Classic Route Day 2

Kyoto 🏯

Kyoto, often described as Japan’s Gyeongju or the thousand-year capital, is a historic city filled with countless attractions.

Like Gyeongju, it can feel too short to see everything in just one day. If you have time, it is best to stay at least 2–3 days and explore slowly.

If your schedule allows, it is efficient to split Kyoto into key areas around Kyoto Station—east (Kiyomizu-dera, Gion), west (Arashiyama), and south (Fushimi Inari)—and travel by zone.

• To follow this recommended schedule properly, you should leave Umeda Station or JR Osaka Station before 8:00 a.m.

Kyoto is also popular as a day trip because it takes about one hour by train from Osaka. However, distances between sights are long and there is a lot of walking, so it can be physically demanding, especially in the hot summer.

Also, if you are traveling with parents or young children, instead of moving only by public transport, it can be a good option to join a one-day bus tour, where you can stay cool in an air-conditioned bus and enjoy the trip with a guide’s explanations.

Arashiyama

嵐山

Arashiyama was developed as a villa area for nobles in the Heian period, and it is still loved today as one of Kyoto’s most famous sightseeing areas.

Its symbol is the 154 m wooden bridge, Togetsukyo (渡月橋). The name comes from how beautiful it looks as if the moon is crossing the bridge, and it is a must-stop spot for anyone visiting Arashiyama.

🍁 Especially during the autumn foliage season (mid-November to early December), visitor numbers surge and accommodation prices can rise to more than double, so it is important to plan ahead.

Recently, the bamboo grove called “Chikurin (竹林)”, often featured on TV and social media, has become very popular. It is another signature spot of Arashiyama, with a quiet, almost mysterious walking path.

1) Togetsukyo Bridge

渡月橋

Togetsukyo Bridge (渡月橋) is an iconic bridge that represents Arashiyama, and it is said to have been first built around the 9th century. The name means “the bridge where the moon crosses,” and the scenery under moonlight is especially beautiful.

The current Togetsukyo Bridge was rebuilt in 1934, using a concrete structure covered with cypress wood, combining both traditional beauty and safety.

2) Chikurin & Bamboo Grove

嵐山竹林

🎋 The second symbol of Arashiyama, Chikurin (竹林), is one of the must-visit spots, together with Togetsukyo Bridge. On Google Maps, “Arashiyama Chikurin” and “Bamboo Grove Railway Path” appear as separate places, which can be confusing for first-time visitors.

For reference, “bamboo grove (竹林)” is read as “chikurin” in Japanese, and the guidebook uses the following distinction.

• Chikurin: a well-maintained bamboo grove
• Bamboo grove: a more natural bamboo section along the railway path

3) Tenryu-ji

天龍寺

Tenryu-ji (天龍寺) is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage temple, built to pray for the soul of Emperor Go-Daigo. It is home to Sogenchi Garden (曹源池), the first garden in Japan designated as a Historic Site and Special Place of Scenic Beauty.

From the Ohojo (大方丈), the view of Sogenchi Garden looks like a painting in a frame. The Unryu-zu (雲龍圖) on the ceiling of the Dharma Hall is also famous, showing a dragon flying through clouds and leaving a strong impression on visitors.

• Opening hours: 08:30 ~ 17:00
• Admission:
  • Sogenchi Garden only: High school students/adults 500 yen, junior/elementary students 300 yen, preschool children free
  • Sogenchi Garden + Ohojo temple halls: +300 yen on top of the above
  • Unryu-zu (雲龍圖) is open only on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays, and costs an extra 500 yen (Open daily in spring and autumn)

4) Kimono Forest

キモノフォレスト

Kimono Forest is located near the Randen Arashiyama Station, and it is a unique space with over 600 illuminated pillars using kimono fabric patterns.

The name comes from the idea that each “kimono” pillar forms a “forest,” and it is most beautiful at dusk when the lights turn on.

• Night illumination hours: From sunset to 21:00

5) Sagano Scenic Railway

嵯峨野トロッコ列車

The Sagano Scenic Railway is a sightseeing train running along the Arashiyama valley, and it operates seasonally from March to December each year. It is especially popular during the autumn foliage season (mid-November to early December), and tickets can be very difficult to get.

Online reservations open one month before departure at 10:00 a.m., so if your plan is fixed, it is best to book as soon as seats are released.

Even if you miss the reservation, you can still buy same-day tickets on site, so there is no need to worry too much. For details, check the link below for “How to buy tickets.”

• One-way fare: Adults 880 yen / Children 440 yen

Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)

金閣寺

Kinkaku-ji is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, and its official name is Rokuon-ji (鹿苑寺). However, because of its three-story pavilion covered in gold, it is more widely known as “Kinkaku-ji (金閣寺).”

It became even more famous through Yukio Mishima’s novel The Temple of the Golden Pavilion, and it is said that during the 1955 restoration, gold leaf made from about 20 kg of real gold was applied. (Around 1 billion KRW at current market prices)

📖 Interesting stories about Kinkaku-ji

• There is a story that gold has sunk to the bottom of the pond under the pavilion.
• To match the golden Kinkaku-ji, there was also a plan to build a silver “Ginkaku-ji,” but due to budget and other reasons, it never received real silver leaf, and only the name remained.

