The back story
Kyoto by bullet train: the old capital
The old imperial capital, two hours and a quarter away by the fastest Shinkansen: temples, gardens, the torii of Fushimi Inari and the lanes of Gion. Best overnight.
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Martin Falbisoner · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsKyoto was Japan’s imperial capital for more than a thousand years. UNESCO inscribed the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities) in 1994. The fastest Nozomi trains on the Tōkaidō Shinkansen run from Tokyo to Kyoto in a little over two hours (JR Central), so a day trip is possible, but a night or two is far better.
Getting there
The Tōkaidō Shinkansen from Tokyo or Shinagawa to Kyoto (JR Central).
What to see
Kiyomizu-dera on its wooden stage, the thousands of torii at Fushimi Inari, the lanes of Gion and Higashiyama, and the gardens of the Zen temples.
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Basile Morin · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsSit on the right-hand side going west: on clear days Mount Fuji appears beside the line.
When to go
Cherry blossom in early April and the autumn leaves in November are the loveliest and the busiest seasons; early mornings are quietest all year.
Our advice: stay at least one night, and be at Fushimi Inari or Kiyomizu-dera at opening time.
Why it's on our list
- Getting there
- What to see
- When to go
Location
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