Getting to Kyoto

The best way to get to Kyoto from other cities is by the bullet train (shinkansen). You can use a Japan Rail Pass (JR Pass) to take the bullet train to Kyoto Station. If you don’t have a JR pass you can still buy shinkansen tickets to Kyoto from JR stations which the shinkansen passes through.

Kyoto Station is one of Japan's largest buildings, and is the second largest train station building in Japan.

Kyoto train station is a mega-hub as far as stations go, and is a tourist attraction itself. It services two JR lines and some private lines. It is quite a sight, very large inside and looks to be a very new building with lots of shopping, cinemas, hotels and more. Kyoto station is easily accessible from the other major cities such as Tokyo, Osaka, Okayama and more.

Just one of the statues outside Kyoto station.

A quick travellers tip for this station, my friend had a very funny experience, when he encountered a toilet inside the station that did not have toilet paper. It is extremely rare, but some places require you to purchase toilet paper. My advice… if people are handing out tissues on the street (which they do everywhere, popular method of advertising), then do take a few and keep them in your carry bag.

Getting to the main tourist attractions in Kyoto

Kyoto is a city that requires a bit more exploration, but it is well worth it. Unlike other cities where you step off the train and you are amongst it all, you generally have to take a bus to get to Kyoto’s temples, castles and shrines. There is a major bus terminal adjacent to the station.

As Kyoto is such a popular place for Japan tourism, you can find tours and tourist information in English to help you find the right buses. Take a look outside the station to find these.

A Kyoto temple you must visit

You will not find any photos of the interior of Sanjuusangendou (translated literally into 33 ken/length hall) here, as the monks forbid it. However, inside this building is one of the most amazing sights you will see perhaps not only in Kyoto, but all of Japan…

Sanjuusangendou view from the temple gardens.

The main hall contains a marvel, the Thousand Armed Kannon Statues. This temple is a National Treasure, and it is easy to see why. The hall contains 1000 life-size statues, all coated in gold (the remnants of the original coat anyway), all striking different poses. Some are from the original temple and some were rebuilt in the 13th century.

Sanjuusangendou verandah, used over hundreds of years for traditional archery competitions and displays.

The outside of the hall contains the temple gardens, strewn with shrines, ponds and more. Since the Edo period, the verandah outside the hall has been used for famous and traditional archery competitions, and marks can still be seen underneath the roof of the walkway.

One of the ponds in the gardens surrounding Sanjuusangendou temple.

Kiyomizu Temple

This temple in Kyoto is easily one of the biggest temples I have ever been to. It is positioned on the mountain overlooking Kyoto, and is extremely popular, especially in the Japanese spring.

Kiyomizu Temple, viewed from one of the shrines.

A view of Kyoto city from Kiyomizu temple.

Around the temple are many large and small shrines. A popular activity at a Shinto shrine is to drink natural spring water, it is a form of prayer (but I just make a wish!). You can just watch and learn, but the basic method (I’m told…) is to first wash your hands (with the water in the rock basin) take the ladle, which is on a long handle, fill it with water which is dripping down from the small rock canal. You then pour a small amount into your hand and drink it.

After hands are washed, drink from the ladle.

The pinnacle of Japanese culture

Kyoto has it all when it comes to Japanese culture. It is also a great place for authentic Japanese food and drink, as well as purchasing unique, hand-made souvenirs.

This article is basically a travelogue of a day trip which my friends and I did in Kyoto. We arrived by around 9AM, and between seeing the sights, had time for a nice lunch and souvenir shopping before getting on the bullet train to Okayama.

Other famous places in Kyoto that you should (and that I want to) visit are: Kinkaku-ji (Temple of the Golden Pavilion); Saihō-ji (Temple with famous moss garden); Nijō Castle (with fortifications, a palace, older palace ruins and gardens); and many more…

Related posts:

1. Fukuoka – things to do
2. Amazing Golden Pavilion Temple, Kinkaku-ji, Kyoto
3. Why go to Japan?

I am from Australia and recently travelled to Japan for a holiday. In terms of traditions, we borrow from elsewhere, in terms of historical architecture there is nothing older than 250 years. Travelling to Japan was a chance to visit a country that is most steeped in tradition and culture of their own country – deeply proud and very generous people. It is a challenge and a massive reward holidaying here. So much so that I am now planning on returning to live.

There are so many reasons to visit Japan. Here are my top ten reasons why you should travel to Japan.

1. City, night lights and shopping.

Major shopping hub at Shibuya in Tokyo, near Shibuya 109.

The first of my top 10 reasons to visit Japan is really hard to justify on camera. But the shopping here is something very different, Shibuya 109 is a mutli-storey shopping centre just for teenage girs. And Akihabara in Tokyo is know solely for its electronics and games.

2. Festivals.

Sakura (Japanese Cherry Blossom) during the spring festival in Osaka.

Although in this list of 10 reasons to visit Japan I include only one example of a festival, Japan has many and they are very unique. From the snow and ice festivals in Sapporo in the north and more ancient/traditional festivals with priests and shrines, Japan loves the celebrations!

For more information see Wikipedia’s article on Japanese festivals.

UPDATE: New post ‘Japanese cherry blossom – photos and info‘.

3. Robots, gadgets and all things tech.

Sony AIBO, robot dogs at Roboworld in Fukuoka

Western style Japanese toilet with myriad of controls. Known in Japan as the Washlet (ウォシュレット Woshuretto)."

If you visit Japan, you will encounter one of these toilets. They really should be all over the world! Very hygienic, although it took a few times to get used to the water jets…

4. Castles, temples and shrines.

Okayama-jo, black and gold castle called 'Crow Castle' or 'U-jo'.

5. Efficient transport and the shinkansen (bullet train).

JR Central's Hikari Shinkansen.

Riding on Japan’s bullet train was actually at the top of my mates 10 reasons to visit Japan. Riding along at 300km/h or more, it feels more like air travel than rail travel.

At the opposite end of the speed scale, bicycles have right of way on the roads in Japan.

6. Japanese food and drink (especially Yebisu beer).

Yebisu beer and takoyaki (octopus in battered balls).

7. Manga and anime.

Just a small part of a multi-level book store in Okayama

8. Astro boy.

Statue of Astro Boy (named Atom in Japanese) outside Kyoto train station.

9. Architecture.

ACROS Fukuoka - the green side.

10. Origami, ancient traditions and art.

A tiny origami crane sitting on the bar of a nightclub in Fukuoka

This post marks the beginning of a series of posts, about my trip to Japan. I went to Japan for a holiday for about 1 month. Almost daily I would go to an internet cafe to find something to do – being in a non-English speaking country meant things to do were hard to find on the internet. My site ‘Japan Travel Mate’ aims to provide information on what to do and how to do it when you are in Japan.

Related posts:

1. Why go to Japan?
2. Pictures of Japan – 10 photos
3. Japan on a Budget, Tips for Cheap Travel!