A Different Country in the Same Country
What to expect from the old capital — and how to feel it properly
For 1,074 years — from 794 to 1868 — Kyoto was the capital of Japan. The Emperor lived here. The arts that the world thinks of as "Japanese" — tea ceremony, kaiseki cuisine, gardens, geisha, Zen, kabuki, woodblock prints — were almost all developed or perfected within these mountains. Spared from the bombing that erased so much of Tokyo, Kyoto preserved its 1,600 temples and 400 shrines, its wooden machiya townhouses, its old streets, its slow pace. To come to Japan and skip Kyoto is to read a novel and skip the second act. Tokyo is what Japan became; Kyoto is what Japan came from.
The bullet train brings Kyoto within 2 hours 15 minutes of Tokyo — Nozomi from Tokyo Station, fastest. Plan at least three full days; a week would not be excessive. The city is small enough to bicycle but rich enough that walking is faster (you stop more often).
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Autumn (late November)Kyoto's signature season. The kōyō (autumn leaves) at Tofuku-ji, Eikan-do, and Arashiyama are among the most photographed scenes in Japanese culture. Book hotels 4–6 months ahead.
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Spring (late March – early April)Sakura at the Philosopher's Path, Maruyama Park (Tokyo crowds), and along the Kamogawa river. Even more crowded than autumn.
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Winter (January – February)Cold, sometimes snowy — the temples look extraordinary under snow. Far fewer tourists. The Aman Kyoto and Hoshinoya Kyoto are at their most romantic.