If in your mind’s eye of Japan, you see old wooden structures lining narrow lanes and paper lanterns then Kyoto is probably the best place to find this. And specifically, the Kawaramachi and Gion areas in central Kyoto are great places to soak up the atmosphere of old Kyoto. I think the evenings are the best time to walk around and especially in the summer when the restaurants along Pontocho-dori expand out over the river.
My first trip to Kyoto, I stayed south of Gion so I started first with exploring this area. As I walked toward the main street of Shijo-dori, I saw a geisha on her way to work. It’s actually quite a common sight so tourists have been asked not to harass them for photos. Besides these areas around Shijo-dori (Shirakawa and Hanami-doji), other really nice well-preserved pockets to explore include the streets leading up to Kiyomizu-dera and the aforementioned Pontocho-dori. If you have more time in Kyoto, you could explore these areas on different evenings. However, if time is limited, the following would be my suggested itinerary – it does involve a lot of walking so regular coffee/tea breaks may be warranted especially in the summer.
Here’s a one day suggested itinerary:
Morning: Visit Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto’s largest temple and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which opens as early as 6 am, but I’m assuming a visit at 9 am. I would allocate around two hours here as there are a few side temples and the garden that are worth walking through. Leave Kiyomizu-dera by walking down the pedestrian street of Sannenzaka.
Before Sannenzaka turns into Ninenzaka, head left toward Hokan-ji where Yasaka Pagoda is. It’s quite hard to miss because the pagoda is five stories high, sticking up above the surrounding buildings. Hokan-ji is a small temple and the stop here is really just to see the Yasaka Pagoda, which is one of the landmarks featured in iconic pictures of Kyoto. After Yasaka Pagoda, you can walk back towards Sannenzaka to resume the walk down Ninenzaka. Although it can be a bit touristy, the buildings along these streets are original and well preserved. I loved just strolling along looking at all the knick-knacks sold.
If you continue north from here you will hit Yasaka Shrine but you may want lunch by now, so I’d recommend a stop for lunch in the area.
Lunch: There are lots of places to eat around in central Kyoto. If you like unagi (barbequed eel), I would recommend Uokeya U (tel.no. +81 75-551-9966; incidentally Michelin one-starred), which is in the Gion area (Hanami-koji area) south of Yasaka Shrine. It should just be around a 20 minute walk from Kiyomizu (if you don’t stop to look around the stores). This is also a good spot from which to continue the exploration of historic Kyoto after lunch.
Alternatively, if you’re looking for something quite special, Chihana (website: http://www.kyotochihana.com/original6.html), which is on a lane off of Shijo-dori, is also very good serving highly refined dishes and you can sit around the counter to watch the action. This simple eatery has been awarded three Michelin Stars. You probably have to make reservations at both these restaurants. There are several others which your hotel concierge should be able to recommend depending on the cuisine you’re looking for.
Afternoon: Walk around the Hanami-koji area as well as the area south of Yasaka Shrine, there are lots of lanes and old ryokans in this area. If you’ve not already walked through Yasaka Shrine, you may want to do so. Yasaka Shrine is not as striking as some of Kyoto’s other sights, but is a central landmark. Normally, I’d suggest walking up to Chion-In, which is a temple with an impressive gateway. However, much of Chion-In is under renovation at the moment (until March 2019) so I wouldn’t bother with this now.
From Yasaka Shrine walk down Shijo-dori toward the Kamo River. There are lots of stores lining this main street including a good Umeshu (plum liqueur) store. If you need a tea break, you could stop for dessert and green tea at Fukujuen’s flagship store.
By now it should be late afternoon or early evening. Along Shijo-dori, head north on Hanamikoji-dori until you reach the canal that runs along Shirakawa Minami-dori. It’s a pleasant walk along the canal toward the Kamo River.
If you do have more time and are into very specialised arts and crafts, the area around Terramachi (not far from Nishiki market) has some impressive stores – beautiful and expensive (!). Well known tea company Ippodo is located here and they do demonstrate the correct way to may the various types of green tea.
Evening drinks / dinner: Most dining places are open by 5 pm so in the summer, the extended dining areas along the Pontocho should already be setting up. To reach the Pontocho, cross the Kamo River on Shijo-dori and almost immediately on the right is a lane with a number of bars and eateries. I can’t really tell which is best to eat at (there are tons) – I chose a beef grill restaurant further up because I wanted the experience of eating overlooking the river but we were rained out. But if it’s too early for dinner, having a drink at one of the bars is quite fun. You can sit and just watch people stroll by.
