Kyoto

Overview

Kyoto was Japan's capital for over a thousand years, and it still moves at the pace of a place that isn't trying to prove anything. Behind convenience-store facades you'll find lantern-lit alleys, moss gardens tended by monks, and machiya townhouses that have stood since the Edo period. Come for the temples; stay for the way the whole city seems to slow your pulse.

Getting There

Fly into Kansai International (KIX) or Osaka Itami, then take a 75-minute train into central Kyoto. If you're coming from Tokyo, the Nozomi shinkansen covers the distance in about two and a half hours — reserve a seat on the right-hand side for a glimpse of Mt. Fuji.

Top Experiences

• Walk the Fushimi Inari torii gate trail before 7am, while it still belongs to the foxes and the joggers
• Sit with a bowl of matcha in a Higashiyama teahouse and watch the rain move across the tiled roofs
• Cycle the Kamo River path at dusk, when families spread out on the banks to eat convenience-store dinners
• Spend a full, unhurried morning in Arashiyama's bamboo grove, then continue on to the quieter Otagi Nenbutsu-ji temple

Local tip: Skip the queue at Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Pavilion) by visiting on a weekday right at opening. By 10am, tour buses arrive in force.

Food to Try

Kyoto's kaiseki tradition turns dinner into a seasonal narrative, but you don't need a formal restaurant to eat well. Try yudofu (simmered tofu) near Nanzen-ji, grab skewers along Pontocho Alley, and don't skip the department store basement food halls (depachika) — they're a legitimate meal, not just a snack stop.

Practical Info

• Currency: Japanese Yen (¥) — carry cash, many smaller shops don't take cards
• Getting around: Buses cover the temple circuit well; a day pass pays for itself after three rides
• Language: Basic English signage is common near major sights, less so elsewhere
• Etiquette: Remove shoes wherever you see a raised floor, and keep phone calls off public transport