best places to shop, best cultural experiences, must-see galleries and museums, and more. Lastly, the Travel Tips section presents all you need to know before you go, including the lowdown on visas, health and safety advice, important points of etiquette, transport, useful Japanese, and much more to help you enjoy Japan’s captivating formal capitals with the minimum of fuss and worry.
While all information is correct at time of print, please do make sure to check ahead if you plan to visit any of the venues listed within, as hotels, shops and restaurants may close and every so often tourist attractions (especially historic) undergo major renovations. As such, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for any errors that may be contained within the Travel Pack.
CHAPTER 1
KYOTO & NARA’S
‘Don’t Miss’ Sights
After more than 1,000 years as Japan’s imperial capital, the Kyoto that greets modern-day visitors has numerous reminders of the city’s rich history. The 11 ‘Don’t Miss’ sights here represent the most captivating of those remnants of both ancient Kyoto and the capital before it, Nara, from the decadent golden temple of Kinkaku-ji and the more reserved dry landscape garden at Ryoan-ji to the seemingly endless rows of red torii gateways at Fushimi Inari Shrine and ancient wooden structures at Horyu-ji Temple—the places that make Kyoto and Nara so unforgettable.
1 Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion
2 Ryoan-ji’s Zen Rock Garden
3 Kiyomizu Temple
4 Nijo Castle
5 Fushimi Inari Shrine
6 The Gion District
7 Arashiyama’s Bamboo Grove
8 Ginkaku-ji Temple
9 Nishiki-koji Food Market
10 Byodo-in Temple
11 Nara’s Horyu-ji Temple
The Zen garden at Ryoan-ji
Ginkaku-ji, the “Silver Pavilion”
Byodo-in Temple in Uji
Geishas in the Gion district
MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR STAY
Part of the enduring charm of Kyoto and Nara is that no matter how long you stay or how often you return, Japan’s former capitals always manage to keep providing something new to discover. One day it could be a temple garden you’ve previously missed, the next a new taste of Japan’s culinary heritage or a snaking side street that leads into the past. Of course, most people don’t have the luxury of spending a month or even a fortnight immersing themselves in the two cities, so what to do and see if (like most visitors) your time in Kyoto and Nara is short?
Your first day could start with two of Kyoto’s star attractions, beginning with Ryoan-ji temple’s cryptic Zen garden (page 10 for details of Ryoan-ji; Chapter 2, page 22 for the full day trip around Northwestern Kyoto) and then taking in the magnificent gilded temple of Kinkaku-ji (page 9) before heading to the gardens at the Daitoku-ji temple complex and finishing among the local crafts of the Nishijin Textile Center (page 24).
On your second day, you could wander from Kiyomizu Temple (page 11) through some of Kyoto’s most atmospheric (and shop-filled) backstreets to Chion-in Temple (Chapter 1, page 26 for this day out). Another day could start at Nijo Castle (Chapter 2, page 33 for this day out), stop by Kyoto Imperial Palace (page 33) and then go shopping mad with a look around Nishiki-koji food market (page 34) to take in the city’s culinary sights and smells and then more retail therapy in the Teramachi arcade, along Shijo-dori and in the Kawaramachi area.
Alternatively, you could opt for a visit to Kinkaku-ji’s understated cousin, the sublime Ginkaku-ji (page 16) in northeastern Kyoto and then stroll the historic Philosopher’s Path south toward the imposing Heian Jingu (with a possible detour to the Nanzen-ji Temple complex on route) before ending the day at the museums and galleries around Okazaki-koen (page 36 for this day out).
If you have time, you could also have a day trip south of Kyoto (Chapter 2, page 44) to visit the gardens of Tofuku-ji Temple, the sprawling Fushimi Inari Shrine and the town of Uji, known for its green tea and the site of the historic Byodo-in Temple (the temple on the back of the ¥10 coin). Or you could head west to the Arashiyama area (Chapter 2, page 40), which is most famous for its bamboo groves but also has some spectacular temples and shrines.
Then there is Nara (Chapter 2, page 48), Japan’s capital before Kyoto in the 8th century and home to several World Heritage-designated temples. Whether you opt to visit as a day trip from Kyoto, as most people do, or take your time with an overnight stay, the city that is often called the “birthplace of Japanese civilization” adds a calming contrast to Kyoto. And for anyone who needs a break from tradition, Japan’s second city, Osaka (page 52), can also be visited in a whirlwind day trip from Kyoto. Whichever options you choose, Kyoto and Nara won’t disappoint.
1 Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion
The defining image of Kyoto, now a World Heritage Site
Whether it’s accented by a light coating of snow in winter or basking in the clear blue skies of summer, the gilded temple of Kinkaku-ji remains a captivating sight year round. Nothing, save perhaps the sight of a geisha shuffling between teahouses in Gion, says “Kyoto” quite like it.
Originally built in 1397 as a villa for shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, before being repurposed as a Zen temple after Yoshimitsu’s death, what might come as a surprise is that the current incarnation of Kinkaku-ji only actually dates to the mid-1950s, the original having been burned down by a young monk in 1950—an event which sent Japan almost into national mourning. Once the shock waves had passed, however, it didn’t take long for the temple to rise again. By 1955 it had been rebuilt to original specifications with the exception of the gilding that now covers the top two stories—that had to wait until 1987, when Japan’s post-war economic miracle was in full swing.
While
