The city of Kyoto, on the island of Honshu, is one of the more famed tourist destinations in Japan — especially during autumn — for the gorgeous fall foliage in its landscaped gardens and temples.
Think riotous colours of orange, red and brown. So naturally, expect to jostle with the crowds at many of the popular viewing spots.
This former capital of Japan is often crowded during the autumn months between October and December. The other busy season is spring when visitors flock there for the cherry blossoms.
It is home to hundreds of Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines along with parks, gardens and imperial palaces.
The gorgeous fall foliage in Kyoto.
During fall season, be prepared for huge crowds at all these temples and shrines during the day and even evenings where some temples have special night time light-ups.
Most of these temples require a fee per entry so be prepared to pay from 400 yen (RM16) and above per person.
Since there are so many temples and shrines to visit, it is not easy to make the rounds of all the recommended places so it is best that you read up and pick out the ones you are particularly interested.
This is so you do not end up spending too much time going from one temple to another.
In most of the more popular temples, there are often long queues to get tickets and long queues at the entrance so it could take more than two hours to visit just one temple.
TAKING IN THE FALL FOLIAGE
Eikando Temple
This temple is also known as Zenrinji Temple and is of the Jodo sect of Japanese Buddhism. It is probably one of the more well-known temples for its breathtaking fall foliage and for that reason, is often crowded in autumn.
The Hojo Pond at the Eikando Zenrinji Temple.
As with any other temples or shrines all over Japan, you must remove your shoes before entering the temple buildings but fortunately, they provide plastic bags for you to carry your shoes in until you exit the building to visit the grounds.
The main buildings of the temple are at the base of a hillside and are connected by a wooden corridor where there are pockets of landscaped gardens within to admire.
Up on the hill is the Tahoto Pagoda which is accessible through a long flight of stairs but right at the top, you are rewarded with a panoramic view of the temple grounds and parts of Kyoto city.
The fall colours of Kyoto by the riverside.
The grounds around the temple are the most impressive and if this is your first time experiencing fall in Kyoto, it is an experience not to be missed.
After exiting the main buildings, the path leads down several flights of stairs lined by trees in varying shades of brown, orange, yellow and red. The path leads down to Hojo Pond where you get to appreciate incredible scenic views of the autumn foliage around the pond.
Small bubbling streams run through the grounds to lead to the pond so almost every corner of the garden offers splendid scenic views that are great for photography sessions and selfies.
Next to the pond is a small teahouse that offers only the simplest of fares, hot matcha and wagashi (Japanese traditional sweets). The cold crisp autumn air is just the right weather for sitting on the red-covered platforms that double as tables and chairs to enjoy the light snacks of mitarashi dango, daifuku, Kyoto zenzai and mochi washed down with the freshly prepared hot frothy matcha.
Hot matcha accompanied by mochi and red bean soup at the Eikando Temple.
The trick to enjoying the matcha, according to one of the Japanese guests there, is to take a bite of thedaifuku first before taking a sip of the tea. The daifuku — a soft mochi filled with red bean paste — will first fill your mouth with a rich natural sweetness so when you sip the hot matcha, it balances out the bitter aftertaste of the frothy smooth and fragrant tea.
The Kyoto zenzai — Kyoto-style sweet red bean soup — is almost similar to the local Chinese-style ang tau thng but the flavours are richer, the soup thicker and it is served with a mochi.
Shoren-in Temple
Though the Eikando Temple also has evening illuminations that are quite spectacular, we decided to visit another temple that is known for its unique night light-ups.
The Shoren-in Temple is not as popular as the temples around it — it is near the larger Chionin Temple — and is also very near the Maruyama Park. It is one of the temples with a spectacular night light show that highlights the gorgeous autumn colours.
Visitors first get to visit the main buildings of the temple that used to be a temporary imperial palace during the Edo period; it is a collection of graceful, traditional buildings that are well preserved.
Similar to Eikando, this temple also has an extensive garden that goes around a pond. The maple trees are lighted up along the paths winding through the garden and up on a small hill is a bamboo grove that is also lit up, giving it an ethereal glow.
The spectacular night illumination at Shoren-in Temple.
The most breathtaking view has to be the moss garden lit up with blue lights, making the dark grounds appear as if it is awash with blue twinkling stars that fade and brighten at intervals.
The garden is surrounded by five grand camphor trees, national natural monuments, that are also magnificently lit up.
Shinbashi-Dori Walk
It’s been called the most beautiful street in Asia, perhaps even in the world, and not many who have walked down this flagstone street would disagree with this descriptor.
The Shirakawa River meandering through the heart of the Gion district along Shinbashi-dori.
This pedestrian walk is on the northern boundary of the Gion district — yes, where geishas and maikos can be seen hurrying into one of the many ochaya in the district — and meandering through it is the Shirakawa River.
