Kyoto Travel Guide for the First Visitors

Kyoto-Travel.com is presented by a Kyoto native resident, and provides really necessary and useful information to the travelers who visit Kyoto.

Yamabuki is blooming at Matsu Shrine.

Today is Matsuo Shrine Festival. In Mastuo Shrine, our area's guardian gods are enshrined. On this day, 5 MIKOSHIs that means a portable shrine travel from Matsuo Shrine to its branch shrine. On the way, they go accross Katusra river on a boat one by one. Around one month, those MIKOSHIs are placed at the branch shrine.

After raining of last week, Sakura in Kyoto center area finishes its full blooming. I visted several places to see Sakura, and DAIGO-ji where I went for the first time was the best for me for this year. Around Sanzen-in area that is located in north of Kyoto, it's about to be full blooming, and we can still enjyoy untill next weekend.

At Toji, cherry blossoms are full bloom now!

Today is my company's anniversary of the establishment, and is holiday. My sun and daughter are also on spring holidays now. So we went to Daigo-ji to see Sakura(cherry blossoms). Daigo-ji is famous where TOYOTOMI HIDEYOSHI held a famous cherry blossom party. He was a sengoku(warring states) period daimyo(ruler) who unified Japan, and brought an end to the Sengoku period.

Even on a weekday, there are so many people and was surprised with it. It was the first time for me to visit the temple, the cherry blossoms were indeed as beautiful as everyone says.

A group of Kyoto Ritsumei University issued an English guidebook that introduces Kyoto's one of the famous amusument centers, Kiyamachi. It explains 36 eating and drinking places. For the foreigners, to find eating places where the staff can speak English is very difficult. I think this guide is very helpfu for you! Please check their website Kiyamachi Walker.

Illumination event, Higashiyama Hana Touro(Flowe and lanterns) that I intorduced here in the event page finished on 23rd March. According to today's news paper, 1.08 million people visited during its 12 days period. This is the 6th year since this event started. Originally it started to increase Kyoto visitors during off season. And it has become successful and one of the famous Kyoto events. The event is held in December at Arashiyama and in March at Higashiyama area. If you lost the chance this year, please join the next time!

Ohigan is a period when some buddhism ceremonies are held. We have it in March and September. We often say that Summer heat or winter cold doesn't last after Ohigan. This means that spring or autumn starts after Ohigan. During this period some families go to their graves. I visited Nishi-otani today where my family grave is there. Nishi-otani is one of the biggest grave places in Kyoto.

For the visitors, it might not be a good place to visit, but there is a narrow path going to Kiyomizu temple. Most of the visitors use the main street on the other side. When you visit Kiyomizudera, I recommend to use it. Along the path, there are more than 10,000 graves. You can see some sacrid views.

As you may know, Tokyo Michelin Guide 2008 has been issued last year, which is the first Michelin Guide in Japan. It became a focus of interest not only in Japan but also overseas. According to Today's Kyoto News Paper, it says that Kyoto Michelin Guide is also on the way. Formaly Michelin does't admit it. But the news paper says that some Japanese restaurants in Kyoto had investigations of Michelin. In Kyoto, we have Kyo-Ryori(cuisine) that is more sophitsicated Japanese Traditional cuisine. It is a good thing to introduce them to more foreigners, but on the other hand some restauranrts worry that they are able to evaluate the real Kyoto cuisine.

In Japan, we have hundreds of Kyoto restaurants guidebooks in Japanese, but there a few restaurants guidebooks in English. So if Kyoto Michelin Guide is issued, it can be good guide for foreigners. But restaurants of Michelin tend to be expensive. So I expect more English resturants guidebooks are issued that intorduce good restaurants with preferable prices.

When you visit shrines, you can find wooden pentagonal small board with a drawing such as a horse and so on. We call them as EMA. In Japan, we write our wishes on it such as family happiness and business sucesses. Yesterday, I visted KITANO TENMANGU that enshrines the famed god of learning, SUGAWARA MICHIZANE. So mnay students write their wishes to pass the entrance examinations of their target schools.

In Kyoto, it's getting warmer day by day. We can feel the spring will come soon. Today I visited KITANO TENMAN-GU. As I introduced on January 25th, it is famous for its plum trees, and 50 different kinds of about 2,000 plum trees are planted. The plum trees are in full bloom now! Many people visit to enjoy them. You can see white and pink plum flowers everywhere inside the shrie! It's located near KINKAKU-JI(Golden temple). So if you visit KINKAKU-JI, I also recommend to visit KITANO-SAN especially when the plum trees are in bloom.

