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FUSHIMI INARI-TAISHA
THESE SPRAWLING VERMILION TORII GATES ARE ONE OF THE ICONIC IMAGES OF KYOTO./ IT’S IMPOSSIBLE NOT BE AMAZED BY THE BEAUTIFUL, WINDING MOUNTAIN PATHWAYS OF FUSHIMI INARI-TAISHA./ YOU’LL NEED TO ALLOW A HALF-DAY TO EXPLORE THE WHOLE PLACE. //
inari.jp/en/ //
RECOMMENDED BY:
JENS MADSEN //
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GION
THE STREETS OF GION CAN OFFER AN INSIGGHT INTO THE HISTORY OF THE CITY, AS ONE OF THE CITY’S MAIN GEISHA DISTRICTS./ THESE TINY ALLEYWAYS ARE LINED BY DISCREET ENTRANCES TO HIGH-END RESTAURANTS, BARS + TEAHOUSES./ MASSIVELY CROWDED BY DAY, SO VENTURE OUT AT NIGHT INSTEAD. //
Higashiyama //
RECOMMENDED BY:
F1FTY //
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NIJŌ KOYA COFFEE STAND
NO DOUBT ONE OF THE MOST INSTAGRAMMABLE COFFEE STANDS IN THE CITY, NIJŌ KOYA COFFEE STAND IS HOUSED IN A TINY SHACK, TUCKED AWAY IN A SMALL CAR PARK CLOSE TO THE CASTLE./ DESPITE ITS HUMBLE APPEARANCE, THIS PLACE SERVES UP SOME SERIOUS DRIP COFFEE. //
@nijokoya //
RECOMMENDED BY:
F1FTY //
USAGI NO NEDOKO
OWNER KOICHI YOSHIMURA STARTED THIS CAFÉ NEXT DOOR TO HIS SHOP SELLING RARE SHELLS, FOSSILS + OTHER NATURAL OBJECTS./ THE RESULT IS A CLEAN, BEAUTIFUL SPACE THAT FEELS PART CAFÉ, PART MUSEUM, WITH GLASS TABLES DOUBLING UP AS SHOWCASES FOR DRIED URCHIN SHELLS. //
@usaginonedoko_kyoto //
RECOMMENDED BY:
F1FTY //
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VOU
THIS AMAZING GALLERY + BOUTIQUE IS HIDDEN AWAY ALONG A NARROW ALLEYWAY./ OWNER, KAWARA-SAN, PERSONALLY SELECTS THE ITEMS SOLD IN THE STORE, FROM CERAMICS + FASHION, TO PRINTS + ZINES, BY ARTISTS + ARTISANS FROM ACROSS JAPAN. //
@voukyoto //
RECOMMENDED BY:
F1FTY //
MONK
CHEF YOSHIHIRO IMAI OPENED HIS RESTAURANT, MONK, IN 2015, IN A QUIET LOCATION ON ONE SIDE OF THE PHILOSOPHERS’ PATH./ CHEF IMAI GOES THROUGH FIELDS + MARKETS EACH MORNING TO FIND INGREDIENTS, WHICH HE THEN PREPARES USING PRIMITIVE METHODS + THE FLAMES OF THE OVEN./ THE RESULT IS A STUNNING DINING EXPERIENCE. //
@yoshihiroimai //
RECOMMENDED BY:
F1FTY //
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DAIGO-JI
THIS BEAUTIFUL TEMPLE IN THE SOUTH EAST OF THE CITY IS NOTABLE FOR THE FACT THAT ITS FIVE-STOREY, 38-METRE-TALL PAGODA – BUILT IN AD 951 – IS THE OLDEST WOODEN STRUCTURE IN KYOTO./ THE LUSH GREEN GARDENS TURN AMAZING SHADES OF FIERY RED + ORANGE IN THE AUTUMN. //
daigoji.or.jp/ //
RECOMMENDED BY:
F1FTY //
HYGGE
BEAUTIFUL CAFÉ LOCATED IN THE SHIMABARA DISTRICT, JUST AROUND THE CORNER FROM THE SUMIYA AGEYA PLEASURE HOUSE./ THE DARK INTERIORS + ROUGH CONCRETE FLOORS COMBINE WITH ORIGINAL FEATURES, SUCH AS THE TILED STAIRCASE TO CREATE A SURPRISINGLY CALM + CLASSY ATMOSPHERE. //
@hyggehygge //
RECOMMENDED BY:
