Kyoto

Kyoto Travel Guide

• About Kyoto

Ruling as Japan’s imperial capital for more than a thousand years, Kyoto is a city steeped in historic lore and legacy, where ancient cobbled streets echo with the click-clack of geisha clogs, world-renowned art adorns majestic palaces, and bamboo screens conceal serene teahouses brewing ceremonial matcha harking back to age-old customs and aesthetics. Unlike other Japanese cities, Kyoto escaped the mass destruction wrought by WWII, allowing it to remain a well-preserved window into the country’s mystical past. Visitors can pick between an overwhelming array of over 1,600 Buddhist temples, 400 Shinto shrines and 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, but it’s equally as enthralling to get lost among its labyrinthine backstreets uncovering hidden gardens, local markets and off-beat museums along the way. Those with little time should make a beeline for easterly Higashiyama, the city’s richest sightseeing district, known for its traditional, picturesque wooden machiya townhouses occupied by tofu sellers, tea merchants and kimono rental shops. Sightseers can learn more about the Japanese way of life through the city’s thriving cultural scene, particularly in the geisha neighbourhood of Gion where time-honoured theatres stage all kinds of kabuki dance-drama, stylised puppetry and traditional court music. For all its ancient allure, the cosmopolitan metropolis has its fair share of high-tech, high-octane draws, as anyone arriving on the futuristic Shinkansen (Bullet Train) can vouch. Add to this a dynamic nightlife of sake breweries and cocktail bars, a glittering dining scene boasting over 100 Michelin-starred restaurants, including eight three-starred restaurants, and a trove of stunning ryokan (traditional inn) accommodation, and it’s easy to see why travellers of all types are spellbound by the city. While Kyoto is perennially popular, its busiest periods are during the springtime cherry blossom season (March to April) and in autumn (October to November) when advance bookings are vital.

• Kyoto History

From a simple settlement that survived solely on the skills of silk weavers to the country’s capital city, Kyoto has seen off assassinations, civil wars and fires to remain one of the most important metropolises in Japan. Kyoto has a deep history, with evidence of human settlements during the Palaeolithic era. However, Kyoto’s modern history can be traced to the rise of Buddhism within government and the movement of the capital to Heian-kyo (modern-day Kyoto) in 794. Under the recommendation of his advisors, Emperor Kammu moved the Imperial Court to Kyoto from nearby Nagaoka-kyō where it was to sit until 1868. A large number of temples and shrines were erected during the years that followed including the To-ji Temple, built in 796 and Daigoji Temple, erected to the southeast of the city in 874. Despite a succession of shōguns moving their governments to Kamakura and other cities, Kyoto remained the principal city in Japan. It became the focus of national attention in a decade-long civil conflict known as the Ōnin War, which started in 1467 and left large parts of Kyoto in ruins. War and intrigue were ways of life in Kyoto throughout this time. Despite that, key temples such as Ginkaku-ji were built during the period, and Kyoto was at the centre of efforts by Toyotomi Hideyoshi to finally unite Japan in the 16th century. Natural disasters also played a part in the making of Kyoto. While earthquakes shook the city, the most damage was caused by the Great Fire of Kyoto, which raged for two days in 1788. The assassination of unifying figure Sakamoto Ryoma was a pivotal moment in Japanese history. He was killed while staying in Kyoto in 1867, a year ahead of Tokyo being named the capital city of Japan. Ryoma was vital in modernising the country and uniting the Satsuma and Choshu governments. The most significant cultural decision in Kyoto’s recent history was made in the USA. During WWII, the US Secretary of War, Henry Stimson, decided that Kyoto shouldn’t be attacked with an atom bomb. He removed it from a list of targets after visiting the ancient city when he was younger.

• Did you know?

Games giant Nintendo began life Kyoto in 1889, producing playing cards. There are over 1,400 religious buildings in Kyoto, including 1,000 Buddhist temples and 400 Shinto shrines. Kyoto’s original city layout was based on Chinese Feng Shui practices.

