The Gion Matsuri is the largest annual festival in Kyoto, and the most famous in Japan. Locals and travelers alike fill the streets for this event that is part religious observance and part street fair.
Destinations
Check our extensive guides to destinations and places to visit all over Japan to help you travel and get around, and find what to do and see in each location.
Find the best points of interest you can visit by train, how to get there, main attractions and off the beaten tracks suggestions in Japan’s four islands.
The new Pokémon Monorail between Tokyo and Haneda
To celebrate its 55th anniversary, Tokyo Monorail will launch a special edition Pokémon Monorail which will connect Haneda Airport with Tokyo. The highly anticipated new train will feature stunning designs from the global franchise including pictures of Pikachu and other loved characters.
Each car of the new train will have a different Pokémon theme based on the different types of characters. The first car will feature Pikachu, Pokémon’s most famous character, the second car will be based around water and ice-type Pokémon, and the third car will display grass-types and other types of characters.
From Kansai International Airport to Osaka
Kansai International Airport (KIX) is one of Japan’s largest and busiest airports. It is located on a man-made island which is about 40 kilometers south of Osaka, Japan’s historical second city.
There are multiple ways of traveling between Kansai International Airport and Osaka including by train, bus or taxi. This guide will explain the various ways you can make the journey and how you can do it with and without your Japan Rail Pass.
Tokyo Disneyland: How to get there and make the most of it
In 1983, Tokyo Disney became the first Disney theme park to open outside of the United States. It is located alongside the Tokyo Disney Resort, just a 5-minute walk from Maihama Station.
The park stretches out across 7 distinct zones and includes a range of classic Disney rides such as Space Mountain, It’s a Small World, Star Tours, and the Haunted Mansion. An ideal destination for a family day out while in Japan’s capital.
Kinkaku-Ji: The temple of the Golden Pavilion
Situated in northwestern Kyoto, this UNESCO Heritage Site has a long and turbulent history dating back to 1397 and has been rebuilt numerous times, most recently in 1955.
Widely considered the most famous temple in Japan and visited by a large number of both Japanese and international tourists year-round, it is easy to access and just a 40-minute bus ride from Kyoto station.
Visiting Kiyomizu-dera temple in Kyoto
Kyoto’s Kyomizu-dera Temple is one of the most celebrated of Japan’s numerous temples and shrines. The meaning of its name is literally translated “Pure Water Temple”. This name is derived from the pristine waters of the Otowa Waterfall, on which site the temple was built. It is also famous for its large wooden terrace.
The Kyomizu-dera was founded in 780. Its present structures were erected in 1633. It was originally associated with one of the oldest schools of Japanese Buddhism, the Hosso sect. Since 1965, it has hosted its own Kita Hosso sect.