Kyoto is considered by many world travelers as a “must see” kind of place, and for good reason. Unfortunately, most everyone else visiting Japan considers it a “must see” place with the result being that the major sites are choked with foreign visitors. But there are still places within Kyoto where you can escape the crowds and get a sense of what Kyoto, the former historic capital of Japan was like centuries ago.
Yes, you can visit Kiyomizu-dera, the Inari Shrine, the Imperial Palace and one of hundreds of other historic sites (there are far too many to name), or you can get off the beaten path and find some hidden gems of Japan here in town. You’ve likely seen images of the famous Bamboo Forest in nearby Arashiyama. Yes, its impressive, but did you know there is an even larger bamboo forest just south of there? You could likely have the entire place to yourself, even on a weekend.
Or how about taking a tour on the Lake Biwa Canal that stretches between Lake Biwa and Kyoto, passing through several tunnels in the mountain and navigating several locks along the way. This is something most tourists don’t know exists, but its part of Kyoto’s history dating back more than 150 years.
Despite the crowds, everyone should visit Kyoto at least once, or twice, but let us help you find the hidden spots of Kyoto so that you can enjoy it all to yourself (almost)!
We just uploaded our latest video: "Escape the crowds of Kyoto!" Its a timely video because Kyoto has become so crowded with tourists that the city has imposed several restrictions in some parts of the historic city. Therefore, in this video we take you to several...
Kyoto is a world class city by any measure, and there is no shortage of scrumptious bakeries and patisseries from which to put your sweet tooth into overdrive. Unfortunately, Kyoto is also so popular these days that getting into one of these establishments can be a...