• Weather in Kyoto

The best time to visit Kyoto is during spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) when agreeable weather corresponds with a variety of major cultural events. Kyoto is also exceptionally picturesque at these times, with cherry blossoms flowering anytime from late March to early April, and leaves turning gold and red during November. However, the city is extremely crowded during these seasons too, so book accommodation well in advance. Although Kyoto summers (June to August) are particularly hot and humid, its winters are very chilly, though the sights of the ancient capital can be enjoyed throughout the year.

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Things to see in Kyoto

Attractions

• Ryoanji Temple

The mysterious Zen garden at Ryoanji Temple in northwest Kyoto consists of raked white gravel scattered with 15 abstractly positioned rocks that leave many visitors perplexed as to their esoteric significance. A sense of calm and contemplation pervades its wooded grounds and pond whilst the viewing platform is a popular spot during the cherry blossom season. To accompany the spiritual experience, there are walking trails and a restaurant that serves various dishes based on Yodufu (boiled tofu), a local delicacy. Address: 13 Ryoanji Goryonoshita-cho, Kyoto. Telephone: +81 75 463 2216 Opening times: Daily 08:00-17:00. Website: www.ryoanji.jp Admission Fees: Yes Disabled Access: Yes UNESCO: Yes

• Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine

This magnificent shrine is devoted to Inari, the Shinto god of rice and business, and is guarded by statues of foxes considered to be Inari’s messengers at the base of Inari Mountain. A magical 4km trail lined by thousands of red-painted torii (shrine) gates winds along forested hills behind the central shrine while various smaller shrines can be found hidden up pathways away from the crowds. Address: Fukakusa Fushimi-ku, 68 Yabunouchi-cho, Kyoto. Telephone: +81 75 641 7331 Opening times: Daily 24 hours. Website: www.inari.jp Admission Fees: No Disabled Access: No UNESCO: No

• Kiyomizu-dera Temple

One of Japan’s most beloved temples, majestic Kiyomizu-dera, meaning “pure water temple”, perches precariously on a steep hillside in eastern Kyoto and is known for its wooden ledge jutting out from a beautifully preserved main hall over sweeping city vistas. The temple was founded in 798 above the sacred waterfall of Otowa-no-taki, believed to bestow health and longevity. Address: Higashiyama, 294 Kiyomizu 1-chome, Kyoto. Telephone: +81 75 551 1234 Opening times: Daily 06:00-18:00. Website: www.kiyomizudera.or.jp Admission Fees: Yes Disabled Access: No UNESCO: Yes

• Gion

History comes alive in Gion, Kyoto’s famous geisha district, defined by its narrow streets overhung with traditional wooden buildings. Along with an array of teahouses and Japanese restaurants, the area boasts plenty of performing arts venues such as Gion Corner, a theatre staging daily Kyo-mai dance performances, tea ceremonies, puppet plays and flower arranging. Address: Gion, Kyoto. Opening times: Daily 24 hours. Admission Fees: No Disabled Access: Yes UNESCO: No

• Nijo-jo Castle

Southwest of the Imperial Palace lies Nijo Castle, completed in 1626 under the reign of Tokugawa Ieyasu, founder of the Edo Bakufu military government. Its distinct layout consists of two concentric rings of impenetrable fortifications, while the ornate interiors boast beautiful decorations. Popular all year round, the castle’s gardens are also a key site during cherry blossom season. Address: 541 Nijojo-cho, Nijo-dori, Horikawa-nishi-iru, Kyoto. Telephone: +81 75 841 0096 Opening times: Daily 08:45-17:00. Website: www.nijo-jocastle.city.kyoto.lg.jp Admission Fees: Yes Disabled Access: Yes UNESCO: Yes

• Kinkakuji Temple

Located in northwest Kyoto, the iconic Zen Buddhist temple of Kinkakuji is known as the Golden Pavilion due to its gold-foil-covered exterior. The 14th-century original was burnt down in 1950 by a novice monk to be replaced five years later by a beautiful reconstruction set on a shimmering pond amid stunning gardens that draws in daily hordes of wide-eyed, camera-wielding visitors. Address: Kita-ku, 1 Kinkakuji-chō, Kyoto. Telephone: +81 75 461 0013 Opening times: Daily 09:00-17:00. Website: www.shokoku-ji.jp/kinkakuji Admission Fees: Yes Disabled Access: Yes UNESCO: Yes