• Opening hours: 09:00 ~ 17:00 (Open daily)
• Admission:
  • High school students and above: 500 yen
  • Elementary and junior high students: 300 yen

Nijo Castle (Nijo-jo)

二条城

Nijo Castle (二条城) is read as “jo (じょう)” in Japanese, so it is also often called “Nijo-jo.” It is the only castle in Kyoto (not a temple or shrine), and it is registered as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site.

It was a castle that Tokugawa Ieyasu used as his residence and a symbol of authority in Kyoto after winning the Battle of Sekigahara.

One highlight to notice at Nijo Castle is the “nightingale floors.” The name comes from the unique squeaking sound when you step on the corridor, which people say resembles a nightingale’s chirp.

It is said that people inside used silent corridors, while outsiders did not know this and would step on the squeaking floors, making it possible to detect intruders. This is often described as both a security feature and a smart idea in traditional Japanese architecture.

• Opening hours: 08:45 ~ 17:00 (Last entry 16:00)
• Closed: December 29 ~ 31
  • Opening schedules for Honmaru and Ninomaru differ, so be sure to check the official website
• Admission:
  • General ticket: Adults 800 yen / Junior & high school students 400 yen / Elementary school students 300 yen
  • Ticket + Ninomaru Palace: Adults 1,300 yen / Junior & high school students 400 yen / Elementary school students 300 yen
  • Honmaru (Advance web booking required): Adults 1,000 yen / Junior & high school students 300 yen / Elementary school students 200 yen

Kiyomizu-dera (Kiyomizudera)

清水寺

Two major figures of the Heian period are the scholar-official Sugawara no Michizane and the warrior Sakanoue no Tamuramaro (坂上田村麻呂).
(Sugawara no Michizane is enshrined as the god of learning at Dazaifu Tenmangu in Kyushu.)

Tamuramaro was a warrior favored by Emperor Kanmu, and he is known as a descendant of immigrants of Baekje origin. In 798, he founded Kiyomizu-dera (Kiyomizudera).

He went into the mountains to hunt deer, which were believed to be good for pregnant women, for his wife who suffered from childbirth complications. On his way down, he followed the sound of Buddhist chanting and found Monk Enchin in training.

The monk said he had received a revelation to enshrine the Eleven-Headed Thousand-Armed Kannon, and he was building a temple. Tamuramaro told this to his wife, and after recovering her health, she suggested building the temple as an act of repentance.

So Tamuramaro built Kiyomizu-dera with Enchin and enshrined the statue of the Eleven-Headed Thousand-Armed Avalokiteshvara (Kannon). Because of this, the temple also became known as a place to pray for safe childbirth.

It was destroyed in the Onin War (1467), but it was later rebuilt by Tokugawa Iemitsu, the third shogun of the Edo shogunate.

At that time, to raise funds for reconstruction, the hidden principal image (hibutsu) was revealed, and after that, it became open to the public only once every 33 years. The last opening was in 2000, and the next is planned for 2033.

The main hall is built like a stage, and there is a legend that if you jump from the veranda and survive, your wish will come true.
(From 1694 over 170 years, 234 people attempted it.)

This legend is the origin of the expression “to jump from the stage of Kiyomizu,” meaning to make a decision with all your resolve.

Behind the main hall is Jishu Shrine, popular for love fortunes. There are two stones called “Koiuranai no Ishi (恋占いの石).” It is said that if you can walk from one stone to the other with your eyes closed, your love will come true.

Even if you fail, do not blame your partner. It is not as easy as it sounds.

Otowa Waterfall, which Tamuramaro is said to have drunk from, has three streams, symbolizing wisdom, love, and longevity.
There is also a saying that drinking all three brings bad luck, so the lesson is to choose just one.

Other facilities include the Kaisan-do, which enshrines memorial tablets for Tamuramaro and his wife, and Rokkan-zu, a deer burial site.

One more point: Tamuramaro is known as a descendant of immigrants of Baekje origin. However, it is generally seen that by then, immigrants were already largely assimilated into Japan after 3–4 generations.

So rather than claiming that Kiyomizu-dera was built by “our people,” some argue it is more reasonable to view it as a result of blending Baekje influence with Japanese culture.

As a personal opinion, Japan also needs an attitude that recognizes this historical background and the influence from Baekje.

• Opening hours: 06:00 ~ 18:00 / 18:30 (Varies by season, open daily)
• Night special viewing: Spring & autumn – until 21:00 / Summer – until 21:30
• Admission: Adults 400 yen / Elementary & junior high students 200 yen

Sannen-zaka & Ninen-zaka

三年坂, 二年坂

Sannen-zaka has 46 stone steps, and Ninen-zaka has 17 stone steps. Along both stair streets are souvenir shops and restaurants renovated from traditional houses, making them a well-known hidden gem where you can feel the Kyoto atmosphere.