In Japan, March 3 is a day of HINA MATSURI. HINA means doll, and MATSURI means festival. It started in the HEIAN period( about 1200 years ago). This is a day for girls. Families who have female children celebrate this day. On this day, we set up dolls. As you see in the picture, there are a male and a female dolls. They are the Japanese emperor and empress. My house has a simple set up only with two main dolls, but a formal doll set consists of more dolls such as three court ladies, five court musicians and so on. I found Kyoto HINA doll craftmen website. You can see the traditional doll set up there!

At Kyoto national museum, they exhibit Hina Matsuri and Japanese Dolls till March 30, 2008. If you have interests, please visit there!

In the Kyoto station building, there is a department store, ISETAN. Today I went to eat RAMEN with my family on the 10th floor. There is a square for RAMEN shops called KYOTO RAMEN KOJI(street), and there are 7 famous ramen shops in Japan. Periodically the shop menbers change. Originally RAMNEN is a chinese food. But Japnese establihsd Japan-original-taste RAMEN, and I think it has become one of the Japnese food cultures. So most of the Japanese like RAMEN, and you can find many RAMEN shops everywere in Japan. If you have a chance to visit the Kyoto station, please go there for your lunch! All the shops display samples, and you buy tickets in advance using a ticket vending machine. So even for foreigners, it's easy to use! In Kyoto, we have several famous RAMEN shops. I will intorduce them in the future.

Today was a sunny day, and the highest temperature was more than 10 degress. The spring will come soon. When you walk around Kyoto or visit some Japanese gardens, you can find pine trees rolled with a straw sheet. We cal it "KOMO MAKI". Do you know what it is? This is to gather noxious insects in the starw. During the winter, those insects need to overwinter in the warmer places such as in the ground. But by putting straw, they stop in it. And at the end of winter, they burn them. Some people misundersnad that the purpose is cold protection for trees! Do you have the same things like this in your country?

The new Kyoto-city mayor is Mr. Kadokawa and he obtained 158,472 votes. He won by only 951 votes to the next candidate. He was a candidate as the sucessor of the current mayor, so the most of the media anticipated he would be the new mayor, but the result shows that it was really close. This means most of the citizenzs expect some changes.

During the past few years, we had a lot of scandals of municipal staff. Upon his winning interview, he declared to eliminate such scandals within a year. I expect that he reestablishes Kyoto to make it more attractive!

As I said on Feb. 11, today was voting day for the Kyoto-city Mayor. In Japan, elementary schools or junior high schools are usually voting places. I went KARAHASHI elementary school that is my area's public school. Upon election, we receive a postcard for voting in advance, and we need to bring it for voting. I heard the voting ratio is not so high this time. The voting finished at 8pm, and late this night, we know who is the new mayor.

Today I visited my friend house. He was my co-worker. Before he retired, he bought a condominium at OKAZAKI area. OKAZAKI is one of the famous place for sightseeing. There are many nice places to visit such as HEIAN JINGU, NANZENJI, and so on. NANZEN-JI is famous for its huge gate called SANMON. It was built in 1968. OKAZAKI is also famous TOFU dishes, and there are many TOFU Japanse restaurants near NANZEN-JI. You can taste healthy TOFU course dishes there. If you visit Kyoto, I recommend to visit this area.

In the US, it's on the way to decide the candidate for the next President. In Kyoto, we also have an election for the Kyoto mayor upon the expiration of the 4 years-term of the current mayor, Masumoto. The next sunday is its voting day. There are 4 candidates, and all are the new faces.

As you see the picture, when we have elctions, the pictures of each candidate will be put on a wooden board and, they are placed at public spaces. And you can see cars moving around shouting a candidate name into a bullhorn. Off course, they have speechs at public spaces. But when foreigners see such cars repeating cadidate's name, you may feel strange for it.

We had snow falls today. It continued during the day time and it piled up about 5cm. In Kyoto city we have only a few days with snow falls. It's very cold, but you can see the beautiful scenes everywhere in Kyoto. I visited TOJI temple and ROKUSON shrine to take pictures.

February 3 is SETSUBUN. SETSUBUN is the day before the beginning of each season. Especialy February 3 is consdiered as the beginning of spring. On this day people practice a ceremony called Mamemaki (bean-throwing) at temples, shrines and at home.

We throw beans shouting "Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!". The meaning is something like "Demons out! Luck in!" And at each home especialy at west Japan area, we eat BIG roll type SUSHI called FUTO-MAKI facing south-southeast. This practice brings luck and health to each.