• Nishiki Market

Nowhere better displays the diversity of Japanese cuisine than Kyoto’s iconic four-century-old market the stretches along a narrow-covered walkway parallel to the Shijo-dori shopping precinct. Its bustling stalls are crammed with a bewildering array of fresh seafood and pickled vegetables, tofu doughnuts and sticky mocha (rice cakes), that liberate the senses and offer a tantalising insight into local life. Address: Nakagyo-ku, 609 Nishidaimonjicho, Kyoto. Telephone: +81 75 221 3882 Opening times: Mon-Sat 10:00-17:00. Website: www.kyoto-nishiki.or.jp Admission Fees: No Disabled Access: Yes UNESCO: No

• Kyoto Imperial Palace

See how royalty lived at Kyoto Imperial Palace (Kyoto Gosho) which, until 1868, was the residence of the emperor of Japan. Set in the expansive Imperial Park, the complex preserves an ambience of regality with different architectural styles representing various eras. Visitors must pre-apply for access and tours of the grounds and should take identification. Address: Kamigyo-ku, 3 Kyoto-gyoen, Kyoto. Telephone: +81 75 211 1215 Opening times: Tue-Sun 09:30-16:30. Website: www.sankan.kunaicho.go.jp Admission Fees: No (but entry only by application). Disabled Access: Yes UNESCO: No

• Ginkakuji Temple

Built in the 1480s, Ginkakuji Temple – or the Silver Pavilion – is a masterpiece of minimalist elegance complete with manicured gardens and a reflective pond that creates a vision of natural harmony. From the temple, it’s a picturesque walk along the Philosopher’s Path that hugs a cherry-tree-lined canal passing a number of shrines and temples to reach the neighbouring Nanzen-ji Temple. Address: Sakyo-ku, 2 Ginkakuji-cho, Kyoto. Telephone: +81 75 771 5725 Opening times: Daily 08:30-17:00. Website: www.shokoku-ji.jp/ginkakuji  Admission Fees: Yes Disabled Access: Yes UNESCO: Yes

• Maruyama–Koen Park

Located just behind Yasaka Shrine, Maruyama-Koen is a resplendent green oasis complete with gurgling streams, well-tended gardens and leafy pathways that meander between restaurants, souvenir shops and cafes. Come April its serenity is broken by excitable hordes of tourists and locals who gather for spring-welcoming hanami – the viewing of the city’s majestic cherry trees in bloom. Address: Higashiyama-ku, 473 Maruyama-chō, Kyoto. Telephone: +81 75 561 1778 Opening times: Daily 24 hours. Website: www.kyoto-maruyama-park.jp Admission Fees: No Disabled Access: Yes UNESCO: No

Tourist Offices

• Kyo-Navi Kyoto Tourist Information Center

Address: Shimogyo-ku, 2/F, JR Kyoto Station Building, Kyoto. Telephone: +81 75 343 0548 Opening times: Daily 08:30-19:00. Website: www.ja.kyoto.travel The Kansai Tourist Information Centre (known as Kyo-Navi) is jointly operated by the Kyoto Prefecture and Kyoto City. It’s located on the second floor of the Kyoto Station Building where multilingual staff are stationed to assist visitors with sightseeing and transport information, advice on accommodation, restaurants and hands-on cultural activities as well as the purchase of tickets for various tourist attractions. The office also provides free maps, city guides and shopping brochures.

Tourist passes

• The Kansai Thru Pass

Website: www.surutto.com  is a two- or three-day transport pass which allows you to ride on buses, trains and subways across the Kansai region which includes Kyoto, Osaka and Nara. The ticket also offers various discounts to key attractions. The one-day

• Keihan Kyoto Sightseeing Pass

Website: www.keihan.co.jp  can be used for unlimited train travel of Keihan lines within a designated area that covers many of the city’s temple stops and tourist districts.

Things to do in Kyoto

• Catch a J-League game

The oldest football team in Japan’s J-League, the Kyoto Sanga  ( Website: www.sangastadium-by-kyocera.jp ) is the place to go if you want to see some live football. The small stadium attracts some lively crowds, and the team is made up of mostly seasoned Japanese players, with a pinch of Brazilian flair in the squad.

