8 “Kyoto Experiences” to Discover on a Short Trip to Kyoto

Text by MOOK Scenic Spots Travel Life Network, reported by Chen Guanxin

 

This summer, if you’re planning a trip to Kyoto with family and friends, in addition to visiting famous sights like Kinkaku-ji, Ginkaku-ji, Kiyomizu-dera, and Nijo Castle, would you like to try something a little different yet still full of authentic “Kyoto flavor”? Then how about taking a scenic train ride to enjoy mountain and river views, experiencing traditional Kyoto incense and tea ceremonies, staying in a geisha’s home, and tasting classic old-style Kyoto sushi—enjoy a small trip filled with the rich ambiance of Kyoto through all five senses.

Fuyano Gyokudo, a national treasure-level old shop with over 400 years of history, is dedicated to promoting and popularizing the incense ceremony. On the third floor of its main store, it has opened an incense ceremony experience classroom aimed at the general public. This incense ceremony experience classroom is not only rare in Kyoto but also quite uncommon throughout Japan. Before starting the incense-sniffing game, there is also a 30-minute introduction to the history of the incense ceremony.

 

[Info]

Address: Horikawa-dori, Nishikiyama-dera-mae, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture

Phone: 075-371-0162

Aoi KYOTO STAY is a machiya (traditional townhouse) inn group established in 2011. Although the company is relatively young, it has been involved in the related industry for nearly a decade and has accumulated extensive experience in renovating old machiya and providing inn services. Therefore, within just one year of focusing on private accommodations, it quickly expanded to five villa-type lodgings in Kyoto. Each villa accommodates only one group of guests. Aside from Aoi 'Shimmachi', the rest are all situated by the water, each with a unique charm. What remains constant is the blend of the elegant nostalgia of machiya and Scandinavian home design styles. One of the buildings, “Aoi 'Kamo River Villa'”, has a history of over 100 years and was once the residence of a geisha. With the Takase River to the left and the Kamo River to the right, you can enjoy the changing seasons by the river. It’s just a 10-minute walk from Shijo Karasuma and offers a private, on-call butler service. Whether it’s scenery, convenience, or privacy, it’s simply impeccable.

 

[Info]

Address: 145-1 Kamitennincho, Bukkoji-agaru, Kumiyachō-dōri, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture (Aoi KYOTO STAY Office)

Phone: 075-354-7770

Note: For guest privacy, the detailed accommodation address will be provided by staff after booking is completed. Staff will arrive at the agreed time to check you in.

Spanning 150 tsubo (approx. 500 square meters) and 50 meters in length, “Buson” is the former residence of the renowned Japanese literati painter and poet Yosa Buson. It is also the largest existing machiya in Kyoto. Originally built as a combined shop and residence for a kimono-making business in the early Showa period, it is still in operation today. Therefore, it is only open to the public as a café on weekends outside of business hours, allowing visitors to appreciate the beauty of the traditional machiya layout, including its tsuboniwa (courtyard), inner rooms, and kura (storehouse).

 

[Info]

Address: 49, Buson-chō, Nishikikōji-dōri, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture

Phone: 075-341-0624

The tea ceremony is both a way of hosting guests and a spiritual practice of tea drinking. In other words, the main purpose of the tea ceremony is not simply to drink tea, but to embody the spirit of “ichi-go ichi-e” (one time, one meeting). At Kofuan, the tea room in the Sagawa Museum of Art, you can watch the preparation of matcha by the Urasenke school of Kyoto while enjoying traditional Japanese sweets. Even if you don’t understand the profound mysteries of the tea ceremony, through the act of tea drinking, you can get one step closer to Japanese culture and experience the deeper essence of this tradition.

 

[Info]

Address: 6-3, Shigetsu-ji-chō, Okazaki, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture (within the Sagawa Museum of Art)

Phone: 075-752-5555