Kyoto
Kyoto is the capital city of the Kyoto region in Japan, which is located on the island of Honshu. Kyoto is home to around 2,000 different temples and shrines, so this naturally attracts a lot of tourists curious about the architecture. It also hosts many different traditional festivals and parades, such as the Gion Matsuri, which is one of the biggest festivals in Japan.
Details
Before visiting any town or city make sure you know the basics. General details and important information.
- Emergency Services: 119 (fire and ambulance) 110 (police)
- Language: Japanese
- Currency: Yen
- Country Code: JPN
- Travel Visa: None required for stays less than 90 days
- Population: 1,459,640
Risk Level
Researching various official sources, we perceive the risk to holiday makers and travellers are as follows;
Travellers Tips
Top travel advice and interesting tip bits of information from experienced travellers.
Emergencies
For the Emergency services just dial 119 for fire and ambulance, and 110 for police.
Travelling Around
Train Stations
Kyoto Safety
What’s the weather like in Kyoto?
Kyoto has a temperate-humid climate, with mild winters and hot, but also humid and rainy summer months.
In winter, highs reach 10C, and in the summer temperatures exceed 35C. Kyoto is also affected by monsoons, which means cold currents of air will flow throughout the winter, and be replaced with humid ones in the summer.
Where can I keep up with local news?
What are some top safety tips for visiting Kyoto?
Kyoto is generally quite a safe city, but that doesn’t mean you should let your guard down. Follow all usual safety protocols when exploring a new place and never let your guard down.
Take care when exiting buildings on busy streets, such as bars and restaurants. The pavements can be busy and cyclists or people on scooters can come out of nowhere.
Improve Your Personal Safety
Knowledge – the more you have the better equipped you are.
Awareness – the more you see the safer you become.
Response – the right reaction can change a situation.
Annual Events
Annual events allow a city come together for some amazing experiences. If visiting at this time, make sure you have your accommodation booked and are always aware of your surroundings when travelling around.
Kyoto Events
A festival over 1000 years old, it is held in the summer and features a massive variety of floats and parades going around the city. The highlights occur on July 17th and 18th where the largest float is paraded, and comes in at a whopping 25m tall.
Taking place in May, this historic festival sees a parade from the Kyoto Imperial Palace travel to the Shimogamo Shrine and then to the Kamigamo Shrine.
Held on October 22nd, this festival celebrates a period of history when Kyoto became the capital of Japan. Expect to see many traditional Japanese costumes and equipment, as well as re-enactments of historical figures.
Kyoto Highlights
Where are some great places to visit in Kyoto?
Nijō Castle
Nijō Castle is a castle located in Kyoto that contains the Ninomaru Palace. It is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site and boasts some very impressive traditional architecture. There are many guided tours around the castle – one of the most unique things to see is the Nightingale Floors, which is a room with floorboards intentionally designed to sound like the calls of a nightingale.
Fushimi-Inari Taisha Shrine
One of the most famous shrines in Japan, it was created in 711 AD and was intended to pay homage to the Goddess of growing rice, Ukanomitama-no-mikoto. Even today, the shrine is respected by many merchants and tradespeople who have upheld the tradition that visiting it brings prosperity.