• Discover the history of sake

Hidden away in the pretty Fushimi ward in the south of Kyoto Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum Telephone: +81 75 623 2056 Website: www.gekkeikan.co.jp/english has been brewing sake since 1637. In their museum, you’ll see the tools used to create this unique drink over the years, before thankfully concluding with a tasting.

• Relax in an onsen

Onsen, public baths with an emphasis on relaxation, are great places to see Japan at its most chilled. Kyoto has a limited amount of geothermal activity under the city; nevertheless, there are plenty of onsen to choose from. Among the best is Funaoka Onsen Telephone: +81 75 441 3735 Website: www.funaokaonsen.net A real local spot, it has indoor and outdoor baths, as well as an electric bath for added frisson. Remember, visitors must bathe naked, and tattoos may need to be covered up.

• Swim at a Blue Flag beach

Japan is the first Asian country to obtain the Blue Flag award for its beaches, one of which is Wakasa Wada Beach in Takahama town, just a short two-hour train ride away from Kyoto. Swimming here is excellent, with mountain views and sandy beaches, while the surrounding translucent waters are best explored on a kayak or a Stand-Up Paddleboard (SUP).

• Take an old boat ride down a very old river

This riverboat ride is a two hour, 16km (9-mile) ride from Kameoka (around 35 minutes from Kyoto) to Arashiyama, through a twisting ravine with water rapids and stunning views of the mountainous Japanese landscape. It’s undertaken in wooden boats that you’d be worried about if it wasn’t such a popular attraction Telephone: +81 771 22 5846 Website: www.hozugawakudari.jp

• Take on Kyoto’s cycling trail

Biking around Kyoto is a breeze, with wide, flat main roads and plenty of streets free of traffic. If you’re pressed for time, Kyoto Bike Tour Telephone: +81 808 342 7988 Website: www.cyclekyoto.net offers a superb three-hour trip taking in the Heian Shrine and gardens, Kamo River and Nanzenji Temple, before heading down the cherry tree-lined Path of Philosophy.

Kyoto tours and excursions

Kyoto tours

• Taxi Tours

Several taxi companies offer private sightseeing tours that can be tailored to interests and time constraints. The company Kyoto MK suggests day long, chauffeur-guided outings that take in temples and mountain scenery and provides English-speaking guides. Telephone: +81 75 778 4145 Website: www.mktaxi-japan.com 

• Bus tours

Kyoto Sky Bus is a hop-on-hop-off bus service that takes sightseers to different areas of the city. Stops include Kinkaku-ji Temple, Kiyomizu-dera Temple and Nijo-jo Castle, as well as the Gion geisha district. GPS-based voice guidance in English is available. Telephone: +81 75 744 0973 Website: www.skyhopbus.com

Kyoto excursions

• Osaka

Step aboard a futuristic Shinkansen (high-speed train), and in the space of half an hour, Kyoto’s history-drenched streets can be exchanged for the ultramodern skyscrapers of Osaka. This neon-lit port city is famous for its dining scene, with hundreds of restaurants cramming streets around the Dōtonbori Bridge. Vibrant nightlife and some interesting sights, including the impressive Osaka Castle, add to the city’s appeal. Website: www.osaka-info.jp

• Nara

Less than an hour south of Kyoto is the ancient city of Nara, the first permanent capital of Japan and one that remains adorned in cultural riches. Day-trippers should head straight for Todaiji Temple, one of the city’s three UNESCO sites and home to a bronze Buddha of epic proportions. Those staying longer can visit the celebrated Kasuga Shrine and Kofuku-ji Temple, full of treasured Buddhist artefacts. Website: www.narashikanko.or.jp 

• Takahama

Japan is the first Asian country to obtain the Blue Flag award for its beaches, one of which is Wakasa Wada Beach in Takahama town, just a short two-hour train ride away from Kyoto. The surrounding translucent waters are best explored on a kayak or a Stand-Up Paddleboard (SUP). Website: www.wakasa-takahama.jp

Shopping in Kyoto

In the same way, Kyoto reflects both modern and ancient Japan, the shopping here is a city of opposites. There are superb independent, local shops, ideal for picking up unique gifts and knick-knacks for decorating your home. But this being one of Japan’s major cities, there are vast malls, high–end luxury brands and all–encompassing department stores too. If you want it, Kyoto will doubtless have it.

