Things to Do in Kyoto

One of the most fun activities to do in Kyoto is to hike through Torii gates at Fushimi Inari Shrine. The hike lets you visit the temple, and passes through fox statues made of stone, and miniature toriis. The fox statue here is believed to be a messenger of Inari, the god of rice, Shinto. The entire hike takes about one and a half hours, and you can spend about two to three hours relaxing around here. The lower loop attraction here also allows you to get sweeping views of the city. If you are looking for a quieter getaway, the top of the mountain provides a calm ambience.

Founded in the year 778 AD, and located in the Southern Higashiyama dramatic hillside, the Kiyomizu-Dera temple offers sweeping views of the city. It is one of the most fun things to do in Kyoto, and the temple has a huge main hall, made of wood. The entrance is a magnificent work of art, and you can view the red three-storey pagoda, walk the beautiful paths into the forest, and visit the strange Tainai Meguri. The best time to visit this temple is during the morning hours to avoid crowds. Do not forget to view the night illuminations, which provide an incredible view of the temple, and you can see the city light up.

If you are looking to explore some options to visit, then one of the best things to do in Kyoto is to visit the Southern Higashiyama, which also houses the Gion. It is one of the historic towns in Kyoto, and the streets here are picturesque, with wooden houses, stone pathways paved appropriately, and lantern lightings. You can also explore several temples nearby, which is yet another one of the fun activities to do in Kyoto in Gion. The best time to wander around Gion and the Southern Higashiyama is during the early morning hours or late night hours, and is a perfect place to take a relaxing stroll.

Located in the Northern Higashiyama, the Philosopher’s path is a 2 km long walkway, bridging the two most famous temples of Kyoto, namely, the Nanzen-ji and Ginkaku-ji. It is believed to be the spot for daily meditation of Japanese philosopher Nishida Kitaro. It is a great place to stroll in, and is among the most relaxing things to do in Kyoto. You can also spot temples such as Honen-in, and the nearest station to this attraction is Keage Station accessible via the Tozai line.

The Nanzen-ji temple is located at an end of the Philosopher’s path, and is one of the largest Zen temple complexes. You can spot the incredible Sanmon entrance gate, and an aqueduct large brick constructed in the reign of Meiji. You can also head to the hill into the forest from here, and it is one of the most adventurous activities to do in Kyoto, and also view a waterfall behind the temple. The rock garden here comes with a beautiful pond, and you can view the mossy rocks, and a bamboo grave here. The best time to explore this temple is during the autumn season, for its open to unique illuminations in the evening.

One of the quieter things to do in Kyoto is visiting the Yoshida Hill temples and Shrines. You can spot pristine cherry blossoms here, and can visit several attractions located nearby. The attractions include the Takenaka Inari Shrine, which is a smaller shrine, consisting of a tunnel of red torii gates, the Yoshida Jinja Shrine, which is a serene forest shrine, filled with elements such as sake barrels, the Shinnyodo temple, consisting of a massive hall and a small pond, and the Konkai Komyoji temple, which boasts a spectacular entrance.

One of the best things to do in Kyoto is to go on a food tour at the Nishiki market, which is also filled with ingredients essential to Japanese traditional cooking. Some of the essential ingredients found here are the fish, tofu, giant smothered aubergine, sweets, and snacks.The best time to visit the market is during the early hours, since the market tends to become crowded during the evenings. You can also visit the Takashimaya or Daimuru departmental stores.

Cycling along the serene Kamo river is considered to be one of the most relaxing and leisurely activities to do in Kyoto. You can find several things to do here, such as jogging, walking, or even bike riding. One of the best times to visit the Kamo river is during the summer evenings, and you can head to the Sanjo bridge, to receive sweeping views of the city. You can also indulge in open music sessions held here, along the banks of the river Kamo. Do not forget to visit the Kyoto Botanical Gardens here, and the shrine of Kamigamo jinja from the 7th century.

A narrow canal, running parallel to the Kamo river, and situated next to Kiyamachi-dori, strolling by the Takase river is considered to be one of the most fun things to do in Kyoto. You can indulge in activities such as exploring the cafes and restaurants, and viewing the Cherry tree blossoms. The southern region here is quieter, and the area between Sanjo-dori and Shijo-dori remains busy. The nearest station to this area is Sanjo station, and it is a five minute walk from the start of the canal.

Another amongst the interesting things to do in Kyoto is visiting the villages of Kibune and Kurama. The villages can be accessed by a 30 minute train ride from the north of the city. The walk uphill to the mountainous section of the village takes only 35 minutes, and you can spot some scenic views on your way uphill. You can also indulge in an outdoor bathing session at the Kurama Onsen, and can enjoy dining over the Kibune river on a suspended structure.

The massive Kyoto Botanical Gardens is one of the best places to find some chill ambience and atmosphere to relax. Strolling in the Botanical gardens is considered to be one of the best activities to do in Kyoto, especially during the evenings. The garden is home to a wide array of trees, flowers, a turtle, and a carp-filled pond, and a conservatory of plants belonging to different climatic zones. The main gardens are open from 9 am to 5 pm, while the conservatory can be visited from 10 am to 4 pm.

If you are a manga enthusiast and are looking for things to do in Kyoto, then do visit the Kyoto International Manga museum. Filled with manga comics, and novels, the museum also hosts several small exhibitions, which explain the history of Japanese contribution in the development of manga. The collection houses over 30000 documents and books, and the entire museum gives out an ambience of a library.