My Favourite Excursions to Absorb Kyoto, Japan on Your First Journey

In terms of planning a visit to Japan, likelihood is visiting Kyoto goes to be excessive up in your must-do checklist — correctly! Kyoto is a captivating metropolis, with tons of historical past, nice meals, and a totally totally different vibe than Tokyo. Whereas Tokyo is all skyscrapers and frenetic vitality, Kyoto is extra relaxed and crammed with temples and tea homes.

I personally most well-liked Kyoto to Tokyo (like, by lots!), however I realized a number of issues from my very own journey that I want I might identified upfront.

For instance, Kyoto is sort of a spread-out metropolis, and it is not as straightforward to get round right here as it’s in Tokyo (Kyoto depends much less on the metro and extra on buses, bikes, and taxis). Kyoto additionally has a handful of extraordinarily common vacationer sights that get VERY busy and crowded at sure instances of day. So you really want to do some planning upfront with the intention to really take pleasure in a go to to Kyoto.

Apart from plotting out my Kyoto itinerary upfront to combine in each the key vacationer websites and a few less-popular spots, I additionally made positive to ebook some distinctive excursions in Kyoto that helped me delve a bit deeper into the historical past and tradition of town. This was 100% the way in which to go!

How I discover the very best excursions

I virtually at all times ebook guided excursions after I journey; I LOVE studying new issues, and a superb strolling tour or meals tour or day journey with a neighborhood information actually can rework a vacation spot for me.

I usually get questions from readers asking how I discover a number of the excursions and experiences that I find yourself writing about. And the reply is straightforward: tons of analysis! I do numerous studying and analysis earlier than a visit; I learn journey blogs, watch movies, “discover” sure areas on Google Maps, and scour tour web sites.

One of many assets I take advantage of extra usually than you’d suppose is Viator, which is mainly a web based market for excursions of all kinds. I take advantage of Viator like a planning device; I search by vacation spot and by tour kind (i.e. strolling excursions, meals excursions, day journeys, and so on.), evaluating all of the totally different choices. I make word of the excursions with probably the most opinions and the best scores, and I usually discover fascinating actions that I positively wouldn’t have stumbled throughout in any other case.

I did the identical factor earlier than going to Kyoto, discovering such distinctive excursions on Viator that I really re-planned my complete 4-day itinerary so I might do issues like meet a geisha, stroll throughout a nightingale flooring, cook dinner my very own ramen, and extra!

Learn on to study all of the distinctive excursions I took in Kyoto.

Word: This put up is delivered to you as a part of a paid partnership with Viator, however I booked all these excursions utilizing my very own cash whereas in Kyoto! As at all times, my opinions are based mostly alone private experiences.

My favourite excursions in Kyoto

In Kyoto, you completely can ebook an “everything in a day” tour to easily tick off all the primary sights if that is all you need to do. Or you are able to do what I did and ebook some very particular excursions that target one website or topic in additional element.

Right here have been my favourite Kyoto excursions I took:

1. Nijō Fortress tour

Surprisingly (to this historical past nerd, a minimum of), Nijō Fortress is not usually one of many overcrowded websites in Kyoto. Which is loopy to me because it’s a part of a UNESCO World Heritage Web site recognizing the “Historic Monuments of Historic Kyoto” and is completely fascinating.

Nijō Fortress dates again to the early 1600s, when it was constructed by Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founding father of the Tokugawa shogunate. Japan was an Imperial empire in these days, with the emperor as the top of the nation. However the shogun (the top of Japan’s navy and its samurai class) really held all of the political energy.

The emperor and shogun didn’t reside in the identical metropolis; the emperor lived in Kyoto, whereas Tokugawa Ieyasu and his shogun descendants dominated from Tokyo (Edo). However the shogun nonetheless wanted a fortress in Kyoto for when he got here to city to satisfy with the emperor — which is the place Nijō Fortress is available in.