• Key areas

Kyoto’s main shopping district centres around the area where the streets Shijo-dori and Kawaramachi-dori intersect. Here you’ll find big department stores and luxury brands. The area between Kawaramachi-dori and Karasuma-dori contains smaller, independent specialist shops and boutiques selling both traditional crafts and the latest fashion trends. Fashionable shops, exclusive boutiques and trendy restaurants can also be found along the elegant Kitayama Street, which stretches eastward from Kitayama Bridge further north in Kyoto. Kyoto has a number of shops that offer handmade Japanese paper, and Morita Washi, Higashinotoin-dori-Bukkoji agaru, near Shijo-dori, is the most famous, selling purified paper of the highest quality. Japanese comics and film fans should head for Teramachi-dori, one of Kyoto’s biggest shopping arcades, which runs between Oike and Shijo-dori, where there are several stores specialising in manga and anime.

• Markets

Kyoto is famous for its arts and crafts shops, and the best one for tourists is undoubtedly the multi-storey Kyoto Handicraft Center, 17 Shogoin Entomicho, Sakyo-ku, which sells a wide range of handicraft products and souvenirs, from lacquerware, porcelain, jewellery, woodblock prints and fabrics to kimonos, swords and T-shirts. Nishiki Market in downtown Kyoto, also known as ‘Kyoto’s kitchen’, not only offers an abundance of food but also kitchenware and other souvenirs.

• Shopping centres

There are several huge department stores between Shijo-dori and Kawaramachi-dori, where you will find major fashion chain stores and high-street brands.

• Opening hours

Shops in Kyoto are usually open daily 10:00-20:00.

• Souvenirs

Kyoto’s cavernous, incredible station is home to a series of excellent souvenir shops which sell more than your average fridge magnets and key rings. The Cube mall, in the station’s basement, is the ideal spot to pick up gifts for friends back home, especially if you’re about to hop on a shinkansen (Bullet Train) to your next destination.

• Tax information

A consumption tax of 5% is added to the price of all goods. Credit cards are slowly becoming more widely accepted, but most transactions are still done in cash.

Restaurants in Kyoto

From Buddhist shojin ryori (vegetarian cooking) to refined Michelin-starred restaurants (the city boasts nearly over 100 of them), Kyoto showcases the amazing sophistication and scope of Japanese cuisine. Its offerings amount to a true nirvana for food lovers, many of whom come to sample the city’s elaborate kaseiki banquets – a centuries-old custom defined by an array of seasonally inspired small dishes made with care and often costly ingredients. Kyoto is not all haute cuisine though, and travellers on a tight budget will find scores of tiny hole-in-the-wall soba (noodle) shops, lively food courts and bento box lunch offers set at affordable prices. The restaurants below have been grouped into three pricing categories: Expensive (over ¥10,000) Moderate (¥5,000 to ¥10,000) Cheap (up to ¥5,000) These prices are based on the cost of a meal for one person, excluding drinks.

Expensive

• Gion Karyo

Cuisine: Japanese Taking a more contemporary approach to kaiseki cuisine, Gion Karyo is situated in a stunning old Gion building with sleek interiors. The menu changes daily, but its ten-course dinner tasting option is highly recommended. English menus make ordering a breeze, although be quick with reservations to ensure you get to try all the amazing food on offer. Address: Higashiyama-ku, Gion-machi Minami-gawa, Kyoto. Telephone: +81 75 532 0025 Website: www.karyo-kyoto.jp

• Hyotei

Cuisine: Japanese This legendary restaurant near Nanzenji Temple is one of Kyoto’s Michelin three-star restaurants and serves the finest kaiseki (multi-course dinner) imaginable. Over four centuries old, Hyotei was originally a teahouse serving pilgrims on their way to prayer before becoming a restaurant and its kaiseki remains instilled with ceremonial aesthetics. The rustic setting, gracious staff and sense of timelessness conspire to create a truly extraordinary dining experience. Address: Sakyo-ku, 35 Nanzenji Kusagawa-cho, Kyoto. Telephone: +81 75 771 4116 Website: www.hyotei.co.jp

