TOP THINGS TO DO in KYOTO in 2024 | Japan Travel Guide

Kyoto the name itself Whispers of an ancient wisdom unlike many busy cities Kyoto speaks in a different [Music] voice here The Echoes of history and of a unique cultural identity intertwined with the energy of the present [Music] but Kyoto doesn't reveal its Secrets all at once it speaks to each visitor in its own way inviting us to discover the unique blend of its past and present if you're in Kyoto then allow me to show you the way I'm King Laxon and let's talk about the five ways you could di

scover [Music] Kyoto Kyoto is a city with long threads of History where temples and shrines stand as guardians of time there are many landmarks for you to explore but let me give you some of my favorites our exploration begins at kium mizera a temple built more than 12200 years ago with an admission fee of 400 Yen it's famous for its wooden stage that Jets out from the main hall [Music] as you can see it was packed when we got there I recommend going early for a quieter experience as it could ge

t overwhelming at busy hours the temple is huge it is the biggest temple that we've gone to fun fact it was relieved before that if you jumped from the main hall down to the ground that you would have good luck it's quite a high jump so I guess you really are lucky if you survive and if you don't survive then it doesn't really matter if you have good luck does [Music] [Music] it next we venture to Northwest Kyoto to visit King Kakui or the golden Pavilion which has an entrance fee of 500 yen for

adults and 300 Yen for [Music] students adorned with gold leaf Kakui was originally built in the 14th century as a retirement Villa for a Shogun and is a reflection of the extravagant culture of the period's Aristocrats make sure to toss a coin on one of the kaku's coin TOS statues to gain good luck and [Music] Fortune a 20 minute walk from kinkakuji will lead you to ranji a UNESCO world heritage site renowned for its Rock Garden The Rock Garden State of construction and its meaning are unknown

with its meaning and clear it's up to each viewer to find its meaning for themselves the idan's entrance fee is 500 yen for adults and 300 Yen for [Music] students a 3-minute walk from the Jr Inari station takes you to Kyoto's most important Shrine Fushimi inar TAA established 1300 years ago dedicated to the Shinto God of rice Inari Fushimi Inari is made up of five main shrines and many smaller sub [Music] shrines Fushimi inari's Tor Gates lead you into the forest of the Sacred Mount inad if yo

u'd like to walk to the mountain Summit and back allot yourself 2 to 3 hours to do so you'll see Fox statues throughout the shrine as they are believed to be the messenger of the Gods in Kyoto tradition isn't something preserved in museums but is woven into the fabric of everyday life you can immerse yourself in Kyoto's culture and tradition in various ways during my visit at Fushimi inad I had the privilege of witnessing an event called mikagura held in the evening and under the light of a bonf

ire the staff of the shrine sang and danced for the god inat there are many websites for you to find details of upcoming events in Kyoto I'll put the sites I used into this video's description box part of my trip to Kyoto also included a truly unique stay I spent two nights in a machia a traditional wooden townhouse it felt like entering a world from a different time with its cool to Tammy mats wooden floorboards and enclosed Garden you can book machas such as this through cluk and I listed some

of Kyoto's machas on the description box also so of course there are other ways to connect with Kyoto's culture with the simplest being following proper etiquette some of these include removing your shoes before entering the main Halls of temples and shrines and leaving them in designated areas when you're seeing Aisha remember that they are on a schedule so they will never stop to Poe for photos remember to respect their personal space never touch or follow them and when you're visiting a temp

le or Shrine remember to Bow before ENT entering through the Tor Gates before praying purify yourself at the designated fountain or stone Basin by using the ladle to wash your hands and rinse your mouth when praying offer a coin and alert the gods of your presence by ringing the temple or Shrine Bell then bow twice clap twice pray and finish off with another bow Kyoto is a city that pulsates with life and its natural attractions are no exception the arashiyama bamboo forest with its towering bam

boos is a popular destination for visitors from all over the world this vibrant atmosphere is part of the charm of Kyoto but if you want more tranquil experience there are ways to find it visiting at Sunrise allows you to experience the magic of many of Kyoto's sites with less crowds and if you're looking for an alternative to the bamboo forest you could visit adashino busui which is only a mile away and also has a bamboo [Music] Grove when visiting the arashiyama bamboo forest also Venture into

okochi sanso okochi sanso's Gardens are designed to showcase the best Foliage for each season there is a modest entrance fee of 1,000 yen but it includes a cup of matcha [Music] tea and since you're in the area also visit the iwatayama monkey Park which is home to Japanese Mako you can do it come on walk with an admission fee of 600 yen for adults and 300 Yen for children the Maco freely roam the park offering you a glimpse into their natural behavior we stayed here for at least 2 hours cuz wat

ching the monkeys was extremely amusing exploring Kyoto is amazing but navigating transportation and booking unique experiences can get overwhelming and that is why I highly recommend cluke the sponsor of today's video cluke makes everything super easy you can book unique experiences like stay in a machia or your Jr passes with free shipping cluke is available in multiple languages and dozens of currencies making the process easy wherever you are in the world so let's say you want to book a Jr p

ass if you're using the mobile app all you have to do is pick transport select the regions you're traveling to and cluke provides you with the types of Jr passes available to you let's pick the whole Japan Rail Pass select the number of days you're traveling and train Class have it shipped to you for free and add a free digital guide to maximizing your Jr pass provide your shipping and payment details and cluke will do the rest of the work sign up using my link below and get 5% off your first bo

oking on the cluke app with the code better on app now let's talk about food no exploration of Kyoto is complete without food whether it's coffee or wagu Kyoto offers A Feast for the taste buds one of my favorite moments from our trip was getting a coffee and just sitting on the edge of the katsura river I I enjoyed it so much that I forgot to record the whole thing but you don't have to venture far to get good food as Kyoto's famous temples often have clusters of food stalls around them offerin

g an accessible and affordable way to sample local favorites whether you're craving something sweet or savory these stalls offer a sampling of Kyoto's Rich culinary [Music] heritage interesting if you're in Fushimi inar keep a lookout for a house near the exits of the shrine that sells this sweet rice porridge with ginger for a truly immersive culinary experience Nishiki Market is a must visit Nishiki Market offers an incredible array of fresh produce local Delicacies and enticing street food op

tions it's hard to practice self-restraint here I tried so so much food Meat and seafood skewers wagu beef fish cakes matcha desserts this matcha latte was only 385 Yen and the ice cream was 550 Yen yeah 550 Yen for a premium ice cream but premium doesn't mean sweet premium means strong and matcha flavor strong bitter flavor so just take note of that premium doesn't always mean sweeter yeah we finished off with some Japanese whiskey also available from a stall in the Shiki Market before calling

it a [Music] day amidst koto's vibrant energy lies a profound sense of Serenity but it isn't just found in the city's physical space it's a feeling you yourself cultivate when you're in the city you could always find Serenity in the moments in between but moments of actual quiet also help I found that strolling through yaka ginger in the evening did that for me it was a stark contrast to the buzzing atmosphere the shrine had on the [Music] daytime there was also the night illumination at the kai

i temple which invites you to appreciate the beauty in the details many of Kyoto's temples do night illuminations throughout the four seasons kaii does its one every season except winter I'll link the schedule on the description box even gon changes when the Sun goes down we strolled here at around 9:00 p.m. and the deserted streets offered a chance to appreciate Kyoto's Timeless Beauty remember Kyoto speaks to each visitor in its own way listen closely be open to new experiences and allow yours

elf to be swept away by the magic of the city do you have any hidden gems you discovered in Kyoto or tips for fellow Travelers let us know in the comments below thanks for watching mat see you later [Music] bye [Music]