F1FTY //
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TO SEE
TO SEE IS WELL WORTH SEEKING OUT IN THE BACKSTREETS./ THIS COOL, MINIMALIST ‘COMMUNITY STORE’ + GALLERY IS RUN BY A GROUP OF FRIENDS WHO CAREFULLY CHOOSE THE SMALL BUT UNIQUE SELECTION OF PRODUCTS ON OFFER – AND SERVE UP GREAT COFFEE TOO! //
@communitystore_to_see //
RECOMMENDED BY:
F1FTY //
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FACE HOUSE
HIDDEN AWAY ON AN OTHERWISE UNASSUMING RESIDENTIAL STREET, KAZUMASA YAMASHITA’S QUIRKY FACE HOUSE STANDS OUT NEXT TO ITS NEIGHBOURING STRUCTURES./ BUILT IN 1974, THE BUILDING HAS FOUND FAME IN RECENT YEARS + IS NOW ALSO HOME TO THE AMAZING ‘OOO CREATIVE STUDIO’ ON THE GROUND FLOOR. //
@creative_studio_and_shop_ooo //
RECOMMENDED BY:
F1FTY //
YONTOMI KAIKAN
YONTOMI KAIKAN IS NOT EASY TO FIND./ THE BUILDING – CLOSE TO NISHIKI MARKET – IS CRAMMED FULL OF TINY BARS + RESTAURANTS, EACH SEATING ONLY A FEW PEOPLE./ IT COMES ALIVE AT NIGHT, WHEN CUSTOMERS WALK DOWN THE LONG CORRIDOR + DISAPPEAR INTO THEIR CHOSEN WATERING HOLE. //
Downtown //
RECOMMENDED BY:
F1FTY //
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PONTO CHŌ
THIS NARROW ALLEYWAY RUNNING ALONGSIDE THE KAMAGAWA RIVER IS LINED WITH RESTAURANTS, BARS + BOUTIQUES./ IT HAS LONG BEEN A KEY PART OF KYOTO NIGHTLIFE, FAMOUS FOR BEING ONE OF THE GEISHA DISTRICTS./ AT NIGHT, PONTO CHŌ TAKES ON AN ALMOST MAGICAL FEEL, WITH THE TRADITIONAL PAPER LANTERNS DIFFUSING A SOFT GLOW. //
ponto-chou.com //
RECOMMENDED BY:
F1FTY //
KINKAKU-JI
THE GOLDEN PAVILION OF KINKAKU-JI IS ONE OF THE MOST-VISITED SIGHTS IN KYOTO./ ALTHOUGH THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE WAS TRAGICALLY BURNED DOWN IN 1950, THE RECONSTRUCTION IS STILL AN ARRESTING SIGHT, ESPECIALLY ON A SUNNY AFTERNOON. //
shokoku-ji.jp //
RECOMMENDED BY:
F1FTY //
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YOUR RECOMMENDATION!
BECOME A PART OF OUR GROWING F1FTY COMMUNITY./ SHARE ONE OF YOUR FAVOURITE PLACES IN YOUR CITY + HELP US CREATE A TRULY UNIQUE CITY GUIDE! //
#share_your_city
RECOMMENDED BY:
YOU //
F1FTY KYOTO // City Guide
This article has been edited with great care. Content was compiled based on facts available at the time of going to press. But cities live and breathe, and information is subject to change, so travellers are advised to check for updates from the respective location before your visit. All of the businesses mentioned in this guide were chosen at the discretion of F1FTY or its contributors. None of the brands or businesses featured paid for mentioning in any way.
All photos featured in this guide are copyright F1FTY, with the exception of: Fushimi Inari-Taisha (Credit: Pexels on Pixabay); Usagi No Nedoko (Credit: Instagram @usaginonedoko_kyoto). Some images have been edited.