Touristic Suggestions

Nishiki Market – the Kyoto Kitchen

Simply the best traditional food market in the city. When you’re starting to feel tired about visiting temples, this is a highly recommended visit for all.

Light Show at the Shoren-In Temple

Shoren-In is certainly not one of the main temples around, but it really is a very nice one and has undoubtedly one of the most beautiful Japanese gardens in Kyoto. This is not a mere lighting up of the garden, but it is an actual light show.

Plum blossoms at the Kitano Tenmangu Shrine

While most people think “Cherry Blossom” when considering the Hanami season, it actually starts with the plum blossoms around the end of February. This is, a few weeks before the cherry blossoms, the actual beginning of spring in Kyoto.

Hanami – Flower Viewing

Hanami (lit. “flower viewing”) is the Japanese traditional custom of enjoying the transient beauty of flowers. “Flower” in this case almost always means cherry blossoms (“sakura”). From the middle of March to early May, the Japanese people …

Hina Matsuri and Japanese Dolls

Hina Matsuri, also called Doll’s Day or Girls’ Day, is a special day celebrated each year on March 3 in Japan. Platforms covered with a red carpet are used to display a set of ornamental dolls (Hina-Ningyō) representing the Emperor, Empress, …

Shimogamo Jinja Shrine

The Shimogamo Jinja Shrine, also known as Kamomioya-jinja Shrine, is together with its sister shrine Kamigamo Jinja, the family shrine of the Kamo clan, who inhabited this area before the transfer of the capital to Kyoto.

Kamigamo Jinja Shrine

The Kamigamo Jinja shrine, also known as “Kamo Wake-ikazuchi-jinja”, is said to be the oldest shrine in Kyoto, dating back to the 7th century and predating the establishment of Heian-kyo (Kyoto).

Kyoto Marathon 2015

As our architect and friend, Mr. Y participated to this year marathon, we decided to go to support him. The meeting spot (with other friends) was set at kilometer 30 along the Kamogawa river.

Kyoto under snow

Waking up early on Sunday, we discovered the city under snow. This doesn’t happen so often in Kyoto so no hesitation — we called a taxi and went to visit various temples, South (Fushimi Inari Taisha, To-Ji), North-West (Kinkaku-Ji, Genko-An) and North-East (Ginkaku-Ji).

Tenjin-san Market, Kitano Tenmangu Shrine

If you’re in Kyoto on the 25th of every month, be sure to attend the “Tenjin-san” flea market. It is held at the Kitano Tenmangu Shrine. As many as 1000 stalls line up on the shrine precincts as well as in the area around the shrine.

Tenryu-Ji Zen Temple

Tenryu-ji (天龍寺) is located in Arashiyama, a scenic area at the foot of the mountains on the western outskirts of Kyoto. It is the main Temple of the area and features one of the finest garden and pond in Kyoto.

Kobo-san Market at To-Ji Temple

If you’re in Kyoto on the 21st day of any month, be sure to visit the Kobo-San market taking place in the grounds of the To-Ji Temple. It is a great opportunity to find interesting souvenir and enjoy popular Japanese foodstuff.

Ohmato Taikai at the Sanjūsangen-dō Temple

Sanjūsangen-dō Temple in Kyoto has always attracted Kyudo (Japanese archery) enthusiasts. The original competition, called Tōshiya, started in 1606 and since this, an annual Kyudo contest has been held at the Temple.

Sanjūsangen-dō Temple

Our main local Buddhist temple, a mere three minutes away from the house, Sanjūsangen-dō ( (三十三間堂) is for me one of the most awesome of all the temples in Kyoto, with its one thousand life-size statues of Kannon…

Ninna-ji Temple

Ninna-ji (仁和寺) is the head temple of the Omuro school of the Shingon Sect of Buddhism. It is located in western Kyoto, near Ryoanji and Kinkakuji. We usually visit all three temples on the same day.

Ryōan-ji, the Zen Rock Garden

The Ryōan-ji (龍安寺) garden is considered one of the (if not the) finest surviving examples of kare-sansui (“dry landscape”), a refined type of Japanese Zen temple garden design generally featuring distinctive larger rock formations . . .

Ginkakuji, the Silver Pavilion

Ginkakuji (銀閣寺) aka the Silver Pavilion, is a Zen temple located at the Northern part of Kyoto’s eastern mountains (Higashiyama). I found the place is particularly beautiful in Autumn, but it is also a delight at other seasons.

Nijo Castle, Shogun Residence

Nijo Castle was built in 1603 as the Kyoto residence of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of theEdo Period (1603-1867). After the Tokugawa Shogunate fell in 1867, Nijo Castle was used as an imperial palace for a while

Byōdō-in, the Phoenix Hall, Uji

Uji (宇治) is a small city situated between Kyoto and Nara, two of Japan’s most famous historical and cultural centers. Its proximity to these two former capitals resulted in Uji’s early development as a cultural center in its own right.

Tofuku-Ji Temple, Kyoto

Tofukuji (東福寺) is a large Zen temple located around 10-15 minutes away from the house. It is particularly famous for its spectacular autumn colors and people come from all over Japan to visit Tofukuji in Autumn.

Shogatsu at the Chion-In Temple

Like in any other country in the world, December 31st is a special day in Japan. Lots of things happen from Midnight on, as the Japanese people observe the O-Shogatsu.