A Day in Kyoto: Part 1 & 2

"At Yasaka Shrine, Kyoto"

I've had a few people ask me "I'm going to Kyoto for a day, what should I see". Well
first of all, I'll tell you if you can try to go for at least 2 days in Kyoto you will not be sorry. Kyoto is why people go to Japan, you can experience a modern world with traditional culture mixed in and a city with a laid back attitude. And the other plus the countryside is literally minutes away. The first time I went we where in Kyoto for 3 days and we were so bummed we didn't have more time, the last time we went we made sure we went for at least 5 days.

Well let's say you really can't afford to be there for more than a day and when I say a day I mean from at least 9am til 9pm. You can potentially do this if you take the shinkansen from Tokyo early in the morning. So there are a few places you can visit and get a nice feeling of Kyoto. Grab a quick snack in the the Kyoto JR Station when you get off your train, to tie you over for a bit.


Kyoto Station Map page 1


Kyoto Station Map page 2


Your destinations mapped out.

PART 1-Nishiki Market

hours: varies by store, typically 9:00-1800
closed:varies by store, typically, wednesday or sunday
admission:free

Jump on the subway (Karasuma subway line-to Shijo st./karasma st.) to the Nishiki Market, it's an amazing covered outdoor/indoor food market (and other traditional goods, great for souvenirs). Nishiki Market is a great adventure for all the senses, you can find delicious foods, snacks and teas. "Nishiki Market is a narrow, shopping street, lined by more than one hundred shops. Various kinds of fresh and processed foods including many Kyoto specialties, such as pickles, Japanese sweets, dried food, sushi, and fresh seafood and vegetables are sold." The smells can range from the alarming to the sublimely delicious, pick up some tasty treats for your day. Spend 45mins to 1 hour visiting and sampling the stalls.


Nishiki Market


Nishiki Market


Nishiki Market




MAP from subway station to Nishiki Market

Getting there: Take Karasuma subway line-to Shijo station/Karasma station
You'll be on the corner of Karasuma and Shijo when you get out, walk on Shijo towards the Kamo river, walk two blocks to Takakura-dori and hang a left, walk one block, hang a right at Nishiki-Dori (hence the name Nishiki Market) and you will see it.


PART 2- Yasaka Shrine (also known as Gion Shrine) and Maruyama Park

Yasaka Shrine
hours: always open
closed:no closing days
admission:free



"Yasaka Shrine Entrance" view from street

You're done at the Nishiki Market and you've bought some treats to eat, now head back over to Shijo-dori and jump on the bus to the Yasaka Shrine. Take the 206 or 100 bus to the Gion bus stop, it's about 10-15 mins depending on traffic. You will know you're there when you see a giant orange and white temple entrance in the middle of the street, there's no missing it! The great thing about this Shrine it's in the center of the Gion so you will get to see Geishas or Maikos in full regalia just walking around. Try to go on a Sunday, during Festival or National holiday when other Japanese tourist are visiting and they dress their daughters up in Geisha or Maiko costumes for pictures, it's amazing! The Yasaka Shrine is connected to Maruyama park and if you saw "Lost in Translation" you will remember Charlotte adding a wish to the wish trees in Maruyama Park, also, she's seen skipping stones in a pond that's in the Park also. If you go during Cherry Blossom Season it's the best place to see the trees. It's a beautiful Park and the walk across it will leave you at your next destination Chion-in Temple.


"Yasaka Shrine Vendor"


"Maruyama Park"


"Geisha Model at Maruyama Park"


"Family taking pictures at Yasaka shrine" (kids looked annoyed ;) )


"Delicious bean cake treats at Yasaka shrine"


Getting there:
Take number 100 and 206 and get off at Gion bus stop. The closest train stations are Gion Shijo Station on the Keihan Line and Kawaramachi Station on the Hankyu Line.
You could potentially walk there from the Nishiki Market it'll take you about 15-20mins


Kyoto Bus Route Map



Next to come on your day itinerary
PART 3-Chion-in Temple
PART 4- via the narrow lanes of the Higashiyama ("Eastern Mountain") district en route to Kiyomizudera Temple
PART 4- Kiyomizudera Temple
PART 5- Dinner in the Gion

Zakka & Cafe FuFuFu

This is my absolutely favorite place in Kyoto, Zakka & Cafe FuFuFu. It's tiny and perfect, they serve coffee, tea and lovely tasty treats. They have a small handmade goods(zakka)store on one wall of the cafe, and the opposite wall acts as a gallery for some of their crafters' pieces. They have a little seating area where you can enjoy your beverage or snack and just wile the hours away reading or just lost in a daze of a crafter's dream. I highly recommend checking it out.

Kyoto so much loverliness: GETTING THERE

Kyoto is filled with everything that you go to Japan to see and experience, temples, cafe, gardens, traditional architecture, geishas, traditional and new foods, and everything else you expect and some surprises too. There's a lot to tell for Kyoto so this will be more than one post. First things first getting there is very easy, if you're coming by way of Tokyo or Osaka. From Tokyo Go to the JR ticket center in the East building of the Shinjuku station the day before departing to get your tickets, you are buying shinkansen tickets (bullet train), this ticket will only pay for the shinkansen, but you will be taking another train first.

Getting there: Take the JR Yamanote line from Shinjuku station to Shinagawa Station (it's about a 25 min trip)this is a separate ticket if you do not have a JR Rail Pass which I highly recommend you get one in your country of origin, the voucher that is. When you get to Shinagawa station find your gate it's really easy, it's should be on your ticket. Then you find your car # on the ticket also and stand on a line to get on the train, there are electronic signs announcing the trains coming in in Japanese and english, there are train conductor's on the platform too that you can ask if you are confused. The trip is about 2hr 20mins, bring a snack or lunch, it's very common to eat on these trains and the snacks offered by the attendants are pricey and not very nutrious.. You'll arrive at JR Kyoto station, here you'll find buses, local subways, and cab stands, take a cab to find your hotel. You'll also find a tourist information center (info below). Getting there from Osaka is really easy you have a couple of options "The JR Tokaido Shinkansen requires 15 minutes and costs 1380 Yen (by unreserved seat) from not so centrally located Shin-Osaka Station to Kyoto Station.

Almost equally fast are the special rapid trains on the JR Kyoto Line, which require about 25 minutes and cost 540 Yen from more centrally located Osaka Station to Kyoto Station.

By Hankyu Railways:

Limited express trains on the Hankyu Kyoto Line get you from Umeda Station (next to JR Osaka Station) to Karasuma and Kawaramachi Stations in central Kyoto in roughly 40 minutes and for 390 Yen.

By Keihan Railways:

Limited express trains on the Keihan Main Line get you from Yodoyabashi Station in central Osaka to Sanjo Station in central Kyoto in roughly 50 minutes and for 400 Yen." (Osaka info from Japan-guide.com)

KYOTO TOURIST INFORMATION - operated by Kyoto Prefecture
Add: 9th Fl., JR Kyoto Station, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, KYOTO 600-8216 JAPAN
Phone: 075-344-3300
Open: 10:00-18:00 daily.
Closed: 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month and Year-end and New Year Holiday.

Good Kyoto maps
map 1
map 2


Yamanote Line