Guidebook for Shimogyō-ku, Kyōto-shi
Sightseeing
Feel tiny at the Arashiyama bamboo forest. The Bamboo Forest is hugely popular and gets extremely busy throughout the day. Walking through the soaring bamboo stalks of the densely packed Bamboo Forest in the shadows of the morning light is eerily beautiful and incredibly serene. The Bamboo Forest thoroughly deserves its spot as an iconic Kyoto sight and one of its most photographed spots!
130 locals recommend
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
Sagatenryūji Susukinobabachō Ukyo WardFeel tiny at the Arashiyama bamboo forest. The Bamboo Forest is hugely popular and gets extremely busy throughout the day. Walking through the soaring bamboo stalks of the densely packed Bamboo Forest in the shadows of the morning light is eerily beautiful and incredibly serene. The Bamboo Forest thoroughly deserves its spot as an iconic Kyoto sight and one of its most photographed spots!
The Fushimi Inari Shrine, with its thousands of orange torii gates snaking up the Inari Mountain is another Kyoto icon. The shrine is dedicated to Inari, the god of rice and the patron of business and merchants. A donation is made by those who have had their wish fulfilled and a tori gate is erected in their name.
1229 locals recommend
Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine
68 Fukakusa YabunouchichōThe Fushimi Inari Shrine, with its thousands of orange torii gates snaking up the Inari Mountain is another Kyoto icon. The shrine is dedicated to Inari, the god of rice and the patron of business and merchants. A donation is made by those who have had their wish fulfilled and a tori gate is erected in their name.
Along with the Bamboo Forest and the Fushimi Inari shrine, the Golden Pavillion temple makes for a trio of iconic Kyoto sights. The top two floors of this Zen Temple are covered in gold leaf and the Mirror Pond and lush green backdrop make for an incredible setting.
1389 locals recommend
Kinkaku-ji
KinkakujichōAlong with the Bamboo Forest and the Fushimi Inari shrine, the Golden Pavillion temple makes for a trio of iconic Kyoto sights. The top two floors of this Zen Temple are covered in gold leaf and the Mirror Pond and lush green backdrop make for an incredible setting.
Shopping
Nishiki Market, a colorful narrow food market street known as "Kyoto's Kitchen", runs about a block off parallel to Shijo Street.
912 locals recommend
Nishiki Market Shopping District
Nishidaimonjichō Nakagyo Ward Nishiki Market, a colorful narrow food market street known as "Kyoto's Kitchen", runs about a block off parallel to Shijo Street.
The Kyoto Handicraft Center is a store with seven floors of crafts ranging from key chains to hand painted fans and swords. Visitors can watch artisans create various crafts and participate in workshops and classes.
63 locals recommend
Kyoto Handicraft Centre
聖護院円頓美町-17 左京区The Kyoto Handicraft Center is a store with seven floors of crafts ranging from key chains to hand painted fans and swords. Visitors can watch artisans create various crafts and participate in workshops and classes.
One of the streets running from the north to the south in the heart of Kyoto is Teramachi-dori. At the entrance between Sanjo-dori and Shijo-dori there is a mosaic compass that has become the symbol of the the shopping arcade known as “Teramachi Kyogoku Shopping district”. With general clothing stores as the focus, there are about 170 shops lined up and crowded with people.
31 locals recommend
Teramachi
One of the streets running from the north to the south in the heart of Kyoto is Teramachi-dori. At the entrance between Sanjo-dori and Shijo-dori there is a mosaic compass that has become the symbol of the the shopping arcade known as “Teramachi Kyogoku Shopping district”. With general clothing stores as the focus, there are about 170 shops lined up and crowded with people.
Food Scene
Starbucks TSUTAYA Kyoto Research Park
91 Chūdōji AwatachōNearest Starbucks with free public wifi
すし岩（sushiiwa） Steve Jobs praised " was the most delicious in my life ! Kyoto sushi " sushiiwa
74 locals recommend
Sushiiwa
西玉水町 下京区すし岩（sushiiwa） Steve Jobs praised " was the most delicious in my life ! Kyoto sushi " sushiiwa
Parks & Nature
Kyoto Botanical Garden was built on land donated by the Mitsui family to Kyoto city to commemorate the enthronement of the Emperor Taisho, in 1924. It is the oldest botanical garden in Japan and is blessed with over 12,000 species of plants.
253 locals recommend
Kyoto Botanical Garden
Shimogamo Hangichō Sakyo WardKyoto Botanical Garden was built on land donated by the Mitsui family to Kyoto city to commemorate the enthronement of the Emperor Taisho, in 1924. It is the oldest botanical garden in Japan and is blessed with over 12,000 species of plants.
The Philosopher's Path (哲学の道, Tetsugaku no michi) is a pleasant stone path through the northern part of Kyoto's Higashiyama district. The path follows a canal which is lined by hundreds of cherry trees. Usually in early April these trees explode with color, making this one of the city's most popular hanami (cherry blossom viewing) spots.
