Going Places in Kyoto (My Idea for Kyoto Travel)
Trip Start
Mar 31, 2010
1
3
8
Trip End
Mar 31, 2010
Rakuchu, Kyōto, Japan
Monday, November 15, 2010
Tourist Attraction Rankings
Most Visited Tourist Attractions in Kyoto (by VirtualTourist, as of November 2010)
(The result mostly reflected the popularity among foreign tourists, because VirtualTourist doesn't have Japanese site.)
1. Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion)
2. Kiyomizu Temple
3. Gion - Gion Shirakawa is one of the best spots for cherry blossom viewing.
4. Nijo Castle
5. Ginkakuji Temple
6. Heianjingu Shrine - It is the Heian Palace rebuilt in smaller size in 1894 as one of the Heian Capital Relocation 1100th anniversary projects.
7. Ryoanji Temple - It is famous for its Zen Garden, or Rock Garden.
8. Arashiyama - This is very crowded both in cherry blossom and autumn leaf seasons. Personally, I believe autumn leaves are more impressive than cherry blossoms there.
9. Fushimi Inari Shrine - The shrine is the most crowded in Kyoto during New Year's holidays.
10. Toji Temple - It's the closest temple to Kyoto Station.
11. Sanjusangendo Hall (Rengeoin Temple)
12. Philosopher's Path - It is famous for its cherry blossoms.
13. Kyoto Imperial Palace - It is open only twice a year.
14. Kyoto Station - Is this a tourist attraction? Some people seems to get interested in the architecture. It has an official website in Japanese, which includes a guide map in English.
15. Kyoto Tower - It's a candle-shaped tower.
16. Kyoto National Museum
17. Nanzenji Temple
18. Pontocho
19. Higashi Honganji
20. Cities Outside of Kyoto
Popular Tourist Attractions in Kyoto (by TripAdvisor, as of November 2010)
((The result seemingly reflected the popularity among Japanese tourists, because TripAdvisor has Japanese site. Actually, the ranking includes seasonal tourist attractions.)
1. Sanjusangendo Hall (Rengeoin Temple) - It's famous for 1,001 statues of Goddess of Kannon.
2. Kiyomizu Temple (Golden Pavilion)
3. Kenninji Temple
4. Fushimi Inari Shrine
5. Kinkakuji Temple
6. Arashiyama - Late March and late November are its peak time for cherry blossoms viewing and autumn leaf viewing respectively.
7. Nanzenji Temple - Sanmon Gate and Aqueduct are its popular attractions.
8. Eikan-do (Zenrinji Temple) - This temple is very popular among Japanese tourists in autumn leaf season.
9. Ninanji Temple
10. Shimogamo Shrine
11. Kodaiji Temple - The surface of Garyuike Pond is just like a mirror at night, reflecting trees around it. The best season to visit the temple is late November, because of beautiful autumn leaves.
12. Kamigamo Shrine
13. Tofukuji Temple - The best attraction of the temple is autumn leaves in late November.
14. Ginkakuji Temple
15. Kyoto Cycling Tour Project (http://www.kctp.net/en/) - I wouldn't take it, because Kyoto is a big city with a lot of attractions and I don't waste my time just in moving from place to place, but you may like it, if you are health concious or eco-friendly.
16. Suzumushi Temple - It is popular only among Japanese tourists and it has got more popular these days.
17. Tenryuji Temple - It's famous for its garden. The best season to visit the temple is late autumn.
18. Toji Temple
19. Katsura Imperial Vila - You have to make a reservation far in advance. I have never been there for that reason.
20. Sanzenin Temple - It's a bit far from the centre of Kyoto.
Most Popular Tourist Attractions in Kyoto among Japanese (by Web-Town Kyoto)
(Web-Town Kyoto is a Japanese site, which is visited only by Japanese and Japanese language speakers. They counted the number of access to each page describing each destination.)
1. Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion)
2. Sanjusangendo Hall (Rengeoin Temple)
3. Kiyomizu Temple - A lot of people have believed a superstition and jumped off from the stage of this temple to make their wish come true.
4. Ginkakuji Temple
5. Nijo Castle
6. Teradaya Inn - This is not a traveller's inn. It is historically important site. I guess this attraction is popular only in this year (2010), thanks to the NHK period drama "Ryoma-den".
