Original shops with old crafts for tourists in Kyoto Japan

Kyoto is one of Japan’s most important cities in terms of culture and history. The city is located in the southwest of the Japanese main island of Honshü. The city was the seat of the emperor from 794 to 1868. The 14 temples and Shinto shrines in the city were declared World Heritage in 1994. In the old town there are also original shops with old handicrafts.

The sights of the city for tourists

The main attractions of the city are to the east with the Ginkakuji and Kiyomizudera temples and the historical districts around Gion and Higashiyama. The Kiyomizudera is one of the most visited temples in Japan. To the west of the city in the Arshiyama area are a bamboo forest, gardens and imperial mansions. The bamboo forest is worth seeing and is therefore also worth a visit. The city’s most famous temple is located in the northern area. This is the Kikakuji Temple – translated “Golden Temple” -. A bit further away, Kurama and Kibune are suitable for walking. The Kinkakuji – the golden pavilion – is covered with real gold and is also a very popular sight on the outskirts. In the south of the city is the Fushimi Inari Shrine. There are thousands of red shrine gates lined up for miles. A path leads through these rows of gates. Here you can walk uphill for over an hour and take in the extraordinary atmosphere. A visit to the Nishiki Market should also not be missed. Here you can try local specialties and stock up on pickled sour vegetables.

The transportation options

As already mentioned, many of the sights are on the outskirts. Thus, there is also a certain amount of time to drive from one place to the next sightseeing point. There is a subway in the city. But not all of the outskirts of the city are included in the subway network. For this reason one is partly dependent on the bus connections and therefore one should also allow enough time to get from the east to the south or to the east of the city, for example. It makes sense to then plan a day for each point of the compass. Some of the sights can also be explored by bike. There are many cycle paths in the city that can also be used for this purpose. There are many places to rent bicycles.