The perfect itinerary guide to Kansai, Kyoto, Uji, and Nara!

Mondo Tourism Updated on 2024-01-30

In addition to Osaka,KyotoThe area is also a classic destination in the Kansai region that is worth visiting.

Kyoto, an ancient capital that has lasted for thousands of years since the Heiankyo period, is unique, and the birdi gates of Fushimi Inari are the first impressions of this place for countless people.

No other Japanese city has as many secluded temples and shrines as Kyoto, including the ancient Kiyomizu-dera Temple, the majestic Kinkaku-ji Temple, and the atmospheric Nijo-jo Castle.

The geisha dressed up on the streets of Gion, the Japanese-style miscellaneous goods in the Sanjizaka and the seafood delicacies in the Nishiki Market add a lively touch to this ancient capital.

When you come to Kyoto, you can't avoid Kyoto PrefectureNara and Uji, smart fawn and rich matcha, have become synonymous with them.

Therefore, it is recommended to press for the first time in KyotoKyoto-Nara-UjiSuch a route to play:

After visiting Kyoto, you can go to Nara to feed the deer, and drink a cup of pure matcha tea on the banks of the Uji River, and you can enjoy the charming atmosphere of this area in four or five days.

Kyoto is a thousand-year-old capital with beautiful scenery in all seasons.

As a thousand-year-old capital, Kyoto is a place where you can feel the traditional culture of Japan first-hand. It is unrivalled in its beauty all year round, and as a key stop on the Kansai route, it is also a popular place to stay.

Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine.

Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine is the head shrine of Inari Shrine, which has a high status and a long history in Japan. It is dedicated to the fox god who blesses the prosperity of commerce, and it is also the first stop for many tourists visiting Kyoto.

At the entrance stands a large torii gate, and behind it is the main hall of the shrine and other buildings. The Senbon torii gate is particularly famous, a classic check-in spot in Kyoto and a movie filming location, with layers of vermilion torii leading to the summit of Mt. Inari, which is visually stunning.

Gion. Gion is a traditionally bustling neighborhood in Kyoto, with the famous Yasaka Shrine and Hanamikoji all in this neighborhood. Japanese maiko and geisha are often seen here, and you can pass them by casually.

There are many tea houses and cooking houses with exquisite facades and unique characteristics, and the architecture is very traditional Japanese, which is very suitable for taking picturesAt night, the lanterns are lit up, and Gion is a different place, and the nightlife here starts in the silence of the night.

Kiyomizu-dera Temple. Kiyomizudera Temple is one of the oldest temples in Kyoto, and is one of the three most famous temples in Kyoto, along with Kinkaku-ji Temple and Nijo-jo Castle, and was registered as a World Heritage Site in 1994.

The temple architecture here is very similar to traditional Japanese architecture, and the scenery on the side is a must, especially the spring cherry blossoms and autumn foliage are particularly stunning.

One of the iconic viewpoints is the Shimizu Stage, located on a cliff location. The Otowa Falls has three streams that represent health, schooling, and marriage, and it is said that you will have good luck if you drink water here.

Kinkakuji. Kinkakuji Temple, also known as "Rokuenji", has a unique architectural beauty when it stands quietly in the middle of the pond. Japanese writer Yukio Mishima described this temple in his book "Kinkakuji" so beautiful that people want to destroy it with jealousy:

Other birds are flying in the air, but this golden phoenix spreads its golden wings and soars forever in time."

Kinkakuji Temple is a three-story pavilion, and the first floor is Hosui-in;The second layer is the tide sound cave;The third floor is the Buddha Hall. If you have the chance, you must come to see Kinkakuji Temple, which is covered with snow and the golden dome, which is even more beautiful.

Nijo-jo Castle. Unlike the silence of other temples, Nijo Castle was the residence of the shogun's residence in Kyoto, and its architecture is simple and simple, the layout is deep and exquisite, and the gardens are beautiful and fresh, revealing the prosperity of the Tokugawa shogunate family in those years.

Particularly noteworthy is the Ninomaru Palace, where you can see the various spaces where the shogun once received his ministers, and the specially designed Yellow Warbler Corridor, which makes a birdsong sound when people pass by, and is said to be designed to prevent the invasion of assassins.

Nishiki Market. If you have time, you can also visit Nishiki Market, which is known as the "Kyoto Kitchen", and there are nearly 100 shops on the left and right sides of the street, one after the other, selling Kyoto's traditional snacks.

Nishiki Market is open from 12 noon to 6 pm, but many shops may close around 5 p.m., so it's recommended to leave early.

Fresh food is one of the specialties of the restaurant, and a variety of seafood that is fresh of the day is prepared in a variety of ways. There are also pickles made in Kyoto cuisine with a variety of wonderful recipes, and the texture is amazing.

Kifune Shrine. Kifune Shrine is located next to the stream of the Kifune River, and the popular lantern approach is a staircase to enter the main shrine. On the way to the shrine, you can see streams, waterfalls, and towering trees, and the environment is simple and quiet.

It is rumored to be one of the three major shrines in Japan that are very good for good karma. The shrine ** water god, so there is a very unique custom called water divination, after asking for a sign to put the blank sign into the water of the shrine, the signature will appear, many people come to visit.

Nara, a trip to visit the deer's day home.

Nara, famous for its fawns, is located close to Kyoto, and the overall feeling is comfortable and comfortable, so you can spend a day visiting.

Nara Park. Walking a short walk from Nara Station, you can see this park, which is actually a large park that contains many historical and cultural properties, such as Todai-ji Temple, Kofuku-ji Temple, and Kasuga Taisha Shrine.

