Japan It is one of the best destinations in the Asia Pacific region. Twenty years ago few were the travelers who ventured to meet him but the truth is that despite the language barrier, today the streets of Tokyo are exploding with foreigners.
But Tokyo is the capital so, as always, one must travel a bit to truly feel the spirit of another culture. Kyoto is another of the tourist cities, but somehow there has been preserved that ancient and zen atmosphere that one always relates to the land of the rising sun. Let's see what excursions can we schedule from Kyoto.
Kyoto
It is a city where a million and a half people live and the ancestral charm has it because It has been the capital of the country for over a thousand years. Rest in a valley, like many of the Japanese cities, so wherever you see there are gentle mountains.
From Tokyo you arrive by bullet train, the modern shinkansen, in a trip of two hours and a bit more. The journey is super enjoyable and Kyoto Station is a hyper-modern, multi-storey commercial building with a terrace. It is another of the tourist attractions of the city.
In its surroundings you have the Kyoto Tower, a structure that is some decades old, and the Imperial Palace, but to see the most famous temples or the traditional neighborhoods you have to move a little. In good weather, walking is the best because the distances are not that long either.
Now, one must leave Kyoto and know its surroundings because there are wonderful places that, knowing them, enrich the experience of the trip.
Excursions west of Kyoto
The destination I recommend the most is Arashiyama. It is a tourist village that was already visited by ancient nobles in previous centuries. If you go in the fall or spring, the two times when the landscape is dyed in fabulous colors, it is a must-see destination.
From Kyoto you can get there by train. If you bought the Japan Rail Pass you can take the JR Sagano line and in just 15 minutes you will arrive in Arashiyama. From there you move on foot, but my advice is that rent a bike so you don't miss anything. Moving by bike is the best.
If you don't have the JRP the train ride is only 240 yen. Another transportation option is to take the little train on the Keifuku Arashiyama Line that connects Kyoto with Omiya Station.
In Arashiyama you can tour the tourist center, with typical cafes and restaurants, and strolling through the Togetsukyo Bridge. There is a part of the river waters that has been fenced off and they rent some small boats that allow you to walk around and are very fun. There is a moored boat that sells drinks and food so if the day is nice you have a great time. Another great destination in Arashiyama is the bamboo forest.
Here there are usually a lot of people so if you go in high season, go early. Moving around with the bike, (whose rent is around 1000 yen), it will be easier for you to get to the northern part of the town that is less touristy and more rural, with small temples here and there, mountain paths to go through and little groves.
Finally, a walk that I also highly recommend is taking the Saga Scenic Train It only travels seven kilometers from Arashiyama to Kameoka along the Hozu River. It is only 25 kilometers fast and the distance covers it in 25 minutes. It is worth doing, the tour is really beautiful. On the other hand, if you like to travel by boat you can do a One-hour pleasure cruise on the same river.
In summer it is in boats without a roof and in winter in covered and heated boats. In each one 25 people travel and the trip goes from Kameoka to Arashiyama. Autumn is the best time to go because the autumn colors are the perfect setting. It costs 4100 yen.
In western Kyoto you can also visit a site that is World Heritage: The Kokedera Temple. It is a temple whose garden is a universe of moss, a postcard from a Tolkien book that hides around 120 varieties of moss. This place was originally part of a princely residence and later became a Zen temple in the XNUMXth century.
Here you can participate in religious activities of the place, copy a sutra with the help of a monk and then yes, go out to the garden.
Kokedera is a 20-minute walk from Matsuo Taisha Station on the Hankyu Arashiyama Line. If instead you prefer to arrive from Kyoto, you should take the Karasuma Line subway to Shijo station and from there change to the Hankyu Kyoto Line to Katsura station, less than ten minutes more. Here you change back to the Hankyu Arashiyama Line to Matsuo Taisha Station, about five more minutes. For 430 yen in total you do the whole tour.
Note that to enter the temple you must reserve by means of a letter with your name and address and the date of your visit. A week before, at least. Point: Saihoji Temple, 56 Jingatani-cho, Matsuo. Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto. 615-8286. The cost is 3000 yen per person and pay it upon arrival.
If you like old Japanese residences, an imperial villa is your destination: the Katsura Imperial Villa. The house and its gardens were completed in the mid-XNUMXth century and for the Katsura family, part of the Japanese imperial family. The visit is on tour but a free tour. The good news is that the audio guide is free Also: you take a walk around the garden and its beautiful pond, although the buildings can only be seen from the outside and photos are only allowed in some places.
The villa is 15 minutes from Katsura Station of the Hankyu Kyoto Line. You can also take a bus from Kyoto Station, number 33, and get there in 20 minutes. Guided tours of this imperial villa take place six times a day except on Mondays. To sign up you must book at the Imperial Agency office inside the Kyoto Imperial Park or online (although this option is always completed very quickly).
These are the best destinations to the west of Kyoto but among the excursions I cannot leave out the Fushimi Inari Shrine, even if it is a destination to the north. It is a super famous postcard, that of the thousands of red toris that line kilometers of roads linking temples on the slopes of Inari Mountain (Inari is the Shinto god of rice).
The climb takes more than half an hour and leaves you at the top with wonderful views. The shrine is reached from Kyoto Station by taking the JR Nara Line. There are only two stations, it never closes and admission is free.