SECRET KYOTO: 10.5 Hidden Gems IGNORED By The Crowds

Want to visit the most underrated, and least visited hidden gems in Kyoto? Avoid the crowds and check out these 10 and a half overlooked-yet-awesome secret spots in Japan’s cultural capital. This hand-picked list of personal favourites includes incredible scenic locations, amazing temples and gardens, as well as some of the best cafes and restaurants.

LOCATIONS:

10. https://goo.gl/maps/poZZmiGpZKMi6C6C8
9. https://goo.gl/maps/zRRbdUZ3VJQie4iB9
8. https://goo.gl/maps/oQJ6eDM3d5DSMBJv5
7. https://goo.gl/maps/ZNp2qPoD7mFf9Ap17
0.5. https://goo.gl/maps/aHNpFFvQWPw9fUeA6
6. https://goo.gl/maps/FyJxxWEAZzTXL1vk6
5. https://goo.gl/maps/AbSgVNgPmi9vjFwU8
4. https://goo.gl/maps/e128MreV1g2VSKAFA
3. https://goo.gl/maps/YR71cVzrFDrmh8R18
2. https://goo.gl/maps/RSbVyY93SZZc7a2i8
1. https://goo.gl/maps/dPq2hzEcWM1ph1kS9

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CREDITS
/// MUSIC
“Samba Isobel” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
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“Opportunity Walks” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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“Acid Trumpet” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
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“Faster Does It” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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#kyoto #japan