The park blends perfectly with nature and has the temperament of Nara's ancient capital era.

A major attraction here is the deer scattered in the forest and the lawn, this group of elves is not afraid of people at all, and will take the initiative to come when they see the deer cake in their hands, and they will nod and bow to you to beg for food, which is very interesting.

Todai-ji Temple. There are deer on the road from Nara Park to Todai-ji Temple, and you will arrive at the Nakamon Gate by passing through the approach behind the South Gate. The Great Buddha Hall can be accessed from the wing gallery on the left side of the middle gate, and you need to buy a separate ticket to enter here.

Todai-ji Temple, also known as Dai-Kegon-ji Temple, is the main temple of Japanese temples. It has experienced two fires in its history, but the current building was rebuilt in 1692 and has been registered as a World Heritage Site.

The large Buddha hall in the temple is a magnificent wooden ancient building, and the cultural relics are also well preserved, so you can feel the weight of history.

Kasuga Taisha Shrine. Kasuga Taisha Shrine, which has a history of 1,000 years, is the guardian shrine of Nara. It is a shrine built for the guardian deity of the Fujiwara family, who was in power at the time, and there is a very old wisteria flower in the shrine that is the symbol of the family.

The orange gate of Kasuga Taisha Shrine is tall and eye-catching, and the approach is lined with moss-covered stone lanterns and towering ancient trees. And you can also see Nara fawn here, and their personalities are relatively mild.

Wakakusa Mountain. Wakakusa Mountain is located near Todai-ji Temple and Kasuga Taisha Shrine, and is only more than 300 meters above sea level. Wakakusa Mt. itself is not difficult to climb, but while climbing the mountain and taking pictures, you can reach Mieme in less than an hour, where you can see the entire city of Nara.

Wakakusa Yama is home to the famous Wakakusayaki Festival, which is held on the fourth Saturday of January every year.

Officially starting at noon, there is a fireworks display at night, followed by a mountain burning ceremony, which illuminates the winter night sky with the light of the mountain fire, which is said to ward off evil spirits and prevent natural fires from affecting the surrounding temples.

Uji, from temples to matcha culture.

Uji is on the JR Nara Line, so you can feel the matcha culture in depth and buy matcha souvenirs.

Byodoin. Byodo-in Temple is a temple that was renovated from another temple during the heyday of the Fujiwara clan, and it is a Japanese garden that is well worth visiting, and is known as a place close to the Pure Land of Bliss.

The architectural style of the Phoenix Hall is very symmetrical, the main body of the building is symmetrical on the left and right, and the reflection in the pool is symmetrical with the upper and lower buildings on the ground.

Byodoin has also built a modern museum, Fengxiang Hall, with a beautiful internal architectural design, and there are many unearthed cultural relics worth seeing and cultural and creative souvenirs that are easy to buy.

Upper Shrine. The main hall of Ujijo Shrine and Byodoin Phoenix Hall are built at about the same time, and the history is quite long!The main hall of the shrine is designated as a National Treasure of Japan and is one of the constituent units of the World Cultural Heritage Site "Cultural Properties of Ancient Kyoto".

The omamori of the shrine is a cute little rabbit who can pray to add wisdom to himself. There is also a huge sacred tree, which feels very sacred and worthy of awe.

A long-established matcha shop. Uji's matcha is very famous, and I recommend two very good local matcha 100-year-old shops in UjiNakamura Ming tea, the head office is next to the station, and the branch is next to the Equality Temple, remember to line up in advance to get the number.

There is another one calledIto Kuemon, Matcha ice cream and matcha limited ** are recommended, which are very discounted and are also suitable for buying some souvenirs to take home.

Hotel recommendation. If you have limited time, you can choose to stay in Kyoto and use it as a base to get to Nara or Uji, so you can fully experience Japanese culture and get around

And at this point,ANA Crowne Plaza KyotoIt's doing a good job. The location of this hotel is excellent, located in Nijo Castle, a short distance from Kiyomizudera Temple and Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine.

In particular, the hotel also provides a shuttle bus to and from Kyoto Station, which runs every 15 minutes, which is very intimate.

The exterior of the hotel is very modern, the internal facilities are well maintained, and the lobby bar is outside the waterfall pool garden with koi fish, which is pleasing to the eye.

After the renovation, the room has been greatly upgraded in terms of hardware conditions and comfort.

The design continues the exquisite characteristics of Japanese hotels, giving full play to the geographical advantages and attracting the scenery. Some of the rooms have a good view of Nijo Castle on the other side from the bed.

The overall service is also very good, and the hotel also provides special sleep sets: bath salts to help sleep, brown rice tea bags, warm eye masks, considerate and meticulous, so that people can have a good night's sleep!

The bathroom facilities are also complete and thoughtful, in addition to being equipped with a smart smart toilet, there is also an independent bathtub, which can be comfortably soaked in a bath at any time to eliminate the fatigue of the journey!

There are also several restaurants with different styles to suit different tastes: Rose Restaurant** a variety of authentic French cuisine, Nijo Restaurant** Japanese Teppanyaki, and Karin Restaurant offers Chinese cuisine.

Whether you're in the mood for a familiar Chinese meal, or you're too lazy to experience the local flavors, the hotel has something for your taste buds.

Crowne Plaza has always pursued high standards, and naturally fitness equipment and swimming pools are indispensable. If you're a sports enthusiast, you don't need to worry about interrupting your workout program because of your trip.

If you come to Kyoto to walk the classic streets, then go to Nara to feed the deer, and then go to Uji to try matcha and experience the traditional Japanese culture, I am sure you will fall in love here!

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