Kickstart Kyoto: Intro to Japan’s historic jewel

You’ll discover a city steeped in preserved history as you explore with a local insider ready to share their city’s secrets. Your host will take you on a journey through time, starting with the ancient temples and shrines of Higashiyama, where traditional wooden buildings and pottery stores flank narrow lanes.

You could visit Kennin-ji Temple and Yasaka Shrine, or both – they’re just eight minutes apart! In fall and spring, you might head a mile south to Kiyomizu-dera Temple, where cherry blossom and maple trees put on impressive seasonal performances. Your host will share their local knowledge, from the best places to eat to where you could experience an authentic tea ceremony.

Memorize the layout of the centuries-old Nishiki Market in Nakagyo, a sizeable central district, while your host orders a portion of wagyu sushi because you’ll want to return. Or take part in a tea ceremony at Rakusho, a teahouse famous for its beautiful garden and koi pond.

Dodge salarymen on their way to a post-work bar hop across central Gion and enter a dreamlike state while searching for ethereal geishas. Once your host has taught you to navigate crowded Higashiyama, the historic eastern quarter of the city where you’ll instantly recognize the traditional wooden buildings, and pointed out the best restaurants on Hanamikoji-dori Street, the central artery of Gion, you’ll be ready to take on the rest of the city solo.