Kyoto is probably the most photogenic city that I’ve visited, with so much to offer. It looked beautiful at any time of the day or middle of the night, and whether we were within the main city or on its outskirts. The city has the feel of an old town filled with beautiful temples, gardens, shrines and palaces.

Arashiyama, Kyoto – An Overdose Of Natural Beauty and Colours

Arashiyama is a district on the western outskirts of Tokyo. It is is known for its beautiful bamboo grove, shrines and temples, a colourful river gorge, cherry blossoms, and a monkey park.

Arashiyama is one of those places that really deserves to be visited on a sunny day. There is so much to see and do that we found it difficult to leave after spending half a day there. If you love natural beauty, Arashiyama is definitely worth a visit.

Here are some of my favourite photos and make sure you also check out the full gallery (link below), which includes some great aerial photos.

Shrines and Temples – Some Gold, Some Vermilion

Kyoto is home to numerous temples and shrines. Unfortunately, three days weren’t enough to see every shrine in the city. We did however make it a point to see the two most popular shrines in Kyoto, the Fushimi Inari Shrine (with its endless vermilion gates) and the Kinkaku-ji Temple (also known as the Golden Pavilion).

Kyoto At Night

Although we did not see Kyoto in sunlight, the city looked absolutely beautiful at night. It wowed us with its old world charm, deeply ingrained culture, and architecture. Kyoto at night somehow looked more alive than in the day – from the sakura-laden Shirakawa-minami Dori, to spotting Geishas in the narrow, old alleys of Gion District. Elegantly dressed men and women roamed the streets at night adding to the charm of Kyoto.

Food

The two eating establishments that we saw in Kyoto that always had a waiting and line outside were Issen Yosyoku and Tsujiri Tea House. Both are on Shijo Dori.

Issen Yosyoku is known for it’s delicious Okonomiyakis (their menu literally has one item on it) and Tsujiri Tea House apparently serves the best green tea (matcha) beverages and ice-creams in all of Kyoto.