Travel + Leisure's Essential Guide To Kyoto

Above, a view of Kyoto from Kiyomizu-dera. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I have been to Japan eight times over the years. I usually try to see different places on each trip.

I have been to Kyoto twice. The first was with G-TOUR in 2004 and the second time was in 2015. Each visit was enjoyable and well worth a trek there.

Travel + Leisure has posted an essential guide to Kyoto.

They begin it with:

Kyoto is the very image of traditional Japan: gold-clad temples and shrines with tunnels of red torii gates, kimono-clad geisha gliding down cobblestone alleys, grassy matcha tea served by the exquisitely choreographed rules of ancient ceremony.

As the imperial capital for over a thousand years, the city was a magnet for wealth and culture, and that rich history remains alive today in traditions like kaiseki cuisine, Kyo-ware ceramics, Yuzen silk dyeing, sake brewing, and classical drama forms like kabuki and noh (a type of theatrical dance). And yet Kyoto is also a modern city with modern comforts, where people live and work amid the legacy of centuries, sustaining and sustained by a living heritage.

This tangible atmosphere of refined culture and history is why Kyoto routinely makes the top of dream destination lists. With thousands of ancient temples and shrines, retro streets lined with shops and teahouses in the city’s unique kyo-machiya townhouses, a world-class food scene with 75 Michelin-starred restaurants, and an ever-growing number of five-star hotels, Kyoto has plenty to draw in the crowds—and draw it does. The city welcomed over 56 million visitors last year, including a record high of nearly 11 million overseas travelers. 

So, how to make the most of a visit without getting bogged down in mobs of tour groups and Instagrammers jostling for the iconic shot? We talked to Cindy Bissig, a Kyoto-based photographer and sake-focused food writer, and got her recommendations on lesser-known spots to enjoy the lesser-known side of the city.

Here's what you need to know before planning a trip to Kyoto, Japan.

To read more, go here.