Off the Beaten Path in Kyoto: Lesser-Known Attractions Near Kyoto Station
Tokyo is home to most of Japan’s top tourist attractions, but the beautiful city of Kyoto is also immensely popular as a tourist destination. The city is famous for its beautiful temples and shrines, and as the former capital of the country, Kyoto is home to some of the most impressive historic buildings in the country.
Famous locations like the Shinto shrine of Fushimi Inari Taisha and the Kinkaku-ji Buddhist Temple are some of the top attractions not just in Kyoto but in the whole country. If you want to get a deeper sense of the history and culture of Japan or just want to see some really beautiful and historic buildings, Kyoto is the best place to come.
But for all the millions of visitors Kyoto gets every year, there are still corners of the city that remain relatively unexplored. Whether it’s your first or your 50th time in the city, if you want to get off the beaten path and see something new, this is a great place to do it.
You’ll be able to experience aspects of the city most tourists never get to see if you leave your bags behind in a Bounce luggage storage in Kyoto. Traveling light makes it easy to enjoy everything the old Japanese capital has to offer, so don’t hesitate to leave your suitcases behind as you explore these lesser-known attractions.
Takaraga-ike Park
Easily accessible from central Kyoto on the city’s subway line, this large park is well-known to locals as a fantastic place to relax near the urban heart of the city but is not nearly as famous among tourists. That means that visiting this place can give you a true feeling for Japanese life, as most of the people you’ll encounter here are locals.
Probably the best-known feature of the park is its huge lake which makes a fantastic place for boating. You can rent a rowboat from the concession stand and head out to explore this beautiful natural feature for yourself. Floating on the placid water is the ideal way to recharge your batteries amid nature and take a break from the sometimes hectic pace of the city.
There are also beautifully landscaped lawns and a selection of walking trails so you can enjoy views of the water and the city, and the park also makes a great place for a picnic.
Uji
Located just outside Kyoto, Uji is a beautiful and historic city in its own right. The center of power for the Fujiwara clan between 794 to 1192, this city is almost as rich in beautiful temples and historic buildings as Kyoto is. But because it’s outside the more famous city, it receives far fewer tourists, meaning that you’ll have a much richer experience visiting here.
Don’t miss the Byodoin Temple, a Buddhist temple that dates back more than 1000 years to the height of the local clan’s power. And check out Japan’s oldest shrine at Ujigami, part of which dates back to the late eighth century.
This beautiful city is a must-visit for history lovers, and the historic buildings here are some of the best preserved in the whole country. Easy to reach from Kyoto, it’s not as well known to international tourists as it probably should be, so you can really immerse yourself in the past without having to worry about navigating busy crowds.
Shoju-in Temple
This 800-year-old temple isn’t as well known as some of the other similar buildings in Kyoto, but it’s no less beautiful and historic. Its primary statue is only shown to the public once every 50 years, so your chances of seeing this hugely important piece of the local culture aren’t great. What you will see when you visit, however, is the more than 2000 windchimes that decorate the temple.
Shoju-in Temple holds a windchime festival every summer, so this is a great time to visit to appreciate not only the windchimes but the beautiful nature that surrounds the temple. You’ll also be taking part in an important cultural tradition in the area.
Because it’s not heavily touristed, this gorgeous temple makes a great place to relax and drink in the serenity of this important religious site. So while it may not be one of the better-known temples in a city that has plenty of them, it could easily be a highlight of your trip to Kyoto.
Kyoto Owl’s Forest
You’ve probably heard of cat cafés – food and drink establishments where friendly felines greet guests. Cat cafés started off in Japan but have been exported around the world, and you’ll find them in just about every major city around the globe.
But in the true tradition of Japanese innovation, Owl’s Forest takes things a step further by providing a home for owls that can’t survive in the wild. The café is home to several different species of owls, and the friendly birds welcome being petted by visitors. The interior of the café has also been designed to resemble the forest home of these beautiful creatures, so it’s a great place to take a break and get up close to animals you normally wouldn’t be able to encounter like this.
Kyoto off the beaten path
As popular as Kyoto is with both Japanese and international travelers, there’s still plenty more to discover here. Once you’ve seen the major temples and historical sites of the city, drop off your bags at a convenient local luggage storage and consider checking out some of these attractions that fly a little under the radar. You’ll be glad you chose to travel light as you explore a side of Kyoto that most visitors never get to see.