93 locals recommend
The Philosopher's Path (Tetsugaku no michi)
Jōdoji Ishibashichō Sakyo WardThe Philosopher's Path (哲学の道, Tetsugaku no michi) is a pleasant stone path through the northern part of Kyoto's Higashiyama district. The path follows a canal which is lined by hundreds of cherry trees. Usually in early April these trees explode with color, making this one of the city's most popular hanami (cherry blossom viewing) spots.
Iwatayama Monkey Park (Japanese: 嵐山モンキーパーク, Arashiyama Monkī Pāku) is a commercial park located in Arashiyama in Kyoto, Japan. The park is on Mt Arashiyama, on the same side of the Oi River as the train station. It is inhabited by a troop of over 170 Japanese macaque monkeys. The animals are wild but can be fed food purchased at the site.
180 locals recommend
Arashiyama Park Nakanoshima Area
Saganakanoshimachō Ukyo WardIwatayama Monkey Park (Japanese: 嵐山モンキーパーク, Arashiyama Monkī Pāku) is a commercial park located in Arashiyama in Kyoto, Japan. The park is on Mt Arashiyama, on the same side of the Oi River as the train station. It is inhabited by a troop of over 170 Japanese macaque monkeys. The animals are wild but can be fed food purchased at the site.
Arts & Culture
Opened in 1897, the Kyoto National Museum (京都国立博物館, Kyōto Kokuritsu Hakubutsukan) is one of Japan's oldest and most distinguished museums. It is one of only four top-level national museums alongside the Tokyo National Museum, Nara National Museum and Kyushu National Museum.
513 locals recommend
Kyoto National Museum
527 ChayachōOpened in 1897, the Kyoto National Museum (京都国立博物館, Kyōto Kokuritsu Hakubutsukan) is one of Japan's oldest and most distinguished museums. It is one of only four top-level national museums alongside the Tokyo National Museum, Nara National Museum and Kyushu National Museum.
The Kyoto International Manga Museum is the best manga museum in the entire country. If you’re a fan of Japanese comics, don’t miss it!
782 locals recommend
Kyoto International Manga Museum
452 KinbukichōThe Kyoto International Manga Museum is the best manga museum in the entire country. If you’re a fan of Japanese comics, don’t miss it!
The Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art is the best museum in Kyoto (it’s only eclipsed by the Kyoto National Museum when the National is holding a special exhibition).
48 locals recommend
Kyoto Museum of Crafts and Design
Okazaki Seishōjichō-9-1 Sakyo WardThe Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art is the best museum in Kyoto (it’s only eclipsed by the Kyoto National Museum when the National is holding a special exhibition).
Drinks & Nightlife
A shot bar with river beds in Kyoto Ponto Town, Atlantis (Atlantis). With friendly people and lovers, alone. Tilt the delicious sake in a calm space · · ·. Please enjoy the relaxed time flow while watching the starry sky on BGM for the babbling of Kyoto River Kyoto.
53 locals recommend
ＡＴＬＡＮＴＩＳ アトランティス
161 MatsumotochōA shot bar with river beds in Kyoto Ponto Town, Atlantis (Atlantis). With friendly people and lovers, alone. Tilt the delicious sake in a calm space · · ·. Please enjoy the relaxed time flow while watching the starry sky on BGM for the babbling of Kyoto River Kyoto.
This is a great bar for enjoying a few beers or making new friends, especially on busier nights. The inside looks like a log cabin with long, shared tables so you’ll often get chatting with locals as you sit together while enjoying a few bottles of beer which the staff will open with a quick flick of their chopsticks!
39 locals recommend
Kyoto's "A" Bar
366 KamiyachōThis is a great bar for enjoying a few beers or making new friends, especially on busier nights. The inside looks like a log cabin with long, shared tables so you’ll often get chatting with locals as you sit together while enjoying a few bottles of beer which the staff will open with a quick flick of their chopsticks!
Barcode is one of my favourite bars in Kyoto, we almost always pop in for a few if we’re out! They have free karaoke and the friendly staff will bring the machine and microphones over to your table and take your drink orders for you.
49 locals recommend
barcode
Kamiyachō Nakagyo WardBarcode is one of my favourite bars in Kyoto, we almost always pop in for a few if we’re out! They have free karaoke and the friendly staff will bring the machine and microphones over to your table and take your drink orders for you.
Getting Around
You can bring your suitcases to the Yamato delivery center and ask them to ship them to whereever you want to send.
39 locals recommend
Yamato Transport Co., Ltd. Kyoto Ekimae Center
308 油小路町You can bring your suitcases to the Yamato delivery center and ask them to ship them to whereever you want to send.
Our goal is to enrich people's lives by our car rental service and to provide rental cars that are clean, convenient and Anshin (peace of mind). We support our customers' drive by the Nissan Motor Group network.
37 locals recommend
Nissan Rent-a-car
41-4 Nishikujō KitanouchichōOur goal is to enrich people's lives by our car rental service and to provide rental cars that are clean, convenient and Anshin (peace of mind). We support our customers' drive by the Nissan Motor Group network.
Only 5 min walk from Kyoto station central exit (North side).
38 locals recommend
Higashiaburanokojicho
Only 5 min walk from Kyoto station central exit (North side).