• Kappo Sakamoto

Cuisine: Japanese This tiny one-Michelin-starred kappo (meaning to cut and cook) is hidden away down a nondescript street in the Gion district overlooking the Shirakawa River. The family-owned outfit is helmed by chef Ryuta Sakamoto, who prepares exquisite dishes with seasonal ingredients for a handful of well-heeled guests. Seating is at the wooden counter or at the two lower tables. Address: EF Building 1F Gion Sueyoshi-cho, Kyoto. Telephone: +81 75 551 2136 Website: www.gion-sakamoto.com

Moderate

• Kushikura

Cuisine: Japanese Kushikura specialises in top-quality yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) and other skewered dishes using seasonal ingredients and local vegetables. Set in a beautifully restored machiya, a Kyoto-style townhouse, the best seat is at the restaurant counter, where you can watch meals being grilled to perfection over smouldering charcoal. The service is always friendly and efficient. Address: Nakagyō-ku, 584 Hiiragi-cho, Kyoto. Telephone: +81 75 213 2211 Website: www.kushikura.jp

• Manzara Tei Pontocho

Cuisine: Japanese This elegant izakaya (Japanese-style pub) occupies a townhouse along the Pontocho alleyway and offers casual table seating downstairs and a traditional dining room upstairs. The menu features fresh seafood, sushi and other local delicacies such as tofu and yuba (tofu skin) complimented by locally brewed beer, sake and shochu – a potent Japanese spirit. Address: Nakagyo-ku, 198 Shimokorikicho, Kyoto. Telephone: +81 75 212 0028 Website: www.manzara.co.jp

• Tempura Yoshikawa

Cuisine: Japanese Tranquil Tempura Yoshikawa is located in a ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) near the Imperial Palace and boasts a mouth-watering tempura counter where guests can watch chefs expertly prepare dishes from scratch. Its tatami-strewn dining room serves eight-course kaiseki banquets at Western-style seating overlooking an ornate Japanese garden. Address: Nakagyo-ku, Tominokoji, Oike-sagaru, Kyoto. Telephone: +81 75 221 5544 Website: www.kyoto-yoshikawa.co.jp

Cheap

• Asuka

Cuisine: Japanese This homely little restaurant found near the Heian Shrine serves teishoku (set meals) for under 1,000 yen, making it a must for big appetites and small budgets. Bustling Japanese mama-sans (women managers) cook and serve the set menus that include one rice, fish or meat dish, four side plates, and a miso soup for good measure. English-language menus and a foreigner-friendly vibe add to the appeal. Address: Sanjō-dōri, Higashiyama-ku, 144 Nishi-machi, Kyoto. Telephone: +81 75 751 1941 Website: www.asuka-kyoto.net

• Omen

Cuisine: Japanese Many agree that Omen makes Kyoto’s best udon (thick wheat) noodles, renowned for being served in a tasty broth and topped with lashings of fresh ginger, roasted sesame seeds and pickled daikon radish. The menu also boasts excellent side dishes such as tempura vegetables, tofu and grilled hamo (conger eel). There are three locations in Kyoto, but the best is near Ginkakuji Temple. Address: Sakyo-ku, 74 Ishibashi-cho, Jodo-ji, Kyoto. Telephone: +81 75 771 8994 Website: www.omen.co.jp

• Ramen Sen no Kaze Kyoto

Cuisine: Japanese Japan’s ultimate comfort food comes in the form of ramen – a slurping noodle broth usually served with meat or fish and various toppings. It’s worth waiting in the out-the-door queue at Ramen Sen no Kaze for one of their hearty bowl-loads, well-matched by a side of gyoza dumplings. The menu also offers plenty of vegetarian and vegan ramen variations. Address: Nakagyo-ku, 580 Nakanocho, Kyoto. Telephone: +81 75 255 0181 Website: www.ramensennokazekyoto.com