In Kyoto, there are several temples and shrines that are famous for SETUBUN ceremony. MIBU temple is one of them, I visited there with my son and daughter. They are also famous for a Japanese traditional theater called KYOGEN. When we visited, it was about to start, and we were able to enjoy watching them!

Today was my 11th wedding aniversary. We had a TEMAKI-SUSHI party at home. SUSHI is famous Japanese foods. Here in Kyoto too, there are a lot of SUSHI bars. You think you can eat SUSHI only at SUSHI bars.

In Japan, not only at SUSHI bars, but also at home, we eat SUSHI. TEMAKI means roll type SHSHI. We prepare SUSHI rice (rice seasoned with vinegar), ingredients such as raw sliced fish, fried egg, some vegetables and seaweed.

At home, we are the one to make SUSHI by ourselves, The way how to make it is very easy. First, put rice and each favorite ingredinets on seaweed, and just roll it!

Especially children like TEMAKI-SUSHI party very much. If you are interested in it, please try it! I can tell you more details.

On January 21st, I introduced Kobo-san. We also have another market at Kitano Tenmangu held on 25th of every month.

Same as Kobo-san, many small shops gather and display their goods. Kitano Tenmangu is the formal name, and we affectionaly call it as Tenjin-san or Kitano-san for short. In Japan, we put san, after people name. It's the same with Mr. or Ms. and a friendly way to say people name.

Tenjin san enshrines the famed god of learning, SUGAWARA MICHIZANE(AD845-943), who was a scholar and politician during the HEIAN period. So many students visit there to pray for their study performance up.

Tenjin san is also famous for its plum trees, and 50 different kinds of about 2,000 plum trees are planted for Sugawara, who loved plum blossoms. The plum trees will be in full bloom from middle of February until early March. I usually visit there with my family to enjoy the blossoms. I will show you the pictures in this blog! Please wait.

Now in Japan, it's very cold, and especially northern areas of Japan, they have heavy snow falls.

In Kyoto, we also had light snow falls. From my house, I can see the mountains on the west side of Kyoto city. I found they are streaked with snow. During this winter, if we have days with more snow, I may have a chance to show you beautiful pitcures of Kyoto decorated in white!

Every month on the 21st a huge market called Kobo-san is held at TOJI. Hastu measn the first in Japanese. So, the first KOBO-san held in January is called with HATSU. KOBO is a short word of KOBO TAISHI that is a title given to Buddhist monk, KUKAI who is a founder of SHINGON-SYU( one kind of Tantric Buddhism in Japan). As I said in my profile, I live near TOJI. So this morning I dropped at TOJI before I go to work. As you see in the picture, TOJI is famous for its tower with 5 layers. It was cloudy and early in the morning, so it was not so crowded, but later many people come to enjoy the market. At the market there are a lot of small shops, and they sell antiques, clothes, KIMONO(Japanese traditional wear), fresh vegetables, drawings and so on.
If you like Japanese antiques, it's a good place. Several antique sellers open a shop there and display their goods. And you can enjoy price negotiations with them. I'm sure it's interesting!

In Kyoto, we have two city subway lines. One is Karasuma(north to south) line, another is TO-ZAI(west to east) line.

Today, the extention of TO-ZAI line started the operation. The line was extended to the west, and two staions were added.

For the residents, they have now a good access to the center area of Kyoto city. But for the visitors, you may not have chances to use the new stations, because there are few sightseeing places aroud there.

If it's extended to the west more, there are good places for sightseeing, but due to finance problems, it seems difficult.

The 2nd monday of January is our national holiday, Coming-of-Age Day. At every city and town hall in Japan, they have a ceremony to celebrate them. In Japan, men and women who reached 20 years old are considerd as coming of age. So they can start drinking and smoking legally.

Here in Kyoto, we also had a ceremony at a hall near HEIAN JINGU. The number of people of becoming 20 this year in Kyoto city is 15,496. Most of girls wear Japanese traditional wear, Kimono. So if you are here on this day, you can easily find many of them in Kimono!

A Happny New Year! This is the start year of Kyoto-Travel.com. I hope many foreigners who love Kyoto visit this site!
In Japan, New Year Holiday(SYOGATSU) is the biggest annual event. There are customs such as the first visit of the year to a temple or Shrine to pray for the year's happines of our family.


I also visted Matuso Shrine with my family. I had a wedding here, and is a memorial place to me. As you see in the pictures, many people visit. The drawing on the board shows a Mouse fighting with a cat. In east asia area countries such as Japan and Chine, we have 12-year cycle of animals. And this is year of mouse. So some shrines show it on the board called EMA.

To support Kyoto visitors, I will answer your questions especially about travelling Kyoto. Please feel free to ask me questions!

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