Kyoto

Two highlights: cherry blossoms (late March to mid-April) and autumn colours (November), when the temple gardens are at their most beautiful. Both are fantastic but also the busiest and most expensive, so book well in advance. May and October are a beautiful, milder alternative. Avoid July and August: it is sweltering then, with temperatures above 33°C and a wet rainy season in June. Winter is cold but clear and the quietest, and Kinkaku-ji in the snow is unforgettable.

Unlike Tokyo, Kyoto has only two metro lines, so you will mainly travel by bus and on foot. Buy an ICOCA or Suica card immediately (or add it to your phone); this allows you to tap in and out of buses, the metro, and trains. Buses are convenient but are crowded during the high season and get stuck in traffic; for Fushimi, Arashiyama, and Uji, the JR train is often faster. Many neighbourhoods, such as Higashiyama, Gion, and the centre, are best explored on foot. A rental bike is ideal on quieter days.

Three to four days gives Kyoto a fair chance. Group your visits by area to save travel time: one day in the east (Higashiyama, Kiyomizu-dera, Gion, the Philosopher's Path), one day in the west (Arashiyama and the bamboo grove), one day in the north (Kinkaku-ji, Ryōan-ji), and one day for Fushimi Inari plus the centre and the Nishiki Market. Staying longer? Add a day trip: Nara, Osaka, and the matcha town of Uji are all less than an hour away.

Kyoto has no airport of its own. From Kansai International Airport (KIX), the Haruka express train will take you to Kyoto Station in about 75 minutes; from the smaller Osaka-Itami (ITM), the airport bus will get you to the city in approximately 60 minutes. If you are coming from Tokyo, the Shinkansen is unbeatable: just over two hours (2h15) from centre to centre. Kyoto Station is your starting point for city buses and trains to day trips.

Wake up early: that is by far the best tactic. Fushimi Inari is open day and night, so go at dawn; you will want to see Kinkaku-ji and the Arashiyama bamboo grove immediately upon opening (around nine o'clock) before the buses arrive. Travel outside of weekends, avoid the absolute peak of cherry blossoms and autumn if you can, and dive into the lesser-known sub-temples in between (see below). In the evening, once the day trippers have left, Kyoto regains its peace.

Plenty, if you dare to leave the main routes. The quiet sub-temples of Daitoku-ji have beautiful Zen gardens without the crowds. The Fushimi sake district tastes different from any temple. The mountain temple Kurama-dera, half an hour to the north, combines a forest climb with an onsen village. Kyoto also has a wonderful coffee culture in its old machiya houses, perfect for taking a break. Pontocho, a lantern-lit alley by the river, is at its most beautiful at twilight.

Less than you might fear. Temples usually cost only ¥400-600 (€3-4), many shrines are free, and you can eat excellently for €8-15 in ramen shops, tofu speciality houses, and the Nishiki Market. The major expenses are accommodation: ryokan and hotel prices rise significantly during the high season, so book early, and a kaiseki dinner or a night in a traditional ryokan are both splurges that are well worth it. Budget roughly €85-130 per person per day, excluding those major treats.