I booked this 90-minute guided tour to study all about it. Certain, I might have visited alone, however having a information to clarify the fragile relationship between emperor and shogun and to level out particular particulars contained in the palace was so significantly better than simply studying a pair information plaques.

The tour met up close to the fortress and included a stroll by means of the fortress grounds and gardens, plus guided entry into Ninomaru Palace. (Nijō Fortress really has two separate palaces inside, Ninomaru Palace and Honmaru Palace; Ninomaru is the bigger of the 2, and doesn’t require a timed entry ticket.)

My favourite a part of the palace was its uguisubari or “nightingale flooring.” These flooring make a definite chirping sound once you stroll on them — just like the sound of birdsong. Legend has it that the shogun had these particular flooring put in to make it tougher for ninja assassins to sneak up on him. And, as somebody who was at one level obsessive about the Tales of the Otori books (through which a boy with magical talents learns how you can stroll silently throughout nightingale flooring with the intention to kill a warlord), I used to be geeking out over strolling throughout actual ones.

I did this tour on my first day in Kyoto, which was an important intro to the imperial historical past of town.

>> E-book the tour I took: Nijo Castle World Heritage Guided Tour with Admission

2. Gion geisha strolling tour

Kyoto is thought for its geisha tradition, which dates again to the 1700s and grew to a peak within the Twenties when there have been greater than 80,000 geishas all through Japan. Kyoto is house to 5 separate hanamachi, or geisha districts the place geishas (or geikos, as they’re identified in Kyoto) and apprentice maikos reside and work.

Gion is Kyoto’s most well-known geisha district (it is really house to 2 distinct geisha districts), and it might probably get very crowded throughout the day. Which is why I particularly booked a guided strolling tour right here at night time. Components of Gion can nonetheless be busy within the evenings, however it’s a lot simpler to search out quiet streets after darkish.

This is the geisha-focused walking tour I booked, which met up close to Pontocho Alley (one other geisha district) after which strolled by means of the streets of Gion. We walked alongside the Shirakawa Canal, crossed Tatsumi Bridge, and ended at Yasaka Shrine, which is open 24 hours.

Alongside the way in which, our information shared the historical past of geishas in Japan and in Kyoto particularly. We realized about how the artwork started, the way it developed, and the way modernization has modified issues. (At one level, Kyoto was house to 1000’s of working geikos and apprentice maikos; right this moment, there are an estimated 250 complete within the metropolis.)

We realized the distinction between maiko and geiko (the white-painted faces and elaborate kimonos and hair-dos really belong to the apprentice maikos, do you know?), realized a bit in regards to the strategy of changing into a maiko/geiko, and realized how you can determine an okiya home the place maikos reside whereas they’re coaching.

Nighttime is mostly the very best time to probably spot a maiko or geiko out on the streets going to/from entertaining at an ochaya, or tea home, although we didn’t see any whereas we have been out. It was nonetheless such an fascinating tour, although, and I realized a lot!

The tour I did ended at Yasaka Shrine, after which I walked alone over to Yasaka Pagoda (Hōkan-ji Temple) to see it lit up after darkish (it is a a lot quieter time to go to than throughout the day!). If you wish to see Yasaka Pagoda as a part of a tour, this Gion walking tour contains it.

>> E-book the tour I took: Kyoto Gion Geisha District Walking Tour – The Stories of Geisha

3. One-hour geisha present

If you wish to know what my very favourite tour I took in Kyoto was, it is this one!

You *could* get fortunate sufficient to identify a maiko or geiko “within the wild” in any of the geisha districts in Kyoto. However as I discussed above, you are discouraged from bothering them on the road and even snapping images most often. If you wish to really feel much less like a paparazzi, the excellent news is that there are a number of excursions you may ebook to study extra about these fascinating girls in a approach that is extra academic, consensual, and culturally wealthy.

