The City of Kyoto……. just to say you have been to Kyoto City is a status in itself. However, if you have a particular purpose to go to Kyoto, whether it be the Culture, the History, Architecture, the traditional Kyoto Cuisine, or even seeing and learning about the 3000 some Temples and Shrines, your stay in Kyoto will be all the more memorable.
Temples and Shrines that are registered and World Heritage locations, the atmospheric smell of the 3 most important traditional festivals (Gion Festival, Festival of Ages, The Aoi Festival), with over 1200 years of being the Capitol of Japan, Kyoto is a remarkable sightseeing destination.
Traditional Cuisine, Kyoto branded produce, Japanese Sweets, Kyoto style household dishes are just the tip of the iceberg when you mention “Gourmet”.
Even if you are a repeating visitor there is still so much to discover within the city limits and also throughout the vast Kyoto Prefecture.
With Japan’s distinct seasons, Kyoto is attractive at anytime of the year. You can plan your tour around the Cherry Blossoms, dazzling colors of the Fall, as well as the bright new green foliage in the start of Summer. If you happen to be in Kyoto when it snows, that in itself will be a memory for life. Imagine the Golden Pavilion in snow? You can be as active as you want, with hiking on the Kyoto Trail, biking the local areas, flowing down a river in traditional merchant boat, taking a rickshaw ride, and if a Family, the list continues. When needed, you can include that all important wind down time also.
Walking the narrow streets of Kyoto that are often lined with Kyo-Machiya or traditional Kyoto styled Houses, often lead you to stumble on to things not usually found by Overseas Visitors. Along with the height restriction and color restriction, the entire inner city feels like something out of the past. To sum Kyoto up into one word, Kyoto has something for everyone. Whether you are an artist, avid gardener, collector of antiques, museum lover, and even if you are a Sake admirer, there will always be something in Kyoto to satisfy your needs and interests. Hands on experience such as Tea Ceremony’s, exclusive dinners with the Maiko and Geiko (Geisha), Kintsugi gold repairing of ceramics, calligraphy, Zazen meditation, Exclusive World heritage Temple experience with your own personal Monk, Ikebana flower arrangements are in abundance.
Beyond the city limits, Kyoto Prefecture has much to offer also. From Amanohashidate, one of the three most scenic natural locations in Japan located on the Coast of the Japan Sea, to a quaint little fishing village with the houses situated over the water. Inland, visit the preserved Miyama Village which has 39 traditional thatched roof houses, a marvel in architectural terms. Visit the vast Tea Farm areas and use your five senses to immerse yourself into the fascinating Kyoto prefecture.
Highlights: Arashiyama Area (Bamboo Forest) • Fushimi Inara Taisha Shrine • Kiyomizu Temple • Golden Pavilion • Silver Pavilion • Sake Production area of Fushimi • Sanjusangendo Temple • Uji City • Miyama Village • Amanohashidate (Ine-cho Fish Village) • The many museums and galleries • Nishiki Markets • Ponto-cho alley • Gion traditional Geisha area
Recommended length of stay: 4-5 days