everybody wants to visit Kyoto but nobody wants the crowds that seem to follow you around but fear not because I’ve got a secret list of criminally underrated hidden gems and starting in the area south of Kyoto station number 10 is tofukuji even though it has brilliant access options with two Rail stations nearby 95 percent of the world and his wife are too busy fussing over the photo studio known as Fushimi Inari to care about this Temple and I’m okay with that because I love everything about this place the star attraction here is the long wooden sutankyo bridge which gives you a sensation of walking across the Treetops and it’s just as spectacular when viewed from outside it makes me think I’m back in medieval times and it’s also got that kind of keomis Temple Vibe just without the hordes of tourists you’ll also want to take a tour of the Hojo Rock Garden while you’re here which is an unusual mix of patterns Moss Pebbles and large rocks and the lower visitor numbers mean there’s still something mysterious about the experience and if you hop on the Kahan Railway when you come back from tofukuji you can quickly get to number nine which is the Fantastic Riverside Cafe Restaurant veg out it’s my absolute favorite Eatery in this area of Kyoto mainly because of the calming view of the camo River and the chilled out Vibe get here early enough and you’ll have first pick of the seats facing the window for the best views all the way down to the higashiyama mountains this is my favorite Cafe for lunch in Kyoto but you can also drop in for breakfast too hopefully the menu here caters to both vegans and meat eaters so nobody has to miss out I jumped on the Buddha bowl when I visited which is packed full of the freshest organic and locally sourced produce and I was surprised at how big this bad boy was when it landed in front of me the staff here are extra friendly and you’ll be definitely left feeling refreshed and ready to take on the rest of Kyoto now the higashiyama area I just mentioned is so packed with famous temples that your head’s going to be spinning remembering all the names and that’s before you face down the crowds at the Silver Temple but while you’re here take a stroll just a bit further down the path of philosophy because this is all it takes to get off the beaten path in Kyoto yes a bit of walking honenin is a small but perfectly formed Temple known for the Magnificent thatched roof over the entrance gates after you pass through you’re flanked by two sculpted sand mountains that are supposed to purify visitors most sand Gardens in Kyoto are flash with the ground so these raised and etched variants are pretty unique head further through the grounds to the pond where you’ll definitely want to enjoy the simple beauty of the scene there’s a certain luster to this wrap around the edges look but again the star feature is the peace and Tranquility that you’ll easily find here while you’re in the Eastern side of the city don’t even dream of leaving until you’ve visited this next spot not far from the prestigious Kyoto University you’ll find this Tory gate and you’re thinking yeah so what well so everything my friend because you walk up this path sorry it is a bit of a hike up pill but what do you find at the top it’s an incredible Cafe hidden in the middle of the wood okay it’s not a literal gem but it is literally hidden did I deliver on the video title or what moan as this Cafe is called has the nickname of mountain residence in the city it was built in the early part of the 20th century by modular tanagawa a very successful figure in the newspaper industry in the Kansai area he wanted a place for holding tea ceremonies in the middle of the city the original Retreat had several other buildings but what remains is all that’s left what used to be a dining room the menu here is limited to drinks and small snacks and the opening hours are also fairly short this Cafe has to be seen to be believed it’s a magical feeling to to walk off a normal Kyoto Street and be transported to what could easily be Hansel and gretel’s Forest and is the most relaxing Cafe experience you can have in Kyoto bar none if you’re getting value out of this video so far give me a thumbs up and let me know in the comments which spot on this list do you think you’ll visit when you come to Kyoto on the way back from the higashiyama area I always think it’s a great idea to spend some time next to the river camo young and old in Kyoto tend to hang out by the Riviera for drinking socializing or just playing a musical instrument in the open air and this is where you can find the 0.5 of the 10.5 hidden spots because in addition to all the bridges the river camo also has Stepping Stones whether you use them to cross the river yourself or simply watch others cross to see if they managed to fall in the stepping stones are much overlooked at definitely a fun addition to visit you can find this Crossing just north of the Nido Bridge you can’t spend too long in Kyoto before realizing that green tea is a big deal here I mean particularly matcha and particularly matcha from the ujji area of Kyoto about 30 minutes on the train south of the city center that’s where you’ll find the main branch of Nakamura tokichi one of the most prestigious tea companies here founded back in 1854. of course it’s not just famous for its tea but also its tea flavored desserts but if you don’t have the time or the energy to venture down to uji for one of these famous Sweet Treats you’re in luck because tucked away in the center of Kyoto station is a small branch of the chain which we’ll be happy to indulge you just opposite the west gate of the station head up the escalator and it’s right there on the left how was this hojicha parfait well one word mighty although I didn’t have to queue on a weekday evening you might find it a bit busier on other days but it’s always less crowded than the shop in uji and another place in Kyoto station that’s worth visiting in the evening is the Skyway viewing platform tucked away at the end of RAM and Koji on the 10th floor this Runway stretches almost the entire length of the station front and has some incredible views of the city below with the added advantage that unlike Kyoto Tara there’s no entrance fee here it’s well worth coming up at Twilight to observe the rush hour in progress beneath their feet because later you can also enjoy the light show that runs down the tunnel for the next two places we’re up in the north of Kyoto in arashiamo now I said earlier that getting off the beaten path is about as simple as walking a few minutes more than everyone else but for these next two absolute diamonds you need to burn a few more calories than that it’s a 15 minute walk from the concert venue known as arashiyama bamboo forest and if you’re not feeling that just rent a bicycle or hop in a cab and trust me it’s absolutely worth it because sagatory Moto street is a trip back in time this traditional townscape with thatched farm houses and tiled matchier townhouses is just like gione a special especially protected area in Kyoto where you’re not allowed to mess around with the overall look of the buildings now many of these houses are now restaurants which is Handy after that strenuous 15-minute walk right number three on this list is not very far away it’s also inarashiyama and just down the road from here it’s possibly my all-time favorite temple in all of Japan why because it’s small perfectly formed and incredibly beautiful out of all the moss gardens in temples in Kyoto I think this is the cake taker I mean it just makes me weep at how pretty it is and you want to know the best part don’t be surprised if you’re alone here seriously in all the times I’ve visited this Temple I’ve never seen more than 10 people inside at a time for the low low investment cost of 13 minutes Pleasant strolling you get the moss garden the Moss exhibition and the moss on the roof I mean come on what’s not to like the runner-up spot on this list definitely qualifies as hidden because despite being a repeat visitor here I always feel like I can’t find it the storefront is a very simple doorway weights between a tea shop and an okonomiyaki restaurant but find it and get inside because I guarantee you’ll be hard-pressed to eat tastier Tomcats anywhere else in Japan I recommended this restaurant to so many people over the years and they all have one thing in common they all want to go back katsakura’s deep fried cutlets are made with a very finest pork sourced from the best producers in Japan this time the pork I was eating was from the kirishima area of Kyushu it’s so soft it’s like it melts in your mouth you get unlimited refills of cabbage and rice here and the service is utterly Stellar too save it in your Google Maps because you’ll be coming back trust me on that number one on this list requires the most travel away from the city center but I think you’ll find it’s absolutely worth the time head out on the hanku line to higashimoko station and then walk or take a bus and you can reach the closest thing that you’re going to find in Kyoto to your very own private bamboo forest if you came away from the photo studio in arashiyama feeling it lacked a certain something called peace and quiet then you’ll definitely find what you’re looking for here at takanomichi or bamboo path the walking path here stretches out almost two kilometers meaning that even if more people come to visit there’s plenty of space for everyone to spread out and enjoy the inside of this bamboo forest it’s incredibly peaceful and an added bonus that you don’t experience as much in arashiyama is the frequent site of bamboo farmers maintaining the forest you can easily spend a couple of hours here getting lost in the twists and turns of the path and if you like these hidden gems go and watch this video and discover all the secrets of Kyoto station see ya