I booked this “1 Hour Geisha Show” on a whim in Kyoto; I did not even know this was one thing vacationers might do, as I at all times assumed geisha and maiko solely carried out for essential visitors in unique teahouses. However, because it seems, there are lots of of them who’re completely satisfied to share their skills and tales with vacationers, too!

The tour I booked has a couple of totally different variations all run by the identical firm, however I particularly opted for the “1 Hour Present in Tea Home” tour (when you select your date and variety of visitors on Viator, you may see the totally different tour choices). On this model of the tour, you will go to a tea home on Kamishichiken Road, which is the oldest hanamachi (geiko district) in Kyoto.

We met with a maiko named Fumiyui (these excursions often say “geisha,” however it’s extra seemingly you will meet a maiko — which is definitely good, as they’re those with the extra elaborate kimonos and hair decorations) and the lady who runs the okiya. We realized about each maiko and geiko and their totally different apparel and existence, after which Fumiyui carried out two lovely dances for us.

After the dancing, we had a Q&A session with Fumiyui (with our tour information translating), the place we acquired to ask her all the things from why she determined to develop into a maiko to her skincare routine beneath her white face make-up. She was so candy and fairly open with us.

Then we acquired to study a standard tea home recreation and play it with Fumiyui.

Lastly, we left the tea home and walked with Fumiyui over to the Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, the place we talked a bit about Shintoism and took some final images of and with our new maiko good friend. This was such a lovely expertise, and I will always remember it!

(Additionally, Kitano Tenmangu Shrine is gorgeous, and I am so glad I acquired to see it whereas in Kyoto.)

You may as well ebook this same tour in a Gion theater, however I actually cherished getting to go to a tea home and going over to the shrine with Fumiyui afterwards. The model of the tour I did is just not supplied every single day and is dearer, however it appeared rather more intimate and distinctive!

If this tour is booked up, another choices you may attempt embody:

>> E-book the tour I took: 1 Hour Geisha Show in Kyoto

4. Ramen cooking class

Japan is thought worldwide for its meals; most notably its sushi and its noodles. However, since I do not love sushi (shhh, I am sorry, it is a texture factor), it was all in regards to the varied noodle dishes for me — I could not get sufficient noodles!

And so whereas there are undoubtedly courses in Kyoto the place you may make your personal sushi, if I used to be going to take a food-related tour or cooking class, I wished it to revolve round noodles. Fortunately for me, there’s a great place in Kyoto referred to as the Ramen Manufacturing unit that provides cooking courses!

I booked this ramen cooking class by means of Viator (it was one of many excursions I stumbled upon whereas shopping by means of all of the Kyoto excursions that I wasn’t even in search of!), and whereas it is a dear bowl of ramen in the long run, the entire expertise was a lot enjoyable.

This class is suitable for everybody, from individuals who aren’t excellent cooks (hello, it is me) to households — there have been even a pair youngsters in my class! The courses are in English, too, in case you are anxious about that.

We created a custom-made bowl of ramen from begin to end, proper down to creating our personal noodles from scratch. We additionally acquired to mix our broths and add no matter toppings we wished. I booked my tour within the late afternoon so my bowl of ramen was completed proper round meal time.

>> E-book the tour I took: Ramen Cooking Class at Ramen Factory in Kyoto

5. Fushimi Inari guided hike*

I’ve so as to add a caveat right here as a result of I didn’t do that precise tour, however I sort of DIY’d a model of it, and positively suppose it is one of the simplest ways to expertise the Fushimi Inari shrine when you’ve got the time.

Fushimi Inari is likely one of the most well-known spots in Kyoto, with its paved paths passing beneath 1000’s of these well-known vermillion torii gates. And whilst you’ve positively seen images of individuals posing beneath these red-orange gates, what you may not know is that the gates prolong up a complete mountain — and there are a number of methods to succeed in the highest.

The a part of Fushimi Inari that most individuals see is in direction of the underside of the shrine. Close to the primary shrine entrance, it is often a sea of individuals except you go to fairly early within the morning or later within the night. Wish to go between like 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.? Then you are going to be sharing the expertise with a couple of thousand strangers a minimum of.

