Skip the Kyoto itinerary of the crowd, not culture

This article is published in Tokyo Weekend Volume. 2, 2025.
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Today, buzzwords in 2024 are a major problem in Japan, and nothing is more obvious than Kyoto. Japan’s old capital is known for its delicate balance of ancient traditions and modern art, and is a universally loved destination for travelers who want to have a peaceful experience during their stay here. But what many people arrive is a city struggling to cope with a huge number of people.

Avoiding large crowds in Kyoto is difficult, but not impossible. In the suburbs of the city, you will find tranquil areas worth exploring. But, for those who have only a short time in the area, going too far may not be a viable option. Fortunately, as I discovered on a recent trip, there are several charming attractions that are not overbearing the city center.

Below, find recommendations for Kyoto’s brief advice that will allow you to stay central and enjoy the best of the city’s culture without sacrificing tranquility and calmness.

Accommodation: Royal Park Hotel Kyoto Umekoji

Royal Park Hotel Kyoto Umekoji is located only on the train at Kyoto Station, or through the picturesque Umekoji Park. When it was cherry blossom season when I visited, I chose the latter.

Located near the Kyoto Railway Museum, the hotel is popular among train enthusiasts and even features special railway themed rooms with bedding, images of trains and Shinkansen-shaped pillows, as well as images of N700 and 500 series ammunition trains, as well as yellow doctors who diagnose trains. I had nothing in my room, but it did have a view of the iconic five-story to-ji temple pagoda.

Other amenities include a large communal bathroom that is perfect for soothing soaking before taking advantage of the hotel’s impressive Obanzai Kyoto breakfast buffet breakfast, which includes a variety of dishes, including its iconic beef curry.

Dining: Kyoto Wagyu Ryori Issekisancho

Kyoto Wagyu Ryori Issekisancho is the latest branch of the famous Tokyo Issekisancho Restaurant Group. All hotel group restaurants have designed a unique concept that is tailor-made for their location and eaten in the group’s impressive sushi and Yakitori venues in Tokyo, and I would love to see what its Kyoto restaurant looks like. It didn’t disappoint.

This Wagyu restaurant is a 10-minute walk from Royal Park Hotel and is located on an inconspicuous street, but the entrance brings a sense of luxury. Walking inside, I was warmly welcomed by a kimono server who took me to the elegant private dining room and reached the huge counter in front of the open kitchen. The setting is private and tempting, with the interaction of light and shadows adding to a warm and refined atmosphere.

The restaurant offers a variety of courses to choose from, including the “Welcome Japan” for international guests. These include several juicy wagyu dishes, which originated from famous producers across the country. The best I dine is pure Tajima Usunaga beef, a super proprietary wagyu brand from Kobe. It is praised for its excellent glossy marble pattern, which gives the flesh a soft, melting mouth texture.

In addition to beef, the course also includes a variety of appetizers, as well as snow crab, lobster, udon and shaved ice. Everything is perfect and the service is first-class. I decided to end the night by strolling gently along To-Ji Temple’s pagoda to take a closer look at Japan’s tallest wooden tower, which looks grand when illuminated at night.

See: Museums and temples that you can avoid crowds

First on our list: Kyoto National Museum of Modern Art. A 25-minute train journey from Kyoto Station, it is located opposite the giant Torii gate, marking the path to Heian Jinging Shrine, a shrine known among the famous figures of Sofia Coppola Lost in Translation. Despite being located next to a very popular tourist location, the museum itself has a sense of tranquility.

It collects approximately 13,000 works, including paintings, sculptures and handicrafts, and the museum’s main focus is artworks from the Kansai area. It also offers fantastic views of the Torii Gate and the Okazaki Canal. The best place to enjoy the latter is from the museum’s restaurant, the café de 505 terrace. Have a light pasta lunch in front of the cherry blossoms, as the passing of the canal was one of the highlights of my trip.

From the museum, less than 10 minutes walk to a perfectly manicured oasis of peace hidden behind high walls. Murin-an Garden is a classic Japanese promenade garden created in the 1890s by renowned landscape designer Ogawa Jihei VII. It is adjacent to Murin-An, two times the former garden villa of Japanese Prime Minister Aritomo Yamagata.

With soft streams and waterfalls, making idyllic swingers. Guests can also enjoy matcha and Japanese candy in the main house while overlooking the garden. The miniature of tranquility is a pleasant place to avoid crowds as it requires booking in advance and there is a limited number of visitors per hour.

From the peace and tranquility of Murin-An Garden, it is another about 10 minutes’ walk away from the Nanzen-ji Temple, the most famous tourist destination in Kyoto, usually with people. However, I would recommend not following everyone to the temple steps, but rather turning to the side of the entrance to the Nanzen-ji sub-sub-Tenjuan.

Inside are two small idyllic gardens: a karesansui (dry landscaped garden), paving stones, passing through a rake gravel and a path with moss, and a pond garden trampling in the water. There was no one else around, and one felt a million miles from the hustle and bustle of city life. Cherish this feeling before the crowds that can return to Kyoto Station.

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