in temples. In summer, bring a small towel to wipe your sweat: the climate is humid and sticky like caramel.