Kiyomizu-Dera Main Hall

Situated beneath the main hall is the Otowa waterfall. Here three channels of water fall into a pond. You can catch and drink the water, which is believed to have wish-granting powers.

Triple Fountains of Fudo Hall

An imposing orange pagoda is part of the complex

The complex also offers various talismans, incense, and omikuji (paper fortunes).

Kodaiji Temple

Established in 1606, the Kodaiji Temple is a temple of Zen Buddhism. The gardens of Kōdai-ji are a nationally designated Historic Site and Place of Scenic Beauty.

Yasaka Shrine (Gion Shrine)

One of the most famous shrines in Kyoto, Yasaka Shrine was founded over 1350 years ago. It is a Shinto shrine found in the middle of the Gion district. Whilst we were visiting, we were lucky to witness an initiation ceremony of a local Japanese boy.

There are many other temples and shrines throughout the city that can be visited, including the Imperial palace and Nijo Castle. With so much to do and see, we didn’t get the chance to get around to all of the historic sites during this visit.

Kyoto Kamo River (Duck River)

The Kamo River is popular walking spots for residents and tourists. We spent some of our evenings sitting on the banks of the river, eating some traditional food and driking cold Asahi beer. Drinking alcohol in public is legal in Japan. Drunk and disorderly is not an issue in the country hence the relaxed laws around consumption.

Cigarettes or Beer? These are everywhere!

Higashiyama District

The Higashiyama District along the lower slopes of Kyoto's eastern mountains is one of the city's best preserved historic districts. The architecture of this area is that of traditional Japanese.

Nishiki Markets District

Nishiki Market is a 5 block long, narrow shopping area lined by over 100 shops and stalls. Also known as ‘Kyoto’s Kitchen’, this lively market place is the area to go to immerse yourself in the culinary delight of the region. There are often samples to be tried and we often got a ‘surprise’ when testing out new foods in the market.

The market area has been operating for over 400 years, originally starting out as a fish market. Definitely a ‘must-visit’ area in Kyoto to immerse yourself in the astmosphere and food of the region.

Gion Corner Theatre

Gion Corner is a unique theatre presenting shows of seven of Kyoto's performing arts - kyogen classical comedy, kyomai dance, gagaku music of the imperial court, koto harp, bunraku puppet theater, the tea ceremony, and flower arrangement.
We visited this Gion Corner as another must-do to experience the traditional arts of the region during our visit.

'Geisha Dancing Performance

Okonomiyaki – Japanese savoury Pancake

One of our favourite foods during our visit was Okonomiyaki. We found a fantastic little restaurant in the Gion district called Issen Yōshoku. It was a fun little restaurant to eat at and was very kid friendly as well. Okonomiyaki is a savoury type pancake where all of the ingredients are mixed together and placed into a folded pancake.

Issen Yōshoku Restaurant (typical Japanese humour)

Okonomiyaki

Kyoto is a vibrant city full of traditional Japanese culture and cuisine. It’s history and preservation has resulted in city that is of historical importance for Japan culture.

If visiting Japan, I recommend that a visit to Kyoto is a must on any itinerary to immerse yourself in the ancient aspects of Japan and the beauty of this city.

Thanks for reading.

Thanks to @ryivhnn for the fantastic upgoat footer.