Once the the capital of Japan, Kyoto is a soulful and soft-spoken city on the island of Honshu. Uniquely beautiful, this amazing city is known for its numerous classical Buddhist temples, as well as gardens, imperial palaces, Shinto shrines and traditional wooden houses.
When To Go: The best time to visit Kyoto is during cherry blossom season, which is the last week of March through the middle of April. This is also the busiest season, so be sure to make your reservations in advance!
Bamboo-zled: Walking into the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is an experience you will surely love. One main path winds through the soaring stalks and you can’t help but feel minuscule. To fully experience serenity, make a sunrise or sunset trip and leave the mid-day heat to the tour groups.
Rollin, Rollin on the River: You can take a two-hour cruise down the Hozugawa river: home to one-of-a-kind rock formations, flourishing wildlife, and light rapids. End the trip in Arashiyama, where you can visit the Monkey park, Tenryuji temple, and famous Bamboo forest!
All Dressed up with A City
to Explore: Rent a kimono and live like a local in the Gion district. Grab a cup of tea at an “Ochaya” which is a traditional tea house, explore the many shops in the area, and keep an eye out for one of the Geisha that call this area of Kyoto home.
What To Eat: Matcha tea is a local specialty of Kyoto, and while you can grab a glass of the green goodness at any of the local tea shops, the flavor shows up in plenty of other foods too. For example matcha kettle corn, matcha cake, matcha macaroons, and more. We recommend treating yourself to some matcha soft serve on your treks between shrines.
Where To Stay: When in Japan, live like the Japanese in a traditional ryokan. And our top pick in Kyoto is Shiraume. Housed in a traditional Gion ochaya building that’s minutes from the top tourist spots, this ryokan offers a full immersive experience. Dress in a yukata and sip tea while the owner tells you about Japanese culture.
Photo Credit: Getty