Kyoto Nightlife

Kyoto’s lively nightlife scene boasts a host of vibrant bars and traditional sake breweries, along with exclusive clubs and edgy music venues. The best after-dark action plays out along Kiyamachi, a one-kilometre strip running parallel to the Kamo River that’s crammed with cheap drinking holes and Westerner-friendly hangouts. A more exclusive ambience pervades the alleyway of Pontocho, one block away, where atmospheric wooden-block buildings are studded with sleek cocktail bars, lively cabarets and late-night eateries. The old geisha district of Gion is the place to find more traditional music haunts as well as Kimono-clad and classical performances. Be aware that upmarket dance clubs can often observe a strict guestlist-only entry policy and charge seating fees to those they do allow over the threshold.

Bars in Kyoto

• Atlantis

This sophisticated bar in Pontocho is ideal for Kyoto’s long hot summers, thanks to its expansive outdoor platform that overlooks the Kamo River. Those lucky enough to nab a seat will rub shoulders with the city’s young and beautiful, who gather to loosen their ties and let off steam over post-work cocktails. Address: Nakagyo-ku, 161 Matsumoto-cho, Pontocho, Kyoto. Telephone: +81 75 241 1621 Website: www.atlantis-net.co.jp

• Bar Rocking Chair

Tucked away down a discreet backstreet, this sought-after cocktail bar occupies a 90-year-old machiya townhouse. Its chandelier-lit interiors are rich in atmosphere, with rocking chairs huddled around a roaring wood-burning fire. Behind a wooden bar, a team of excellent award-winning mixologists shake up fiery cocktails infused with Japanese ingredients. Address: Gokomachi-dori, Bukkoji-sagaru, 434-2 Tachibana-cho, Kyoto. Telephone: +81 75 496 8679 Website: www.bar-rockingchair.jp

• Sake Bar Yoramu

For a true education in sake, Japan’s heady rice wine, take a seat along the counter of this tiny tucked-away bar. It certainly packs a punch with its impressive selection of sake bottles spanning fruity and floral, newly produced and dust-collecting vintage. The expert owner has personally curated his stock and is on hand to advise which brew to sample next. Address: Karasuma Higashi-iru, Nijo Dori (east of Karasuma). Telephone: +81 75 213 1512 Website: www.sakebar-yoramu.com

Clubs in Kyoto

• Club Metro

One of Kyoto’s most long-standing, trendsetting nightspots, Club Metro draws creative types to its intimate underground music rooms found at the Jingu-Marutamachi metro station. Music aficionados can find their groove amid its eclectic music mix and schedule of international and local DJs. The venue also hosts the occasional film screening and visual arts performance. Address: Sakyō-ku, BF Ebisu Building, 82 Simodutsumi-cho, Kyoto. Telephone: +81 75 752 4765 Website: www.metro.ne.jp

• World Kyoto

This forever popular club is set in a cavernous space that’s ideal for dancing until the late hours. As its name suggests, World attracts big names from across the globe but also makes time for traditional geisha events and local acts. If you’ve come to Japan to party, this is definitely the place to be seen. Address: Shimogyo-ku, 97 Shincho, Kyoto. Telephone: +81 75 213 4119 Website: www.world-kyoto.com

Live music in Kyoto

• Kyoto Concert Hall

Kyoto’s principal venue for classical music and the home of the Kyoto Symphony Orchestra occupies a futuristic new-build with thick concrete ceilings and light timber floors that create fantastic acoustics. The venue contains two halls, the larger playing host to the city’s most prestigious concerts with its shoebox styled auditorium, while the smaller is well-suited to chamber music. Address: Sakyō-ku, 1-26 Hangi-cho Shimogamo, Kyoto. Telephone: +81 75 711 2980 Website: www.kyotoconcerthall.org

• Live Spot Rag

Established in the late 1980s, this long-standing live jazz venue attracts both international and Japanese acts of various genres. Its small, intimate interiors fill up fast so be sure to snag a ticket early to avoid disappointment. Live sessions of acoustic, fusion, jazz and rock usually kick off earlier in the evening before winding down to mellow drinks later on. Address: Kyoto Empire Building, Kiya-machi, Sanjo-ku, Kyoto. Telephone: +81 75 2241 0446 Website: www.ragnet.co.jp

