Enjoy a trip for women in Kyoto! Recommended Sightseeing Spots
Are you planning to go on a girls’ trip?
If Kyoto is on your list of destinations, please take a look at this article!
Kyoto offers a wealth of traditional Japanese culture, beautiful nature, delicious food, and fun shopping spots.
Many of these spots are especially popular among women. In this article, we would like to introduce 10 of the best sightseeing spots for a women’s trip to Kyoto.
Touring Shrines and Temples
A visit to shrines and temples is the perfect thing to do on a women’s trip to Kyoto. This is because you can feel the traditional culture and get a glimpse of the history.
Chion-in Temple, Kinkaku-ji Temple, Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Kamigamo Shrine, and Shimogamo-jinja Shrine are must-see tourist spots in Kyoto.
Chion-in Temple has Buddhist statues from the Kamakura period. And tourists love the huge three-story pagoda said to have been built by a man named “Kukai,” and the episode of the connection between the pagoda and Murasaki Shikibu.
Even if you are not familiar with history, you should visit this temple to experience its traditions.
Kinkakuji Temple is a beautiful structure decorated with 365 pieces of gold leaf, and is a truly unique sightseeing spot in Kyoto.
As visitors may know, the story of how the Kinkakuji Temple burned down was something of a human drama. There are some anti-climactic episodes in sightseeing spots, aren’t there?
Kiyomizu-dera is a beautiful building with a very powerful story to tell, with the main object, the “Descending Buddha,” placed in an alcove.
Since it was built in the Heian period (794-1192), it has a modern construction that is not found in other temples.
Kiyomizu-dera Temple is especially recommended when illuminated at night, as it has a mysterious and very magical atmosphere.
Kamigamo Shrine and Shimogamo Shrine are also very atmospheric shrines and temples, each located near the moat of Nijo Castle.
Take a quiet stroll while looking at the traditional buildings and feel the history of Japan.
Experiencing Traditional Japanese Culture
When you travel to Kyoto, you will want to experience traditional Japanese culture at least once.
There are numerous experiences available, such as tea ceremony experience, kimono rental, Kyoto kimono workshop, confectionery making workshop, woodblock print experience, and so on, which we will introduce one by one.
First, there is the tea ceremony experience. You can experience Japanese culture not only by making tea, but also by learning about tea utensils and etiquette on tatami mats.
Next is Kimono rental. At the rental store, you will be taught how to put on a kimono and how to arrange your hair, so you can easily enjoy wearing a kimono.
At the Kyoto Kimono Experience Workshop, you can make a variety of kimono accessories. If you wish to purchase them, you can also buy them at the store.
At the confectionery making workshop, you can learn how to make wagashi. The wagashi you make make make great souvenirs.
Finally, the woodblock printing experience allows visitors to learn techniques from a professional instructor. While being taught by the instructor, visitors can turn their own drawings into prints.
You can participate in these experiences alone or with your friends. Why not create your own unique memories?
Enjoy food culture
There are many restaurants along the Kamo River in Kyoto. Among them, you can enjoy the traditional Japanese experience of dining in a restaurant with an alcove.
It is a different experience to enjoy a leisurely meal in a room with an alcove.
At Nishiki Market, also in Kyoto, you can buy traditional Japanese sweets, tea, and pickles that make great souvenirs. If you are in doubt about which souvenir to buy, please visit there.
If you want to learn more about Kyoto’s food culture, take a cooking class.
The experience of making Kyoto cuisine yourself will surely be an unforgettable one.
For lunch, we recommend Kyoto’s obanzai restaurants. If you join a market tour that includes a tasting, be sure to check out the tofu shops.
Enjoy the delicious Kyoto food culture by eating your way through the food!
Enjoying Nature
First, there is Arashiyama. Arashiyama is famous for its beautiful cherry blossoms and autumn leaves, and the view of Sagano from Togetsu Bridge is spectacular.
Just strolling around is enjoyable enough, but we also recommend taking a walk along the small path through the bamboo grove and visiting Tenryuji Temple, which was the setting for the historical drama “Taiga Drama.
Next is Philosopher’s Path. This area is dotted with numerous temples and is a pleasant spot for a peaceful stroll along the cobblestone pathways.
The rows of cherry blossom trees with their seasonal flowers are especially breathtaking.
Ogawa-cho Park is a relatively new sightseeing spot in Kyoto, and in spring, the park is filled with a variety of flowers in bloom.
Carp swim in the pond, and there is a café where visitors can relax.
Heian Jingu Shrine is a shrine where visitors can feel the history of the Heian period.
The grounds of the shrine are home to the torii gate of Heian Shrine, which is famous for its autumn foliage and is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Kyoto.
Finally, there is the Kyoto Imperial Palace. This is a place where visitors can feel the history of Japan.
Visitors can take a guided tour and see the gardens and buildings of the Imperial Palace, which was opened during the Edo period (1603-1868).
These spots are all rich in nature and typical of Kyoto. Please visit them on your women’s trip to Kyoto!
Enjoy Sake
Sake, shochu, and other Japanese alcoholic beverages are all very flavorful, and there are many restaurants in Kyoto where you can enjoy them.
In particular, you can enjoy delicious local sake at sake bars.
You can also experience a tour of a local brewery. There, you will learn about the brewing process and be fascinated by the taste of the local beer.
At the Wine & Cheese Time, you can enjoy the marriage of Japanese wine and cheese. Japanese wines are highly regarded worldwide, and the opportunity to enjoy them is rare.
Of course, there is also an izakaya district where you can casually enjoy drinks and food, so if you like to eat and drink, go there.
At shochu stands, visitors can try various types of shochu, including pure rice, sweet potato, barley, and rice. Shochu is a typical Japanese liquor, and you will be surprised at and enjoy the wide variety available.
There are many delicious sakes in Kyoto. Why not go out in search of them and enjoy the Japanese drinking culture?
Choosing Souvenirs
If you are in doubt about what to get as a souvenir on your trip to Kyoto, why not choose a traditional Kyoto souvenir?
Kyoto souvenirs include elaborate traditional crafts, delicious Japanese sweets, and fragrant green tea.
Traditional crafts, in particular, include brasswork, lacquerware, and Kyo-yuzen, each of which is a shining example of the craftsmanship of artisans.
In terms of Japanese sweets, the taste of anko (red bean paste) is unique to Kyoto. The long-established nama-yatsuhashi (fresh yatsuhashi) and Senjuan wagashi are recommended to be served with matcha (powdered green tea).
As for matcha, sweet tea and thin tea, which can only be enjoyed in Kyoto, are always popular. Kyoto’s unique pickles and tenugui hand towels are also good souvenirs.
Souvenirs from Kyoto are diverse, ranging from the delicious to the elaborate. It is wonderful to choose a souvenir that suits you and give it to someone special.
Let’s leave a memory of your trip with an original souvenir unique to Kyoto.
Conclusion
If you come to Kyoto on a women’s trip, you may want to wear a kimono. In such cases, it is common to wear a yukata.
Yukata is easy to wear even for kimono beginners and can be easily rented
