1) Make sure you are using the most direct and affordable mode of transportation.

2) Plan your travel days beforehand. Kyoto is a busy city filled with businessmen and businesswomen and an exponentially increasing number of tourists, so prior planning will help you avoid some of the crowds, and ultimately will give you a better experience. Kyoto is especially and unbearably hot and humid in the summer, so less time spent outside waiting for buses or waiting for admission to temples means a better day.

 

3) Don’t buy water - tap water is perfectly safe to drink in Japan. Especially in Kyoto, as areas like Fushimi, are known for Sake Brewing. Some even say that the water has a tinge of sake flavor in it! The Gokusui Water Spout and Tap in Fushimi is one of the “sake-tasting” water collection spots. Every day at almost every given hour, one can see a line of locals lined up by the tap, waiting to collect the great-tasting water.

 

4) Eat at local restaurants. You know, the small ones that don’t have fancy menus outside. Of course, those are great too. But Kyoto is a historic city, which means that many of the great restaurants are ones that have been around for a while. Try to find a hidden gem that tourists don’t know about yet, for an authentic experience. The satisfaction of having great food that is usually enjoyed by locals, will make the food taste extra tasty.

 

5) Talk to locals. Strike up some conversation with a store owner, restaurant staff member, or even someone sitting next to you on the train or bus. People in Kyoto, and in Japan, are usually shy to initiate conversation, but are all very friendly and excited to converse once approached.


By Cordelia Ding