Enjoy Kyoto in winter to the fullGet around and stay over a night for 10,000 yen. It all depends on how you travel.2012.01.

You may think it will cost a lot to stay at a ryokan (Japanese style inn) in Kyoto and have a good tofu dish. But it all depends on how you travel. If you get around in the way introduced below, you will be able to fully enjoy Kyoto in winter while saving money.

City Bus All-day Pass

If you want to enjoy sightseeing in Kyoto economically, get a city bus all-day pass. The all-day pass can be purchased at kiosks in the subway stations. But it will be more convenient for you to buy it at the Kyoto tourist information center at the same time you get leaflets and other information as the services are available in English, Chinese and Korean there.

 
City Bus
Adults 500 yen, Children 250 yen
 
Transportation
There are many different types of passes for tourists. Find a pass that serves you the best and enjoy the tour in Kyoto while saving some money.

 

The tour starts from a "machiya ryokan."


Staff in kimono

Which kimono should I choose?

Breakfast (Japanese style is also available.)

Machiya ryokans were renovated from Japanese traditional wooden townhouses which blend nicely with Kyoto. The peaceful ambience is well received by people from abroad. Staff in kimono welcomes guests with smiles at the reception counter. This machiya ryokan offers a service to take a photo of you in the kimono you choose out of 100 kimonos. How about putting on kimono for the memory of your trip?
 
Nagomi Ryokan (Japanese-style inn) Yuu
Room for 2 persons: 4,200 yen - /person (Shared bathroom and toilet)
Lunch 880 yen
Photo taking in Kimono: 1800 yen(30 minutes)
94, Kamiwakamiya-cho, Wakamiya-dori Rokujo Nishi-iru, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto-city
 
Accommodation
In Kyoto, there are ryokans and low cost accommodations utilizing Japanese traditional townhouses. Find a place you would like to stay with the Japan Hotels & Ryokan Search.
<Bus rides>
Take Karasuma-rokujo No. 5 bus to Shijo-kawaramachi. Take No. 12 bus from Shijo-kawaramachi to Horikawa-teranouchi.
 

Urasenke – Experience the Japanese tea ceremony


Seriously listening to the master!

I was nervous as it was my first time!
Well, let me see how it tastes like.

Beverages containing matcha (powdered green tea) may be available abroad, but there is probably not much chance to enjoy a bowl of freshly made matcha tea. How about making yourself a bowl of matcha tea? A master will teach you thoroughly how to make matcha tea in the Japanese tea ceremony. You will be surprised that the taste of the tea made by a master is different from the one made by you.
 
The Urasenke Tradition of Tea, Chado Research Center Galleries
Admission fee: 800 yen (Tea ceremony experience included) Prior reservations necessary
9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Closed : Mondays, days for preparations and year-end through New Year holidays
* Please note that no interpreters are available.
Teranouchi-noboru, Horikawa-dori, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto-city

 
<Bus rides>
Take Horikawa-teranouchi No. 12 bus to Shijo-kawaramachi.
 

Lunch at Nishiki Market, the mecca of food in Kyoto

Each one of them looks good.
Rice from the famous Japanese rice production areas is available.

Doughnuts are made one after another.

Nishiki Market is the place you may want to go when you get hungry. Everything seems so good that you may be saying, “I want to have each and every one of them!" The recommended shop is the rice ball shop run by a rice dealer. More than 20 different types of rice balls made with the blended rice of Kyoto are sold at the shop. It is great that a good rice ball is available with the price ranging from 90 yen. You can eat them with a cup of tea in the shop. The staff at the shop says tourists from abroad often buy rice also. And how about soy milk doughnuts, which cost 250 yen for 10 pieces, made from soy milk produced by a tofu maker or a 300-yen goma-dofu (sesame curd made from sesame seed paste) with black sugar syrup and ground roasted soybeans for desert?
 
Chuou Beikoku
One rice ball from 90 yen
9:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.(eat in: 10:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.)
Closed: New Year holidays
Yanaginobanba-kado, Nishikikoji-dori, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto-city
 
Konnamonja
10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (varies by season)
Sakaimachi-hokusei-kado, Nishiki-dori, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto-city

 
<Bus rides>
Take Shijo-kawaramachi No. 207 bus to Kiyomizu-michi.
 

World Heritage “Kiyomizudera Temple"


“Niomon Gate", the front gate of Kiyomizudera Temple

“Fukuro-no- chozubachi" (owl's basin for washing hands) in front of Todorokimon Gate with a dragon pouring water from its mouth

“Kiyomizu-no-butai" which is jutted out from the main hall

“Otowa-no-taki," three channels of water falls into the pond

15 halls including those that are designated as a National Treasure or an Important Cultural Property stand in harmony with nature in the ground of Kiyomizudera Temple of 130 thousand square meters. The Main Hall is designated as a National Treasure and its terrace called “Kiyomizu-no-butai (Kiyomizu stage)" is especially famous. The wooden structure of the Kiyomizu stage is outstanding and it was built without using a single nail. The terrace is as high as the 4th floor of a building and the view from there is magnificent. Otowa-no-taki (Otowa Waterfall) is a waterfall of springing pure water called “enmeisui (life-extending water)" or “ougonsui (golden water)." And tourists line up to drink the pure water.
 