• UrBANGUILD

For an authentic Japanese evening, join the city’s arty crowd at this avant-garde venue that offers long wooden bench seating, traditional izakaya food, live music and acts that pushes the boundaries of experimentation. Each act brings something new and often obscure, from improvisation to Latin groove, but can always count on the applause of an appreciative audience. Address: New-Kyoto Building, 181-2 Zaimoku-cho, Kyoto. Telephone: +81 75 212 1125 Website: www.urbanguild.net

Kyoto Food and Drin

Food In Kyoto

• Yuba

Yuba is one of the foods made from soybeans. As soy milk boils, a film forms on the surface. The film is yuba. About 1200 years ago, yuba was brought from China. It is said that the first yuba in Japan was eaten in Kyoto and Shiga.

• Kyoto  Yudofu

• Kyoto Soba (Buckwheat Noodles)

Japanese noodles made primarily from buckwheat flour, with a small amount of wheat flour mixed in. It has an ashen brown color, and a slightly grainy texture. The noodles are served either chilled with a dipping sauce, or hot in a noodle soup.

• Kyoto Sushi – Saba-Zushi (Mackerel Sushi)

It is a Kyoto specialty that has been enjoyed for centuries. The mackerel is marinated in vinegar and then pressed onto a block of rice, creating a flavorful and aromatic dish. You can also find grilled mackerel versions of this sushi.

• Tsukemono (Pickled Vegetables)

All kinds of vegetables and some fruits are used to make tsukemono including, but not limited to, Japanese radish (daikon), cucumber, eggplant, carrot, cabbage, water lily root, ginger, shallots and plums (ume). Sometimes seaweed and other seafood are added to pickle mixtures for flavor and variety.

• Hamo (Conger Eel)

Pike conger eel, often referred to as Hamo, plays an essential role in Kyoto’s cuisine. It thrives in the seas influenced by warm currents, and several tons are caught annually in the Tango waters. However, most of the Hamo consumed in Kyoto comes from the Seto Inland Sea or the Genkai Sea.

• Matcha Green Tea Desserts

Kyoto is seen as the matcha capital of Japan, mostly as a result of a town called Uji, located in southern Kyoto. This is where the majority of Kyoto’s high-quality matcha is produced, as green tea plants are said to flourish in Uji.

• Yatsuhashi – Japanese Sweets

Yatsuhashi is a traditional sweet, made from glutinous rice flour (mochi) and sugar. What gives it its distinctive taste is the addition of nikki or cinnamon. There are two versions of the story of how it came into being. Some believe that it was invented by Yatsuhashi Kenkyo, a musician from the Edo period.

Drink In Kyoto

• Kyoto Cocktail 

Fill a cocktail shaker two-thirds full with ice. Add the gin, melon-flavored liqueur and vermouth, then squeeze the juice from the lemon wedge into the shaker. Stir and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with skewered melon balls.

• Kyoto Coffee

Kyoto-style cold brew coffee is made by letting cold water slowly drip, drop by drop, over coffee grounds. Kyoto cold brew, or Kyoto drip coffee, is also known around the world as Dutch coffee, ice drip coffee, cold drip coffee, and water drip coffee.

• Kyoto latte

Kyoto latte: 1 part espresso, 2 parts milk, sugar or honey to taste, optional flavorings (cinnamon, cocoa powder).

• Kyoto Fog

Prepare the Kyoto Fog by steeping 8 g of loose leaf hojicha in 180 ml of 80°C (175°F) filtered water for a full minute. Pour the prepared hojicha and 1 teaspoon of vanilla syrup into a mug and stir. Steam or froth 60 ml of your preferred milk. Pour milk over the hojicha infusion.

• Kyoto Sour

Sake is often served alongside sushi or paired with beer and salty snacks, but the brewed rice beverage native to Japan isn’t just for sipping. The versatile drink can be incorporated into cocktails as a base or an accent, lending its unique flavor profile, which ranges widely from sweet and fruity to herbaceous and bone dry.