I had examine a number of alternate paths up the mountain, although, and set out alone to search out one. I had a pair false begins (I will have to put in writing about my model of this hike another time), however ultimately discovered one of many paths. I did need to float of the horde for a short while, however then peeled off the primary path and climbed Mt Inari utilizing again paths that went by means of quiet bamboo groves and previous moss-covered forest shrines.

I used this “again approach” to climb to the highest of Mt Inari, after which walked again down by means of all of the torii gates. For me, this was excellent; the hike up was extremely peaceable (and the highest of Mt Inari was actually fairly quiet, too!), after which I used to be on the downhill as I handed everybody else climbing up.

The hike took me a number of hours (granted, I did get misplaced twice and stopped A LOT to take images), however it was a half-day effectively spent so far as I used to be involved. After the very fact, although, I found this “hidden hiking tour” of Fushimi Inari on Viator and was actually unhappy I hadn’t discovered it earlier than my journey!

This guided mountain climbing tour skips the Fushimi Inari entrance altogether, opting as an alternative to satisfy in a small neighborhood and hike a unique “again approach” up the mountain. You will stroll by means of a pure bamboo forest, go to hidden shrines, and study as a lot as you need about Fushimi Inari, faith, nature, and all the things else alongside the way in which.

Whereas my hike was totally on paved trails and up concrete steps (various steps), this “hidden” mountain climbing tour takes you up the mountain totally on grime paths that you simply may not be capable of observe/discover with no information. You will find yourself on the highest of the mountain after which have an opportunity to get your torii gate images earlier than heading again down and ending on the predominant entrance to the shrine.

If you wish to hike Fushimi Inari however do not need to determine the paths by yourself (as a result of they admittedly will be complicated!), then I believe a mountain climbing tour like this could be nice. Simply word that it takes a minimum of 3 hours, and it’s a correct hike — so good footwear and an honest degree of health are extremely beneficial!

>> E-book this tour: Fushimi Inari Hidden Hiking Tour

Different nice Kyoto excursions

All these excursions plus the opposite sightseeing I did simply stuffed my 3.5 days in Kyoto. However, if I might had extra time (actually I want I might have had a minimum of 5 days!), these are another Kyoto excursions I bookmarked however simply could not squeeze in:

• Nishiki Market meals tour – I did my very own “progressive dinner” at Nishiki Market one night, getting issues from as many meals stalls as attainable. And it was nice! However meals excursions are at all times my favourite sort of excursions, so I want I might have had time to take this Nishiki Market brunch tour. I am positive I might have had even higher meals and realized extra with a information.
• Sake tour – Kyoto has a superb sake district that is not sometimes overrun with vacationers. I did not make it there on my journey, however this sake brewery tour with tastings is on my checklist for subsequent time.
• Samurai expertise – When you’ve got youngsters (or perhaps a husband who actually likes martial arts like I do), then this Kyoto Samurai experience with unimaginable opinions is likely to be one thing enjoyable so as to add to your itinerary.
• E-bike tour – Exploring Kyoto by bike can be nice with a information, I believe, because the metropolis is so bike-friendly. So this “hidden Kyoto” tour by e-bike is one I might attempt! You go to some common spots like Kinkakuji (the Golden Pavilion) alongside some lesser-visited spots within the metropolis.

And I actually might go on! Yow will discover even more Kyoto tours on Viator here.

Kyoto is a lovely and interesting metropolis in Japan, and I actually do suppose it is best loved with the help of native guides on excursions identical to these ones.

Which Kyoto tour would you most wish to take?

Amanda Williams is the award-winning blogger behind A Harmful Enterprise Journey Weblog. She has traveled to greater than 60 international locations on 6 continents from her house base in Ohio, specializing in experiential and considerate journey by means of the US, Europe, and remainder of the world. Amanda solely shares suggestions based mostly on her private experiences and locations she’s really traveled!