Kiyomizudera Temple
6:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (varies by season)
Admission fee : Adults 300 yen Elementary and junior high school students 200 yen
 

A stroll on Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka after visiting Kiyomizudera Temple


It is always crowded with many people.
There are many different flavors of Yatsuhashi.

The building retains the look of old days.
The colorful products in the shop

A popular item in the shape of ribbon bow

On the both sides of the street that leads to Kiyomizudera Temple, there are many shops. And the street is always crowded with tourists. You will find the shops where you can taste Yatsuhashi, the famous product of Kyoto and the typical souvenir shops of Kyoto. At the corner of the Ninenzaka Slope, there is a unique shop specialized in products with a “gamaguchi (kiss clasp)." Yes, the shop only sells products that have a kiss clasp. From purse to bag, they have a variety of products. The fabrics that are used for the products have traditional Kyoto designs or modern Japanese designs and each and every product is very colorful.
 
Hannari kyoto
Hours:10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Open year-round
362-12, Masuya-cho, Kodai-ji, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto-city
 

Kodaiji Temple that has a beautiful garden
Important Cultural Property Kaizando (the Founder's Hall) in the beautiful garden

Kodaiji Temple is established by the wife of a warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi in prayer for Hideyoshi to rest in peace. There remain “otamaya (mausoleum)," an Important Cultural Property, the tea room and so on. The Zushi shrine (miniature shrine) with gorgeous lacquer works tells that the skills for lacquer artwork were high in the Momoyama period. And the garden that shows different beauties in each season is outstanding. The beautiful scenery will make you forget the passage of time and keep looking at it.
 
Kodaiji Temple
Admission fee:Adults 600 yen Junior high school and High school students 250 yen
9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.(Last admission 30 minutes before closing)
526, Shimo-Kawaracho, Kodai-ji, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto-city
 

A stroll on Shijodori Street to Keihan Shijo

If you walk down Shijodori Street, there is Hanamikoji Street on your left which still retains the ambience of old days. If you are lucky, you may be able to see “maiko." After a walk on Hanamikoji Street, go back to Shijodori Street and stroll down to Keihan Shijo. Then take a bus from there.
 
<Bus rides>
Take Keihan Shijo No. 15 bus to Sakaimachi-oike.
 

A visit to the Museum of Kyoto where the visitors can easily understand the history of Kyoto


The annex that is designated as an Important Cultural Property
Audio guide in Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean (100 yen)

A stunning screen (the picture scroll corridor)
Exhibits of each period with detailed explanations

The Museum of Kyoto has been renovated and reopened in July 2011. The general exhibition hall on the second floor is dedicated to the history of Kyoto where you will be able to see the Kyoto's history of about 1200 years chronologically. The picture scroll corridor where the picture scrolls that show the life of the Heian, Kamakura, Muromachi and Edo periods are displayed is stunning. Audio guide in Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean is available (100 yen) for this exhibition hall. It will help you to enjoy seeing the exhibits even more.
 
The Museum of Kyoto
Admission fee Adults 500 yen University students 400 yen
Elementary, junior high school and high school students Free
Exhibition 10:00 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.(Last admission 30 minutes before closing)
Special Exhibition 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
* Closes at 7:30 p.m. every Friday(Last admission 30 minutes before closing)
Annex: 10:00 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. (subject to change at the time of events)
Closed:Mondays(Closed the next day when Monday falls on a national holiday)
Sanjo-Takakura, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto-city
 

Kyoto is known for tofu. Have lots of tofu for dinner.


You can have a soy milk soft serve ice cream at the entrance of the restaurant.
2,100 yen set menu – the hot pot tofu dish in the photo is for two persons.


What comes last after having fully enjoyed the sightseeing and shopping is, of course, dinner. Many of you might say, “I cannot finish off the day without having good food!" The recommended restaurant is Yufuku which is run directly by Kyo-no-yuki Honpo, a tofu maker continued from the Taisho period. The restaurant is on the first floor of the Museum of Kyoto. The freshly made tofu and yuba (soy milk skin) are delivered from the factory every morning. The freshly made tofu tastes fresh! The menu has photos on it so that foreigners can easily understand (English menu available).
 
Yufuku
11:30 a.m. - 2:45 p.m. / 5:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Closed :Mondays, on The Museum of Kyoto closed days
 

See the introduced places on Google map


 

Estimated total cost

City bus all-day pass ¥500
Nagomi Ryokan Yuu ¥4,200
Breakfast ¥880
Chado Research Center Galleries ¥800
Rice ball ¥90
Soy milk doughnuts (10 pieces) ¥250
Goma-dofu with black sugar syrup ¥300
Kiyomizudera Temple ¥300
Kodaiji Temple ¥600
Museum of Kyoto ¥500
Audio guide ¥100
Yufuku Dinner ¥2,100
¥10,620

 

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