7. Ryoanji Temple
8. Toji Temple
9. Daitokuji Temple
10. Shimogamo Shrine
11. Nanzenji Temple
12. Chionin Temple - It has the largest wooden gate of the world.
13. Tenryuji Temple - Weeping cherry blossoms are really beautiful.
14. Heianjingu Shrine - It is one of the best sites to enjoy cherry blossom viewing.
15. Kitano Tenmangu Shrine - It has an autumn leaf garden.
16. Jingoji Temple - It is famous for its autumn leaves.
17. Yasaka Shrine
18. Maruyama Park - It is famous for its cherry blossoms.
19. Kozanji Temple - A world heritage site
20. Tofukuji Temple - Beautiful autumn leaves attract a lot of visitors in late November.
Most Popular Tourist Attractions for Cherry Blossom Viewing in Kyoto (by tenki.jp, 2010)
This is just a case of ranking.
1. Ninnaji Temple (Imperial Cherry Blossoms)
2. Daigoji Temple - Toyotomi Hideyoshi held a cherry blossoms viewing party there.
3. Hirano Shrine
4. Kodaiji Temple - Garyu Pond of this temple is just like a mirror reflecting trees around it.
5. Kiyomizu Temple - You can enjoy illuminated cherry blossoms at night there.
6. Arashiyama Area
7. Nijo Castle
8. Maruyama Park - The park is famous for its weeping cherry tree.
9. Nanzenji Temple
10. Philosopher's Walk - It's a free tourist attraction near Ginkakuji and Nanzenji Temple.
Japan Cherry Blossom Association has selected top 100 viewing spots of Japan. Kyoto City is home to three of them: Ninnaji Temple, Daigoji Temple, and Arashiyama Area.
Most Popular Tourist Attractions for Autumn Leaf Viewing in Kyoto (by nifty travel, 2010)
In fact, there are a lot of on-line rankings of autumn leaf viewing spots of Kyoto. This is just one of them.
1. Jingoji Temple
2. Arashiyama Area - The area round Togetsukyo Bridge is terribly crowded.
3. Kiyomizu Temple
4. Eikan-do - Don't visit there at night.
5. Tenryuji Temple
6. Tofukuji Temple
7. Jojakkoji Temple - Highly recommendable
8. Kifune Area
9. Kodaiji Temple
10. Daikakuji Temple
To view autumn leaves, a lot of tourists from all over the country visit Kyoto. Autumn leaves can be seen almost everywhere in Japan, but why does Kyoto attract so many visitors. One of the reasons is that old temples and shrines of Kyoto are in harmony with autumn leaves. Both the architectures and autumn leaves have something in common: "All glories must fade", a teaching of Buddhism. Another reason is that people can view autumn leaves in well-maintained gardens of temples and shrines. You may have to pay an admission fee, but they have to collect the fee to maintain their beautiful gardens. Some people say that autumn leaves of Kyoto are not as grand as those of Kanto District. It may be true and, in fact, foreigners may prefer the mountains which are covered with autumn leaves. However, the autumn leaves of Kyoto has a different taste for the above-mentioned reasons.
UNESCO's World Heritage Sites (Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto)
Seventeen sites of temples, shrines, and a castle are designated as UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. My recommendations are shown in boldface.
1. Rakuchu & Rakuto (Central Kyoto & Eastern Kyoto)
Kiyomizu Temple, Toji Temple, Nishihonganji Temple, Nijo Castle, Shimogamo Shrine, Ginkakuji Temple, Enryakuji Temple (Otsu City)
2. Rakuhoku & Rakusai (Northern Kyoto & Western Kyoto)
Kamigamo Shrine, Kinkakuji Temple, Ryoanji Temple, Ninnaji Temple, Saihoji Temple (Koke-dera), Kozanji Temple, Tenryuji Temple
3. Rakunan (Southern Kyoto)
Byodoin Temple, Ujigami Shrine, Daigoji Temple
Kyoto World Heritage Map
http://www.pref.kyoto.jp/visitkyoto/en/theme/sites/shrines/w_heritage/
This is a webpage of "Welcome to Kyoto: The Kyoto Region English Sightseeing Website". The contents are simple, comprehensive, and surely useful to Kyoto travellers.
