Japan is a hugely popular tourist destination and for good reason. It’s a country of extreme natural beauty, intriguing cities, wonderful people, and amazing history and culture.
With so much to offer, planning the perfect trip can be difficult, especially when it comes to deciding where to go.
However, if you want a place that has the greatest concentration of history, culture, and natural beauty, you need to visit Kyoto (see also ‘Does it snow in Kyoto‘).
Once the capital of Japan, Kyoto is an ancient city found on the island of Honshu. It is most famous for its traditional Buddhist temples, lush gardens, stunning palaces, incredible wooden architecture, and Shinto shrines.
Today, we want to tell you why you should visit Kyoto. We’ll do this by giving you 5 awesome reasons.
If you need travel inspiration or simply want to learn more about Kyoto, be sure to stick around!
1. Kyoto’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Arguably the biggest reason anybody should visit Kyoto is for its UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites are natural or cultural sites that offer “Outstanding Universal Value”. Sites that are considered to offer this value are then listed on the World Heritage list. This is done by the World Heritage Committee.
Cities all over the world consider themselves lucky if one or two of their sites are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, so Kyoto’s 17 is quite remarkable. The fact Kyoto has 17 different UNESCO sites says a lot about this ancient city and makes it well worth a visit.
There are also another three sites known by the name Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto, but they sit in neighboring cities Otsu and Uji.
Byodo-in Temple, Nijo Castle, Kinkaku-ji, and Toji are just some of the sites you need to pay a visit to.
One of our favorites is Kiyomizu-dera Temple as it offers unparalleled views of the city and insight into Kyoto’s history. This temple is actually on the shortlist for the New 7 Wonders of the World.
2. Kyoto’s Landscape
Kyoto isn’t just famous for its UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It’s also famous for its impressive landscape, particularly within the Arashiyama district.
The Arashiyama district is the city’s second most popular sightseeing district. It is packed with shrines, temples, forests, and the mindblowing Bamboo Grove. In fact, the Bamboo Grove, also known as Sagano Bamboo Forest, is one of the most popular tourist attractions in all of Japan.
This quite magical bamboo forest is completely natural but looks totally alien and man-made. It features extremely large Moso Bamboo shoots, allowing only a few rays of sunlight to pass through. The forest has several different paths to follow, giving visitors a memorable walk.
Throughout Kyoto’s landscape, you should also keep your eyes open for some of its stunning cherry blossom trees, which display beautiful white and pink flowers throughout the year.
The best time to spot a blooming cherry blossom tree is from late March to mid-April (see also ‘What Do Cherry Blossoms Smell Like‘). If you’re lucky, you may even spot them in the first few weeks of May.
3. Fushimi Inari Shrine
No matter where you plan on visiting in Japan, you simply have to try your very best to visit Kyoto, even if it’s just to see the 10,000 gates of Fushimi Inari. Kyoto has plenty of unique and unbelievably beautiful landmarks, but Fushimi Inari Shrine has to be the best.
If you have social media and follow any travel-related profiles, you’ll almost certainly have seen this shrine before. Located in Kushimi-ku, Fushimi Inari is the head shrine that sits at the top of Mt. Inari.
While the shrine itself is pretty spectacular, sitting 233 meters above sea level, the trail up the mountain is what draws millions of tourists every year.
Fushimi Inari is famous for the thousands of vermilion torii gates that direct visitors up the mountain. Unbelievably, there are 10,000 of these vibrant orange gates. Together, they form a unique tunnel-like path that leads to a sacred forest and the shrine above.
4. Downtown Shopping
One of the things Japan is famous for is its shopping scene. While Tokyo might be the more popular place to shop, Kyoto has a fantastic array of shopping opportunities in its downtown.
In fact, a lot of visitors end up bringing an extra bag with them just so they can fill it with interesting items.
In Kyoto’s downtown and shopping district, you’ll find a wide range of interesting and incredibly cute things to buy and taste. The most popular street to visit is called Kawaramachi.
Aside from shops selling traditional Japanese items and souvenirs, you’ll also find an abundance of tasty places to eat and drink.
One popular pastime for locals and tourists alike is sake tasting. This gives you the chance to blow off a bit of steam and interact with the friendly locals.
Some of the souvenirs to look out for include hand-made lanterns, teddy bears, and plush toys.
5. Higashiyama
Finally, if the other reasons haven’t already been enough to tempt you into visiting Kyoto, hopefully, Higashiyama will.
Found along the slopes of Kyoto’s eastern mountains, Higashiyama is a district that takes tourists back in time. Famous for its gorgeous wooden architecture, picturesque alleyways, and merchant shops, Higashiyama preserves feudal-era Japan.
If you want to step back in time to see and feel ancient Japan, this is the place to go. The wooden-built historical quarter is packed with tea houses, restaurants, pottery stores, and lantern-lit Shinto sites.
The area is also home to some of the city’s most iconic attractions and landmarks. What makes this part of Kyoto even more special is the wonderful color provided by cherry blossom trees that line the streets and alleyways.
If you’re lucky enough to visit Higashiyama, we strongly advise heading there for sunrise or sunset. Both are magical and give the district an even better sense of tranquility and beauty.
Final Thoughts
There you have it, 5 reasons why you should visit Kyoto. Kyoto is a magical city full of intrigue, beauty, and excitement. While it may not be the first city on everyone’s Japan bucket list, it is definitely one you should reserve time for when visiting the country.
Now you’ve made your way through this post, we hope we’ve given you the inspiration you need to plan an awesome trip to Kyoto. If we have, why not plan your trip around the 5 things we have looked at, we’re sure you won’t be left disappointed.
Don’t forget to take an extra bag for all those souvenirs you’ll want to take home.
I hope that, by exploring this website, you all will develop a much deeper appreciation for Japan, and that it may even influence you to pay it a visit yourself eventually! It is definitely a trip of a lifetime, and whether you experience it firsthand, or through my own website, I’m sure you will become just as passionate as I always have been!
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