Kyoto at 5 AM: Peaceful walk in Kiyomizudera & Gion

Kyoto at 5 AM: Peaceful walk in Kiyomizudera & Gion

Hello again everyone. And good morning. We are on our way to the Kiyomizu-dera temple. It’s 5 in the morning. It’s quiet and no one is around. Just us and the crows 😅 Before going up, we enjoyed a nice walk on the streets of Ninen-zaka and Sannen-zaka. Higashiyama-ku is one of the neighbourhoods that really makes you feel like you are in Kyoto. There are a lot of nice traditional shops and restaurants. And some less traditional ones 😅
(but that still fit the ambiance). It’s still early so they are all closed. We will show you our favorite places in another video. If you are interested, don’t forget to subscribe 😉. Let’s continue our walk. When you are here, remember to look around as you go. There’s always something nice to see. This is the Yasaka pagoda, in the Hokan-ji Temple. You’ve probably seen a photo of it before 😊 Or maybe even have your own 🤩 Early morning is so peaceful. At 6 in the morning, you can enter the Kiyomizu-dera grounds. There were only a few people at this time and most were residents who came to exercise. Before going to the main building, take your time to explore around. Stunning sights like the Thousand Stone Buddhas are just around the corner but most people seem to miss them. The pond with koi fish was especially peaceful in the morning. As you keep going up, you go towards the main hall of the temple. The building is an impressive example of traditional Japanese construction. It stands over a wooden structure joined together without any nails. From the veranda, you have amazing views of the surrounding woods and of Kyoto in the distance. During summer, the trees are a vibrant green that contrasts with the vermillion red of the buildings. If you go to the pagoda on the other side, you’ll have a nice view of the main hall. On the way, the trees provide a nice cover from the hot sun. Look back as you go. The path is wide and mostly flat
so it’s easy to walk around. Don’t miss the steps on the left to go up to the pagoda. From here, you can see the main hall peacefully resting in the woods. And there’s almost no one here 😉. Let’s make our way back down. Impressive, isn’t it? Before you go, you can pray for purification and
for your wishes to come true. What will you wish for? Another morning, we passed by our favorite part of Gion. There are usually a lot of people in this area, but if you wake up early enough, it’s all yours 😊 There are several restaurants and cafes facing the Shirakawa canal. The traditional buildings have windows that give you a nice view of the water. If you want to try any of them, make sure to go early
or make a reservation for the best seats. We like how this area feels cosy.
And it reminds us of the TV show Makanai 😊. Have you watched it?
Some of the scenes were recorded around here. Kyoto can be very busy with tourists. But if you plan ahead, you can have
a little piece of the city for yourself. Make sure to wake up early 😉! If you enjoy slow travels and Japanese inspiration, don’t forget to like and subscribe for more. As always, thank you for watching until the end.

You’ve probably heard that you should go early to Kyoto’s popular tourist spots if you want to avoid the crowds.
It’s true! Let us show you what it’s like.

Join us as we explore the iconic Kiyomizudera Temple and the charming Gion canal area. They are usually full of people, but very serene in the early morning hours.

We stroll through the historic Ninen-zaka and Sannen-zaka streets, visit the temple before the crowds arrive, and pass by the peaceful Shirakawa canal in Gion while most of the city is still asleep.

Waking up early? It’s definitely worth it. (You can always nap later! 😆)

If you enjoy slow travel, Japan-inspired content, and peaceful adventures, don’t forget to like and subscribe for more. 😉

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Timecode
00:00 Intro
00:25 Ninen-zaka and Sannen-zaka streets
02:28 Kiyomizudera grounds
03:52 Kiyomizudera main hall
06:16 Gion

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