Fine Japanese Gardens of Kyoto
There are a lot of Japanese gardens in Kyoto and I made a list of top 10 finest gardens based on 2010 Shiosai Rankings.
1. Katsura Rikyu (Detached Palace) - Reservation is needed. It's hard to get a ticket.
2. Murin-an (Estate) - It's a fomer estate of Yamagata Aritomo.
3. Heian-kaikan (Hotel) - It's open to public for free.
4. Nijo Castle Ninomaru Garden - It's permanently open to public.
5. Nijo Castle Seiryu-en Garden - It's open to public only a couple of times a year.
6. Rengeji Temple Garden
7. Shirakawa-in (Teacher's Retreat)
8. Shisen-do (Former Residence)
9. Sambo-in (Sub-temple) - It is a sub-temple of Daigoji Temple.
10. Jyunsei (Restaurant)
2010 Shiosai Rankings
http://www.rothteien.com/magnet/shiosai2010.htm
JOJG announced the result of their 2010 survey of fine Japanese gardens. The number of gardens surveyed came up to 841.
Free Admission Tourist Attractions
When you visit tourist attractions including temples and shrines in Kyoto, you usually have to pay JPY 300-600 for an admission. The cost piles up, if you visit several attractions. On the other hand, there are some temples and shrines charging no entrance fee. Here are some examples.
1. Kitano Tenmangu Shrine - except for the Japanese apricot garden and treasure house
2. Kyoto Gyoen National Garden
3. Kyoto Imperial Palace, Shugakuin Villa, Katsura Villa - booking essential
4. Shimogamo Shrine
5. Kamigamo Shrine
6. Chionin - except for the gardens
7. Ninna-ji Temple - except for cherry blossom viewing season and the palace
8. Nishi Hongan-ji Temple
9. Higashi Hongan-ji Temple
10. Yasaka Shrine
11. Fushimi Inari Shrine
12. Kifune Shrine
13. To-ji Temple - except for the tower and hall
14. Nanzen-ji Temple - except for Hojo Garden, Nanzen-in Sub-temple, Sanmon Gate
15. Heian Jingu Shrine - except for the garden
16. Rokuhara Mitsu-ji Temple - except for the treasure house
17. Ujigami Shrine
18. Shinnyo-do - except for the hall
19. Hirano Shrine
20. Nonomiya Shrine
I have visited Kyoto on a school excursion at the age of 11 for the first time. At that time, I travelled with my teachers and classmates, visiting some of the most popular tourist attractions including Kinkakuji Temple, Kiyomizu Temple and Byodoin Temple like foreign tourists. I still remember clearly that Golden Pavilion was under renovation on the day. Come to think of it, I wonder why we couldn't change our plan to visit another tourist attraction. Still, it was a great trip for a first-timer of Kyoto. Since then, I have returned to Kyoto several times with different expectations such as beautiful cherry blossoms and autumn leaves, and I am still not bored with Kyoto.
Kyoto (from Japan in Motion)
http://www.japan-in-motion.com/jim/item/mov_258/
http://www.japan-in-motion.com/jim/item/mov_257/
There are some different videos related to Kyoto here.
http://www.en.japan-in-motion.com/jim/movtag/kyoto/
NHK World Kyoto Special
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQ1NUlXxTgY&feature=related
Take a quick peek at Kyoto attractions.
Kyoto Digital Museum Series
You may be interested not only in tourist attractions, but also in its history, tradition, or geography. Then, the videos listed below are useful.
Ishizue (foundation) - legacies of history of Kyoto
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71p8tGOIz4U
Hagukumi (nurturing) - five rivers of Kyoto
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEPy29qfjHQ&feature=channel
Hanayagi (beauty) - five entertainment areas of Kyoto
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJ9jCoTS808&feature=channel
NY times - Fugal Traveller: Kyoto, Japan Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkQhQTXwPrA
The video is funny, but his experience in Kyoto is one of the worst cases.
The Zen Mind - An Introduction
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XK_4Z5DZcNM&feature=related
Zen is a practice to live a life without resisting the current of time and people. It sounds difficult to me....
Interview with a Zen Buddhist Priest
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCrjsNupauQ&feature=channel
Eight-four-year-old priest talks about the health benefit of Sitting Zen in English. He proves it himself.
