Escaping Kyoto’s Overtourism | Where Locals Actually Go

Kyoto is one of the most beautiful cities in the world—and one of the most crowded.
In this episode of Photowalks, we take you to the other side of Kyoto—the quieter, lesser-known neighborhoods most visitors never see.

With help from a local guide, we escape the overtourism of Gion and explore peaceful bamboo forests, rural temples dating back to the year 810, family-run farms, traditional indigo artists, and historic Japanese homes—all without the crowds.

As always, this entire episode was filmed on an iPhone, proving you don’t need big cameras to tell meaningful travel stories—or even make a TV show.

If you want to experience Kyoto’s beauty without fighting the crowds, this episode is your guide.
Chapters
00:00 Welcome to Kyoto: Escaping the Crowds 🇯🇵
00:35 Kyoto’s Overtourism Problem
02:06 Kyoto Bamboo Park (Quiet Alternative to Arashiyama)
05:01 Onsen Experience & Filming on an iPhone
06:54 1,200-Year-Old Temple & Morning Meditation
09:33 Farm Visit & Farm-to-Table Lunch
11:25 Indigo Dyeing & Traditional Japan Blue Art
12:46 Back to Crowded Old Kyoto
14:23 Historic Villa & iPhone Action Mode Demo
17:49 Kyoto Photo Etiquette & Travel Tips

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#kyoto travel, #Kyotophotography #Kyoto without crowds #japantravel guide,

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© PhotowalksTV with Jefferson Graham

4 Comments

  1. i am fascinated, following you on your travels, simply because you have the ability to relate with myself, and many others, about capturing what we see 👍
    (AND, i don’t fly, so you’ll end up in places where i won’t)

  2. just back from Kyoto/Osaka/Tokyo – as Jefferson recommends, getting out of the hustle and bustle will provide many magic moments and very little tourist traffic