Go for gold at Kinkaku-ji

Also known as The Golden Pavilion, the gilded upper layers would be striking enough on their own but the real wonder here is how the architecture always perfectly complements its natural surroundings no matter the time of year. Being Japan, there is an efficient one-way traffic system which is politely policed. The photo you (and heaps of other visitors) will want to get is the temple reflected in the pond out the front and unless you want heaps of randos in your shot it’s best to visit early on a weekday. The temple opens at 9am. Another temple well worth visiting is Kiyomizu-dera which perches high above the city and is part of the Ancient Kyoto Unesco World Heritage site.

Book here for a tour that visits both sites

Ascend the gates at Fushimi Inari-Taisha

This Shinto shrine embodies one of Buddhism’s central tenets in that the journey matters as much as the destination. The most immediate and striking aspect of its pathway is the 10,000 almost neon orange gateways which line it. Known as torii, the gates stem from the Edo period and are donated by businesses or individuals to the temple in recognition of success and the gratitude that comes with it. It’s most crowded down the bottom but the visitors thin out the higher you get. Don’t be in a rush to get climbing though as the lower stretches of the shrine are dotted with the fox statues which revere the Shinto god Inari. Who watches over the very specific departments of rice and tea as well as the very broad ones of agriculture and business. Sunrise is the best time to visit to observe the monks stepping mindfully to work.

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See how the shoguns lived at Nijo Castle

The Tokugawa shoguns who lived here were very security conscious for obvious reasons. So much so that many of the approaches were across water and then intruders were faced with vertical stone walls. If they made it inside, they encountered a pair of the most bizarre lion statues you will ever see. Which is what happens when the sculptors are working entirely from descriptions and text. If that wasn’t enough to frighten them away, the shogun added nightingale floors - so named that they squeak when you walk across them barefoot and provide yet another alert for potential assassins. That’s not to say it was all austere battlements though. The shoguns lived large with high-end decor, exquisite gardens and immaculate gardens designed to convey an impression of wealth. Kind of like if you live in Australia and your couch doesn’t touch the wall.

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Boss of the moss at Saiho-ji

You can’t visit Kyoto with going to at least one garden. And this is the only one that so moved David Bowie that he penned the track Moss Garden on the 1977 album Heroes. There are over 120 kinds of moss on display here and it is so popular that you need to register way in advance. Like two months in advance.

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Matcha matcha man

Kyoto’s tea game is especially strong with matcha topping the bill. If you want to taste it at the source, a day trip to the tiered plantations of Wakuza will quench your thirst. Prefer to stay in town? Ippodotea is all about tradition and ceremony while Saryo Suisen knocks out crazy delicious matcha desserts. For a delicious accompaniment, order the wagashi - a red bean pastry.

Get on the ramen

The city’s first ramen stall apparently debuted in 1961 and there are now infinite varieties to try. Bear in mind though that the city leans towards the rich, fatty broths of the tonkotsu style. On the high-end side of things Kyoto Gogyo turns up the heat to create a burnt ramen - think a char on ingredients and smokey flavours galore. One of our favourites is Uzu Kyoto which is not only vegan but includes the Reversible Rotation artwork from Japanese uber creators teamLab on the wall. Just quietly, it is in the midst of building the teamLab Museum Kyoto and a must visit when it’s finally launched. Want a bargain ramen? Hit up Karako in the Okazaki Museum District and Ippudo downtown.

Eat it all at Nishiki Market

Nishiki started as an open-air fish market 400 years ago but today is a temple to all things gastronomic. It’s 400 metres long, 3.9 metres wide and crammed with 130 vendors. Some sell kitchen hardware but since you probably won’t be stashing knives in your luggage for the return trip home, it’s probably best to go to the fresh food section. The soy milk doughnuts are highly recommended as are the sweet omelettes known as dashimaki tamago. The beef sushi is also sublime and if you’re unsure of anything, heaps of vendors will tempt you with a sample. 

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Hit the shops

Have a yen to spend some? The bougie brands cluster around the intersection of Shijo and Kawaramachi streets but if you keep wandering along Shijo street towards the Yasaka shrine, smaller, groovier fashion and craft shops begin to spring up. Also branching off Shijo street are the Teramachi and Shin Kyoguku shopping arcades.

Immerse yourself in manga

Tokyo gets a lot of the cred when it comes to anime and manga but the Kyoto International Manga Museum is up there with the world’s best. Worth the journey alone is the Wall of Manga, a 200 metre stretch of culture encompassing some 50,000 books.

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Stay in a luxury ryokan

The Suiran hotel sits beside the Hozu River and runs just 39 rooms which channel many traditional ryokan with a bunch of contemporary touches. For the most authentic stay, book the Kyotsukikoto room with its tatami mats and sliding doors. Also worth noting is that 17 out of the 39 rooms offer private onsen bathing. The Kyo-Suiran restaurant is also pretty special. Not just for the intersection of washoku cuisine and French cuisine but the fact that it is housed in a century old traditional villa built in 1899 by Baron Shozo Kawasaki.

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Wander the Gion district

Want those Nippon time machine vibes? This neighbourhood has the rizz thanks to its wooden townhouses, willow trees, cherry blossoms and bamboo fences. If a highlight of your Japanese trip includes seeing a geisha, this is where it’s most likely to happen. But for the love of all that is decent, leave them alone. While you’re there check out the magnficent Minamiza kabuki theatre.

Book show tickets here

See also:

6 of the best foodie stays in Kyoto

Six Senses Kyoto opens in Japan

We stayed at Ace Kyoto