The City Code · Japan
Kyoto
A city best met before breakfast and after dark.
Arriving
The Shinkansen from Tokyo, green car, right-hand seats for Fuji. Inside Kyoto, taxis are cheap and the drivers wear white gloves.
Book this first
A ryokan with a private onsen, six months out for autumn, and any kaiseki table the moment dates are fixed.
What is worn
Layers, and shoes that come off in one motion. Nothing is entered in outdoor shoes.
Money & manners
Cash for temples, the tea houses and the taxis. No tipping.
The golden hour
Half past six in the morning at Fushimi Inari, when the vermilion gates are entirely yours.
The usual mistake
Arriving at the famous sites at eleven. Every one of them is transformed at dawn.
When to come
February, March, October — see where to go, month by month.
From the collection
The stay, the table, the morning
While you are there
What moves the city
Festival · 14 Jul to 24 Jul
Gion Matsuri
Kyoto's great summer festival, with float processions through the centre. Central streets are pedestrianised and hotels double in price.
Season · 15 Nov to 5 Dec
Autumn colour
Momiji season in the temple gardens. The busiest weeks of the year; temples need early or evening timed tickets.
Go deeper
The rest of Kyoto on Velori
Elsewhere
Other city codes
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