My Photography & Travel Guide to Kyoto, Japan

Kyoto is such a beautiful city and a must-stop if you travel to Japan. We had wanted to visit for years and finally made it happen.

After spending a few days in Tokyo, we took the bullet train to Kyoto and spent 5 days. It was quite a contrast from seeing the ultra-modern building of Tokyo to seeing the more traditional building of Kyoto. it was so fascinating to see a different side of Japan. Kyoto is the cultural capital of Japan.

Once the capital city of Japan, Kyoto contains beautiful historical sites, Buddhist and Shinto temples, torii gates, geishas, imperial palaces, and meticulously manicured Zen gardens. It’s one of those cities that you will love strolling through. I would plan on spending 3 to 4 days discovering the city and the dozens of UNESCO World Heritage sites.

When to Go

The best times to visit Kyoto are in October/November and March/April/May. The Sakara “Cherry Blossom” season takes place in the Spring and is an especially popular time to visit.

Getting to Kyoto

The Nozomi trains on the Tokaido Shinkansen Line are the fastest trains that run between Tokyo and Kyoto. A one-way trip from Tokyo Station to Kyoto Station takes just 2 hours and 15 minutes. It is definitely worth experiencing the bullet trains of Japan. Our hotel in Tokyo even arranged to have our suitcases picked up in the morning, and they were in our hotel in Kyoto when we arrived.

Where to Stay

Most people stay in one of 2 areas: either the downtown or southern Higashiyama area. Of course, there are so many hotel options to match any budget.

In the downtown area, you will be within walking distance of dozens of restaurants and shops in the Gion District. However, this area can be crowded. One of the best hotels in this area is the Ritz-Carlton Kyoto. We had dinner at the hotel and its’s exceptional.

We decided to stay in Southern Higashiyama because it was a bit quieter but closer to many of the temples we wanted to visit. We stayed in the Four Seasons Kyoto, and it was absolutely fabulous.

Experiencing Kyoto's Diverse Food Scene

The food in Kyoto, like the rest of Japan, is fantastic. There are plenty of tea houses, the Nishiki Market, and, of course, sushi restaurants.

A blend of old flavors and new trends reflects the city's cultural heritage. Yet, everything we ate was just delicious. I loved how they would proudly tells us from which province the ingredients were from.

Photography Gear

I would bring a 24-105 mm or a 15-35 and a 70-200mm. With the 70-200, you can photograph the Geishas from a respectful distance. While walking around, I would set my camera on auto ISO with a minimum speed of 1/125th of a second at f5.6. This way, I could capture the elusive Geishas.

Photography Locations

Street Photography

I loved photographing people in Kyoto. From artists, to dogs in glasses, to all sorts of interesting people, it was so much fun.

KinkaKU-JI Golden

The Kinkaku-ji Temple, also known as the Golden Pavilion, is a stunning temple surrounded by greenery. This location can become very crowded so I would recommend going in the morning.

GINKAKU-JI SIlver Temple

Another beautiful temple is Ginkaku-ji, the Silver Temple. We were here on a quiet morning; the gardens were some of the most beautiful, and I loved the views over Kyoto.

KIYOMIZU-DERA

Kiyomizu-dera was the largest and most crowded temple we visited in Kyoto. Our favorite part was the wishing shrines, where good luck charms could be purchased. Our hotel was only about 5 minutes away, so we visited quite often.

Without any doubt, the Kiyomizudera Temple is one of the most impressive temples in Japan. Built on the foothills of Mount Otowa, its remarkable structure is surrounded by lavishing nature and stunning vistas.

Do not miss the terrace, which offers clear views of the surrounding forests and the City of Kyoto. This temple is a fine example of Japanese architectural brilliance, built and assembled using no nails but, believe it or not, still earthquake-resistant.

Arashiyama & Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

Surrounded by lush green mountains and only a 15-minute train ride from Kyoto Station, the district of Arashiyama lies. The area has been an extremely popular spot since ancient times because of its scenic, natural beauty.

Arashiyama is home to several temples; Tenryuji Temple is the most famous of them. The garden is a perfect example of a Japanese Zen garden with the rocks perfectly placed in the sand, moss, pruned trees, and flawlessly raked gravel. You could stare at it for hours. .

Higashiyama District

The wonderful narrow lanes of Higashiyama, one of Kyoto’s many well-preserved historic districts. The wooden cottage houses are souvenir shops that sell pottery, teahouses, cafes, and restaurants.

The lanes between the Yasaka Shrine and Kiyomizudera Temple give you the feeling of what Kyoto was like when it was the imperial capital of Japan.

Nanzenji Temple

As with everything related to Kyoto, the Nanzeji Temple in Higashiyama is one of Japan’s most important Zen temples. It’s a place of beauty and serenity.

Fushimi Inari Shrine

Fushimi Inari Taisha is the most recognized symbol of Kyoto. Once you see a photo of Fushimi, I am sure you will recognize it. The gates lead up to the sacred Mount Inari. The entire area around these famous gates is a wonderful place to explore.

The shrine’s entrance gate is called Romon Gate. It is very hard to capture a photo of the gates without an Instagrammer spoiling your shot.

Yasaka Shrine & Gion District

Geishas are part of the Kyoto experience. In the Gion District, also known as the Geisha District, you will spot many geishas and maikos (apprentice geishas) in exuberant kimonos crossing the wooden Tatsumi Bridge on their way to their meetings.

Maruyama Park

Maruyama Park is right next to the Yakata Shrine and a perfect spot to sit and relax. During the Spring, this is the area you want to visit to see the Cherry Blossoms.

Philosopher’s Path

The Philosopher’s Walk is yet another beautiful, serene area to stroll through. It is a pedestrian road lined with cherry trees following a canal.

This is another popular spot for cherry blossom viewing in spring.

Geishas

One of the hardest things to photograph is the Geishas. Geisha are now a rare sight outside. In Kyoto, there are only about 200 Geishas left.

Trying to find a Geishas in the Gion district is not easy. They are fast and could be competitive speed walkers!! When you stumble upon a Geisha, it is important to be respectful and keep your distance. No one, besides the Kardashians, wants a big camera with a flash to take photos of them in continuous mode. Sadly, you will often see dozens of tourists running after them in packs to bring a photo as if they just saw Justin Bieber.

So Lucky to have Photographed this kind Geisha

Typically, you can find Geishas in the Gion Area of Kyoto, Japan. Gion is Kyoto's most famous geisha district, located around Shijo Avenue between Yasaka Shrine in the east and the Kamo River in the west.

Final Thoughts

I have merely scratched the surface of everything you can do and photograph in Kyoto. It is such a beautiful city that should not be missed.

If you have enjoyed this guide to Kyoto, please look at my other Photography & Travel Guides at this link.

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