There is a scary local saying: “If you fall on Sannen-zaka, you will die within three years.” 😨

But even if you do fall, there is no need to feel too worried. Another story says you can avoid bad luck by buying and carrying a gourd-shaped charm sold at shops near the bottom of the slope.
(Some say this is just a sales tactic.)

On the way from Sannen-zaka to Ninen-zaka, you will find Yasaka Pagoda (Five-story pagoda), a famous photo spot linking the two streets. It is recommended to follow the route so that you see Yasaka Pagoda first and then walk down. 📸

Yasaka Pagoda at Hokan-ji (Hokanji)

八坂塔

Prince Shotoku (聖徳太子), honored in Japan as a holy ruler, founded three temples to spread Buddhism.
(For more on Prince Shotoku, see the Shitennoji section in the Osaka chapter.)

• Shitennoji (四天王寺) in Osaka
• Koryu-ji (広隆寺) in Kyoto, home to Japan’s National Treasure No. 1, a wooden Maitreya Bodhisattva statue similar to Korea’s National Treasure No. 38
• Hokan-ji (法觀寺) in Higashiyama, Kyoto

Today, after the main hall was lost, only Yasaka Pagoda remains, and it is said to have been built by Irji (伊利之), an immigrant from Goguryeo. The pagoda was also seen as a strategic symbol during Japan’s Warring States period, and it is said that the group who seized the area would first climb the pagoda and raise their own flag.

This area is sometimes described as “the most Japanese-looking street in Japan.” The pagoda rising above the traditional Kyoto streets is an excellent photo spot. 📸

It is also Japan’s only five-story pagoda where you can go inside, offering a rare chance to enter the building.
However, entry is only available until 4:00 p.m., so if you want to go inside, it is best to adjust your schedule and visit earlier, before spots like Kiyomizu-dera, Yasaka Shrine, and Gion.

Gion (Gion District)

祇園

It is common to end a Kyoto day in Gion.

The reason is that Kiyomizu-dera stays open late, and if you want to see geisha, it is best to visit in the evening.

Also, Yasaka Shrine is open 24 hours, making it a good final stop for the day.

Just as Kiyomizu-dera has links to ancient Korea, Gion also has places connected to Korea, and one of the best-known examples is Yasaka Shrine.

1) Yasaka Shrine

In Japanese mythology, Susanoo-no-Mikoto is also known as Gozu Tennō (牛頭天王) and is seen as a deity who drives away epidemics. He is a son of Izanagi, but due to his troublesome personality, he was expelled.

According to the Nihon Shoki, after being expelled, he descended to a place called Soshimori (曾尸茂梨) in Silla.

The name “Soshimori” sounds similar to “cow’s head,” and it is sometimes interpreted as “Udu Mountain.” There is also a theory that Udu Mountain in Chuncheon, Gangwon-do matches this place.

During the Japanese colonial period, Japan built Gangwon Shrine there, and after liberation, it was used as a hotel.

It is recorded that when an epidemic spread in the 9th century, Irji (伊利之), an envoy from Goguryeo, moved the Udu Mountain deity of Silla to Kyoto and held rituals.

Because of this, Yasaka Shrine developed into a central shrine with influence across Japan, and this is also linked to the origin of the Gion Matsuri.

The place name “Gion” was used before the 1868 separation of Shinto and Buddhism, when the shrine was called Gion-jinja (祇園神社) or Gion-sha (祇園社), and it is thought to come from Gionsa (祇園寺) in Silla.

At the entrance of Yasaka Shrine, there are guardian lion-dog statues called komainu (狛犬). “Koma” is a word said to come from Goguryeo, and komainu are similar to Korea’s Haetae or Sapsal dog.

These statues are seen as shrine guardians, with the meaning of driving away evil spirits, like Haetae.

Through these points, you can see that Japan clearly received influence from ancient Korean culture, and at the same time, a balanced view is needed that also respects the culture Japan created.

• Opening hours: Open 24 hours
• Admission: Free

2) Hanamikoji Street

Hanamikoji Street, known as the geisha district, is often described as the essence of a traditional Japanese street.

Traditional wooden houses from the 18th–19th centuries are preserved here, and because it is designated as a historic preservation district, utility poles and wires are all placed underground.

If you are lucky in the evening, you may see geisha on their way to work. However, do not make unreasonable photo requests or take secret photos, as violations may lead to penalties.

Return to Osaka 🚉

This completes the one-day recommended Kyoto course.

It may feel a bit tight, but if you leave Osaka early enough, it is still a schedule you can complete.

After visiting Yasaka Shrine, it is nice to walk to Kawaramachi Station along the main street of Gion to the west, Gion Main Street (Hanamikoji). (About a 12-minute walk)

On the way, you will see Gion-Shijo (祇園四条) Station first, so be careful not to get confused.

• Of course, you can also take the Keihan Line from Gion-Shijo Station to Yodobashi.

The station that appears only after crossing the river is Kawaramachi (河原町) Station, which connects to the Hankyu Line. From here, take the train to Hankyu Umeda Station to return to Osaka. 🚉