The oldest Zen-temple in Kyoto, Kennin-ji isn’t just important spiritually, it’s also full of beautiful artworks including an amazing painted dragon ceiling – yet it’s not always on everyone’s ‘Kyoto sights list’. Here’s why it should be – especially if you’re an art lover.
Kyoto
The best advice for planning, and enjoying, your trip to Kyoto, Japan. Find out tips on what to do, when to go, where to stay and more.
Is it Worth Paying Extra at Tofuku-Ji?
Tofuku-ji is one of the quieter, large temple complexes in Kyoto to visit. You pay to get in, but then you can pay an extra 1000 fee to enter two extra areas – the bridge and the garden – but is it worth it? I coughed up the cash to find out…
11 Day Trips from Kyoto
There is a lot to do in Kyoto – there are, after all, over 2000 shrines and temples alone, but it’s also surrounded by other cool places to visit for the day. So, if you have a spare day during your Kyoto trip, where could you spend it? Here are 11 ideas.
How to Spend One Day in Kyoto’s Sake District
Relatively undiscovered by many Western tourists, the town of Fushimi, just outside Kyoto, is a great place to spend a few hours – especially if you like sake, samurai, engineering or Japanese monsters. Here’s our guide on what to do when you arrive…
23 Things to Do in Kyoto – With Teens
There’s a lot to do in Kyoto, but on the face of it, it can look very shrine-and-culture-heavy, which might not go down so well if you’re travelling with teenagers. So, here are 23 fun ideas to keep them happy as well – from cool photo shoots to spooky nighttime walks.
22 Places to Escape the Crowds in Kyoto
Kyoto is one of the most popular places to visit in Japan, and as such, it can get very crowded; however, most of the crowds tend to congregate around the same few sights. If you know where to look, you can find the peaceful Kyoto you crave.
Kyoto Weather Guide – What to Expect Month-by-Month
‘What’s the weather going to be when I visit?’ is one of the most common questions I get asked in my Japan Planning Facebook group. Now, if I knew the exact answer to that, I’d be rich, particularly as the weather seems to be changing in Japan, so even past averages might not be relevant today – but I can at least give you a rough idea of what to expect in Kyoto each month…
The Truth About Kyoto’s New Hotel Tax
‘Kyoto is slapping on a hotel tax of 10,000 yen (US$65) per person, per night,’ say the headlines. But headlines don’t always tell the whole truth – so, here’s what’s really happening to hotel prices in Kyoto.