This picturesque street, lined with weeping willows and cherry blossoms, is almost like a painting out of a holiday postcard and though it is most beautiful during spring when the cherry blossoms are in bloom, it is equally breathtaking in autumn when the trees are ablaze with the colours of fall.
There are pathways and narrow lanes leading off the road and each path you take is bound to be an interesting view of streets lined with machiya, ochaya and traditional Japanese wooden houses.
The Gion district has streets lined with traditional machiya, ochaya and Japanese houses.
It is almost like walking back in time as some of the streets look as ancient as thegeisha culture preserved in the district.
Machiya is a traditional double-storey tradesman house, like shophouses, where the ground floor is a shop and the living quarters are upstairs. Ochaya, loosely translated, means tea house, but actually refers to private houses that provide entertainment by geishas and also the apprentices, maiko.
FOOD HUNTING AND SHOPPING
Nishiki Market
This 400-year-old market in downtown Kyoto is undisputably the city’s largest traditional food market. This is the place where you can find a variety of traditional cuisine, particularly fresh fish and shellfish, tofu which Kyoto is known for, pickles (known as tsukemono), an extensive variety of wagashi and all types of Japanese snacks.
A shinto shrine near Nishiki Market (left). Seafood galore at Nishiki Market (right).
Daifuku and mochi are sold in some wagashi stalls in Nishiki Market.
Be prepared to eat skewers of raw fish, fresh grilled shellfish, yakitori (grilled chicken or pork), fragrant roasted chestnuts (a fall favourite), grilled mochi and yes, even deep-fried goodies like tempura.
This long narrow market stretches out about 400 metres and at certain parts, it is hard to walk due to the high number of tourists crowding it.
Sashimi and conger eels at Nishiki Market.
Ichigo daifuku at Nishiki Market.
Most of the small eateries and sashimi shops are barely bigger than a modest kitchen so dining in is not an option; you may have to eat the food while standing in a corner next to the shop.
Since Kyoto is known for its vegetarian food and tofu, there are quite a few vegetarian food stalls along this market and these are worth trying too.
A stall selling a variety of snacks in Nishiki Market.
Different types of fish and seasoned fish are sold at the Nishiki Market in Kyoto.
If you want to try all of Kyoto’s specialty in one trip, this market is the place for you as you get to taste and savour every single Kyoto specialty here.
The Snoopy Cha-ya is one of the more modern shops that opened in Nishiki Market to cater to the growing number of tourists visiting the place.
Other than the traditional food shops, there are also now newer souvenir shops and even a Snoopy-themed shop where all things Snoopy are sold; Snoopy-shaped daifuku to Snoopy merchandise.
The colourful Japanese wagashi being sold at the Nishiki Market (left). Sashimi in the making…a worker preparing the sashimi in one of the shops in Nishiki Market (right).
The souvenir shops, most competing against each other with “Made in Kyoto” items from folding fans to furoshiki (traditional wrapping cloth), are great to do some souvenir shopping.
Some shops even provide additional paper bags complete with stickers for you to wrap the gifts you bring back for friends and family. No bargaining is allowed though as the price for most items are fixed.
The Tenjin-San Market is a monthly flea market held only on the 25th of each month.
Tenjin-san Market at Kitano Tenman-gu Shrine
This flea market only happens once a month, on the 25th of each month. Located outside of the Kitano Tenman-gu Shrine, hundreds of stalls will line the whole compound and out to the pavements by the roadside.
Rice crackers and snacks at the Tenjin-san Market.
Kimonos and yukatas are sold at bargain prices at the Tenjin-san Market.
The flea market is a great place to shop for all things Japanese and for souvenirs that are much cheaper than those sold in any shop in the city or even in Nishiki.
This is also the place to get bargain-priced kimonos and yukatas. Some stalls sell second-hand kimonos and yukatas at very low prices while some sell out-of-season clothing that are also lower priced.
Household items sold at the Tenjin-San flea market.
Here you can bargain for a better price for the items too. Other than clothing, there are plenty of antique stalls selling all types of pottery, pots and pans and even knifes and swords.
This is another place to try out more local snacks and food as there are also food stalls selling everything from fresh fruits to snacks like crepe, taiyaki, crispy fried sweet potatoes and yakitori.
Japanese sweet crepes at Tenjin-San Market.
The taiyaki sold at the Tenjin-san Market.
Do go early as the market closes by 5pm and most stalls start packing up by 4pm when dusk creeps in. Also, bring more cash if you plan on doing your souvenir shopping here as the stalls only accept cash.
There are many other flea markets around Kyoto and each is held on different dates of the month so plan your trip on the dates that the flea markets are open.
Kyoto may be known for its temples but it is its picturesque streets in the Gion district, the scenic views by its riverside, the riotous colours at its many gardens and parks in autumn and its variety of cuisine make it a city worth visiting for at least several days to fully take in the sights, sounds, tastes and smells.
