In winter last year, my family and I toured central Japan. We made Kyoto our second last stop. In our 4-day stay, we visited many places – those that were new to me, and some I had visited. Here’s a collection of places that I thought would make a good itinerary for a day trip in Kyoto.
Nijō Castle 元離宮二条城
First thing in the morning, I headed to Nijō Castle 元離宮二条城, which was about half an hour’s train ride away (inclusive of a 300m / 7 min walk from Nijojo-mae Station). Chilly, it was, but I wanted to beat the crowd.
Once an imperial villa, Nijō Castle is set in an intricately landscaped compound. Most of the path was covered with grated stones. One could also explore the buildings to admire the interior design of the bygone era. I discovered that if I shuffled in small steps, the wooden floor wouldn’t squeak like when I walked normally.
Well, I guess I also uncovered why the Japanese women in period Japanese dramas walked like they did.
The well planned path took us through many dark wooden corridors and quaint gardens. Along the way, one could see exhibits, wall paintings and real-life replicas of daily (royal) life in ancient Japan.
During my visit, the main hall was closed for renovations. While it was a waste, I got to enjoy the castle’s landscaping. There was mound that offered a panoramic view of the castle and its surroundings – moat and all. On a crisp sunny morning, the view was second to none. It provided a great rest stop for many after touring the castle grounds.
Tickets could be bought online or in person at JPY1,300 / USD15 for an adult. Wear comfortable walking shoes that could be taken off / worn on conveniently; it’s a requirement to take off one’s shoes when entering the buildings.
Nijō Castle 元離宮二条城
541 Nijojocho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, 604-8301, Japan
https://nijo-jocastle.city.kyoto.lg.jp/
Makoto-no-yu 誠の湯
Next, I went to have a soak at Makoto-no-yu 誠の湯, which was in a quaint neighbourhood. In fact, the bath and restaurant was looking over the streets of the residences. During this time of the day, the visitors were mostly the elderly, presumably from the area. Nonetheless, the modest public bath had amenities like a steam room and massage, on top of the restaurant.
At JPY1,200 (USD10) admission fee (comes with rental of 2 towels), Makoto-no-yu 誠の湯 is a wonderful rest stop for a busy day out.
Makoto-no-yu 誠の湯
81-6 Nishishinyashiki Tayucho, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, 600-8827, Japan
https://makotonoyu.jp/
(THISIS)SHIZEN
Returning to Kyoto centre, I found myself in an urban oasis that was (THISIS)SHIZEN. Located on the ground level of ShinPuhKan shopping mall, which was just a block away from the Karasuma Oike station (exit 5), the contrasting interior of flora and fauna against the harsh industrial theme was striking.
The star of this shop was the ice cream cone that was beautifully handcrafted into the likes of a flower (rose or hydrangea). One could choose from a variety of flavours. I picked Blue (Butterfly Pea), White (White Beans) and Black (Black Sesame). The staff then skillfully transformed the 3 scoops of ice cream into a bouquet of intricately crafted flowers. That bouquet of 3 ice cream flowers set me back at JPY1,750 (USD13). Was it tasty? 🙂 Was it insta-worthy? Hell ya!
(THISIS)SHIZEN
Japan, 〒604-8172 Kyoto, Nakagyo Ward, Banocho, 586-2 新風館 1階 THISIS)SHIZEN
https://thisis.website/
Pokemon Center Kyoto
Just around the corner from (THISIS)SHIZEN was the much beloved Pokemon Center Kyoto. The building was right at the exit 26 of the Karasuma station on the black line, making it a super convenient stop.
Each Pokemon Center has its unique Pikachu for sale. In Kyoto, there were 2! They were dressed in traditional Japanese costumes, reminiscent of the bygone days.
Unlike Pokemon Centers in other cities, there was no queue to enter the Kyoto outlet. So one could visit it any time of the day.
Pokemon Center Kyoto
Japan, 〒600-8009 Kyoto, Shimogyo Ward, Kankobokocho, 78 京都経済センター SUINA室町 2F
Tenkaippin – Shinkyogoku Sanjo 天下一品 新京極三条店
Not far from the Pokemon Center Kyoto was the Nishiki Market. The 400 year old market houses stalls offering a wide variety of food – Japanese and non Japanese alike.
