Arashiyama Bamboo Groove, Fushimi Inari Shrine, Golden Pavilion, Gion District and Daigoji Temple are just few of the popular places to visit in Kyoto. Known as the city of thousands of temples, a few days is not enough to visit them all. Aside from places, food is also as exciting! Ramen, takoyaki, okinomiyaki, katsudon and sushi rolls are just few to try. Most trees turn into red during autumn which is magical - just imagine how breathtaking it would be during spring or Sakura season. Truly, Kyoto is a must visit city as it offers ‘real’ Japan experience. If that excites you to travel in Kyoto, then this is for you!

We often get asked how did we go about Kyoto and how was it living there? What did we eat and how much? How to ride local trains and buses? What are our recommended places in Kyoto? In order to answer that we break it down as follows: transportation, food, accommodation and recommended places in Kyoto. We will also provide an estimated budget for Kyoto trip alone. 

When it comes to travel, we always keep ourselves prepared. Though there are always uncertainties, it is always better to be well prepared rather than end up stressed out . Besides the reason to travel is to relax, explore and enjoy. So, prior to our trip in Japan, we already laid out our plans. In case you missed our Japan Preparation blog, you can read it here: The Japan Experience Preparation

Transportation

We already mentioned about JR Rail Pass if you wish to roam around the entire country of Japan. Here is the catch (very important to save money), as there are several options (coverage area and period of travel) when buying JR Rail Pass, you must choose wisely. They have 7-day pass and 14-day pass – meaning you will have unlimited use of JR Lines for trains and buses including Shinkansen as well for that span of time.

You can read more about JR Rail Pass here and see which is more applicable to you: www.japan-rail-pass.com

If you are planning to visit Kyoto or the west area of Japan alone, it is not advisable to purchase one. The nearest airport in Kyoto is Kansai International Airport in Osaka. Upon arrival, you can ride a Shinkansen (bullet train) for about 1.5 hours (Cost: 4,570 Yen) and you will arrive at Kyoto Station. You can buy train tickets in the station and most of the staffs can speak English. But, if you are arriving at Narita Airport (near Tokyo), we recommend that you buy a JR Rail Pass because you can save money since Narita Airport is really far from Kyoto (about 4 hours in bullet train and will cost you about 15,000 Yen). Aside from that, you’ll have unlimited use of JR Rail which is not bad at all.

The train system in Kyoto is not complicated. If you’ve already been to places like Hong Kong or Singapore or Europe, riding a train in Kyoto is not a problem anymore since it is almost the same. A voice prompt in English can be heard in every stop. Just be familiar of the routes and train lines. There are local lines that will stop in every station and rapid lines which skip few stations. Make sure of the station you’ll disembark so you will not miss your stop. When in doubt, better ask directions from a train staff. They can speak few English words but it is for sure a big help.

Note that there are other train lines and buses around Japan aside from JR so if you to take other train lines and buses, include that in your budget.

When in Kyoto, it is important to have ICOCA card. We already mentioned this in our previous blog. ICOCA is your money card. You can pay your train and bus rides - even purchase goods when using it. You can buy it at train stations for 1500 yen and the 500 yen is the deposit which is refundable when you exit in the country. You can easily reload it using ticket machines found in train stations. There are English prompts in the machines so there’s no hassle at all.  

Buses are efficient as what we have experienced there. Riding a bus is not difficult. If you have ICOCA card, you can easily hop into your bus and tap your card when you reach your destination. There are English voice prompts too so there is no need to worry. When riding a bus, enter at the back door and exit in front. If you do not have ICOCA Card, you can still pay your ride by cash or a “day pass” which bus liners offer for unlimited use.

When we were in Kyoto, we frequently use Google Maps because it will provide you timings of bus and bus number to ride on; same with trains, it will provide schedules and alternative routes. That is why it is really convenient to have internet SIM card or pocket WIFI which you can buy or rent there.

The transportation hub in Kyoto is the massive Kyoto Station. It is here where all local and bullet trains stop. The same way with buses too. You can find almost everything here from restaurants to shops including hotels. It is also here where you will disembark if you are travelling from Osaka or other cities.

Food

Aside from the scenic places in Kyoto, trying authentic Japanese food was on our list. Finding a place to eat was not hard since restaurants were everywhere whether you are into traditional or fastfood. It was all about the budget. Though we noticed that the regular food there was quite expensive compared in Philippines, you’ll gladly pay pretty much because of its value. Every food we ate was sumptuous even street foods.

Taking an order in Japan was quite an experience. Our first dinner in Kyoto was funny since the waitress did not speak English and the restaurants do not have English translation either. It just so happened that they have pictures in the menu and by just pointing we finished our order. There were few restaurants where the waiter/waitress can speak English yet, using our fingers in pointing was still more efficient.

Food prices varies depending on the location of the restaurants.  When inside a mall, expect it to be expensive – probably around 800 to 1500 yen each, minimum of 1 order per person.

Some restaurants have machines which takes your order by inserting money. The machine will give an order slip and you’ll just give it to the waiter – easy and fast. Prices ranges 400 yen minimum for a rice topping.

Ramen, which we really loved ranges from 1000 yen minimum depending on the location of the restaurant. It may be expensive but the taste was really good. It was full of flavor and satisfying. To be fair, the serving size is more than enough for us.

Accomodation

Finding a place to stay in Kyoto is not hard at all. Since the city itself is a tourist spot, hotels or guesthouses are everywhere. It is just a matter of preference and budget. For us, we wanted a place that is close to a train station for a more convenient travel.

We stayed at Guesthouse Tu Casa which is near to Kiyomizu-Gojo Station. The place is a 2 story house with 3 rooms. Each room can accommodate two to three person. The living room is spacious and the kitchen is clean. It has a shared bathroom but it was okey since it was always clean. The room we had was enough for us. The place is near convenience stores and restaurants as well. The owner – Taka, speaks English fluently and is very accommodating. All in all, we were happy with the warm reception.

Places to Visit

Kyoto is just a small city yet there are plenty of places to see.  Places of interest are scattered all over the city. From the north side, you can visit the mountainous area which you can reach by using cable car. You can find Arashiyama District and the Golden Pavilion in the east. West side is where you can find Kiyomizu-dera Temple. While further south is where you can find Fushimi Inari. In the heart of the city lies the fusion of modern and traditional places. Amidst being a touristy place, you can still find serene places to contemplate and experience the old japan.

Though there are lots of places of interest that we missed to visit, the 5 days that we spent was totally enjoyable. We recommend that you visit Japan either Autumn (mid November) and Spring (Sakura season in April) as these seasons are of equal beauty.

Budget

This time let’s talk about the budget. We will breakdown basic expenses but this will depend on how much you are willing to spend. This is just an estimated budget for a 5 day trip. Air fare is not included since the price is variable depending on the time of purchase.

  

Now that you have an idea of what to expect in Kyoto, it is now your time to plan and budget your trip. The experience we had was incomparable to our other trips. It was totally worth every penny. So, enjoy and make lots of memories!