Our main stop in Nishiki Market was the Tenkaippin – Shinkyogiku Sanjo ramen shop.
The unassuming storefront opened into a space that harked back to older days. Heavy wooden furniture lined the centre aisle. We paid for our food at the ticket machine outside of the shop, took our seats and handed the tickets to the waiting staff who promptly delivered it to the kitchen.
The ramen came in a super thick broth that really hit all the spots. Though I thought it was on a gout-inducing level of 8/10. Of course, the ramen was al dente. We also had gyoza to share. Overall, we had a wonderful meal at the little ramen store.
Tenkaippin – Shinkyogoku Sanjo 天下一品 新京極三条店
Japan, 〒604-8035 Kyoto, Nakagyo Ward, Ishibashicho, ７−1
https://www.tenkaippin.co.jp/
Kiyomizu-dera 清水寺
What’s a trip to Kyoto without dropping by Kiyomizu-dera? This is a massive temple complex perched atop Mount Otowa in eastern Kyoto. It was famous for its huge verandah that juts out from the hillside, offering visitors an unblocked view of the surrounding city.
And yes, since it’s on a hill, we had to climb the hill.
Dropping off at Kyoto-Kawaramachi Station, we crossed the decorated Shijo Bridge over the Kamo River, and started a half an hour stroll towards Kiyomizu-dera 清水寺. On the way, we stopped by a Kimono shop for my niece to dress up in the traditional Japanese costume.
Niomon Gate
The eye catching pagodo of Niomon Gate marked the official start of the climb up to Kiyomizu-dera. It was where one could hire rickshaws to tour the area, though they don’t bring one up to Kiyomizu-dera (because of the steps along the way). Many people stopped here to rest, have a quick bite (plenty of snack stores around the area) and took pictures of the beautiful tower.
But trust me, the pagoda appears in every view during the climb up. Just remember to turn around and admire the view of the pagoda against the sprawling Kyoto buildings.
Stage of Kiyomizu
The final leg to Kiyomizu-dera 清水寺 represented the steepest climb, which was a mix of steps and slopes. Eventually, we broke through the crowd and found ourselves at the spacious plaza at the main entrance of Nishimon (West Gate). The entrance ticket allowed us to explore the entire temple complex, including the Stage of Kiyomizu. The latter was a verandah perched on the hillside with intricately designed supports. Most importantly, we could catch the panoramic view of Kyoto against the evening sky! Yes, one has to time his visit to Kiyomizu-dera 清水寺 in order to catch the best views the ancient temple has to offer.
Kiyomizu-dera 清水寺
1 Chome-294 Kiyomizu, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 605-0862, Japan
https://www.kiyomizudera.or.jp/
Parting Words
From the landscaped grounds of Nijō Castle to the massive Kiyomizu-dera temple complex, this was an itinerary to spend 8 hours in Kyoto exploring its memorable sites. In between, stop by Makoto-no-yu to relax your body, enjoy dessert at (THISIS)SHIZEN, say hi to Pikachu and friends, and have dinner at Nishiki Market’s Tenkaippin – Shinkyogoku Sanjo.
This post is part of my winter travelogue to central Japan, where I visited Takayama, Kyoto and Osaka. Check out my travelogues to the mountain town of Takayama, as well as my re-visit of Kyoto, particularly to spots like Kiyomizu-dera and Sagano Romantic Train. I also returned to Osaka for sightseeing – old and new sights. We stayed in Hotel Wood in Takayama, Hotel Granvia Kyoto and Hotel Vischio Osaka By Granvia in those spots, so feel free to read my room reviews if you are scouting for accommodation in these cities. I had flown into Nagoya, Japan via Vietnam Airlines‘ Business Class, and headed home on Asiana via Seoul. I had visited Osaka before and documented my vacation, so check out my travelogue hunting for food around Dotonbori in summer!
Lastly, if you are mesmerised by the charms of Japanese central mountains, check out my travelogues to Ginzan Onsen – the famed fairytale like ex-mining town in the mountains – and Aomori / Hirosaki, which was part of my winter trip to northeast Japan, where I ventured to the northernmost point of Japan – Cape Soya while exploring Sapporo, Hokkaido.
Till then, stay wanderlust!
All photos and videos were taken using Google Pixel 7 Pro, and edited with Google Photos.