Kameoka Travel Recommendations for 2024 (Updated in Apr)

Hozugawa River Boat Ride during Autumn

It was a fantastic experience for Hozugawa River Boat Ride during the Autumn season! The whole boat ride journey took around 2 hours, yes it was long but totally worthy when you have different natural scenery along the journey ride. The red yellow colour of the tree have painted a nice pictures along the Hozugawa river. unfortunately I’m not able to understand Japanese, the captains of the boat are making jokes and some fun fact of the places during this 2 hours journey! worth for a try!

Record the beautiful scenery

Check in at the holy place in late autumn👉 Hozugawa River Valley, which was originally a canal built by Kyoto merchants in 1606 during the Edo period for the transportation of goods, with a total length of about 16km. The scenery is beautiful.

Row row row your boat, ride the waves!

Boarded the 1 and half hour Honzugawa river boat ride from Kameoka to Arashiyama. The ride is so relaxing and fun; at times the boat man will ride on the rapid currents along the river. We get to see mandarin ducks, migratory birds and turtles sunbathing on the rocks. Almost towards the end of the boat ride, we can buy food like oden, grilled squids, grilled dango and drinks to satisfy our hungry pangs and quench our thirst.

2 hours of rafting, the whole journey is beautiful, funny little brother, great experience

British Village

#thingstodo This British village was really cool. There was a double decker bus you could even eat upstairs in. There was a building you could pay to run the trains and I liked that downstairs had an area for kids to play freely with trains. The female cosplay changing area had a beautiful balcony you could observe the train from and take pictures like this. Some of the toys at the museum and area seemed kind of old.

My Personal Spa Escapade in Kyoto

Embarking on a journey through Kyoto's tranquil retreats, I discovered the epitome of relaxation in the city's Japanese-style spas. Each spa I visited was a sanctuary of serenity, offering a blissful escape that seamlessly blended traditional Japanese practices with modern luxury. First on my list was Yunohana Resort Suisen. Nestled amid Kyoto's picturesque landscapes, this spa embraced the essence of Japanese hospitality. From the moment I stepped in, the calming aroma of hinoki wood and the soothing sounds of nature enveloped me. The highlight was the yunohana (hot spring minerals) bath, renowned for its rejuvenating properties. Immersed in the mineral-rich waters, I felt the stress melt away, leaving me refreshed and invigorated. Next up was the enchanting Arashiyama Onsen Saishiki no Yado Hanaikada. Tucked away in the Arashiyama district, this spa offered a luxurious onsen experience with a view of the serene Hozugawa River. The juxtaposition of the lush outdoor setting and the traditional indoor baths created a perfect harmony. I found myself soaking in the warm embrace of the onsen, surrounded by the beauty of nature, an experience that left me in awe of Kyoto's timeless charm. Finally, my journey led me to the renowned Ganko Saryo Hoshinoya Kyoto Spa. Situated within the iconic Hoshinoya Kyoto ryokan, this spa redefined pampering with its omotenashi (Japanese hospitality) and meticulous attention to detail. The therapeutic treatments, inspired by ancient Japanese wellness practices, transported me to a state of pure bliss. The juxtaposition of modern comforts within a traditional setting made it a truly unforgettable spa encounter. In Kyoto's Japanese-style spas, I found not just relaxation but a profound connection to the city's cultural heritage. Each spa was a testament to the art of well-being, leaving me with cherished memories of a rejuvenating sojourn in the heart of Japan.

Life advice: You must visit Kyoto to experience a koyo (autumn leaves) hunt

🍁 Every November, during the maple viewing season, I am reminded of Kyoto's autumn leaves. Not only are the colors beautiful, but when paired with local architecture, temples, shrines, etc., it's absolutely stunning! 🍁 Having been to Kyoto multiple times and visited over 30 spots for autumn leaves, here are 9 spots I find to be the most beautiful: 📍1. Kajii Shrine —— One of the earliest places in Kyoto where the leaves turn red, it's less known but breathtaking. There are few visitors, so I recommend going in the morning when the sun is shining brightly. How to get there: Take a local bus from JR Kameoka Station and get off at Kajii Shrine. 📍2. Jingoji Temple —— Located on Mount Takao, you need to climb a small mountain path, but the scenery is truly beautiful. The most beautiful time is not when the leaves are at their peak, but when they start to fall. How to get there: Walk for 20 minutes from JR Bus Takao Station. 📍3. Ohara Sanzenin —— Sanzenin in autumn is much more stunning than in summer. Sitting quietly in the inner hall, enjoying matcha while admiring the courtyard's autumn leaves is one of life's great pleasures. How to get there: Take Kyoto Bus No. 17 to Ohara and walk for 10 minutes. 📍4. Jojakkoji Temple —— Located in the Arashiyama area, I would like to call it the 'ceiling' of Kyoto's autumn leaves. The combination of red, yellow, and green colors and the sense of layers are very outstanding. How to get there: Walk for 20 minutes from JR Arashiyama Station. 📍5. Tofukuji Temple —— The most spectacular autumn leaves in Kyoto city, consistently ranking in the top 3 spots for maple viewing in Kyoto. After the peak, you can see the magnificent sight of the Tōtenkyō Bridge ablaze with color, but there are also many visitors. How to get there: Walk for 10 minutes from JR Tofukuji Station. 📍6. Eikando Temple —— A must-visit spot for viewing autumn leaves in Kyoto, it's not an exaggeration to call it the most beautiful autumn scenery. The combination of autumn leaves and traditional wooden temples is the best pairing. How to get there: Take Kyoto Bus No. 5 to Nanzenji Eikando and walk for 3 minutes. 📍7. Nanzenji Temple —— Near Eikando, you can visit both at the same time. You must enter Tenjuan to truly experience the beauty of the autumn leaves. There's also the very famous Suirokaku aqueduct worth seeing. How to get there: Walk for 10 minutes from Kyoto Subway Keage Station. 📍8. Kitano Tenmangu Shrine —— The best combination of autumn leaves and a red bridge. The autumn leaves alone are not outstanding, but paired with the red bridge and flowing water, the atmosphere is greatly enhanced. Go early to capture the bridge without people. How to get there: Take Kyoto Bus No. 203 and get off at Kitano Tenmangu. 📍9. Kodaiji Temple —— A famous spot for autumn leaves near Kiyomizu Temple. The daytime scenery is not as outstanding as other spots, but the night maple is really worth seeing. The light show is nice, and the night maple by the quiet lake in the backyard is also beautiful. How to get there: Take Kyoto Bus to Higashiyama Yasui and walk for 7 minutes.

Sanzen-in, a lesser-known secret garden in Kyoto~

Sanzen-in is a temple of the Tendai sect of Buddhism, located in Ohara Raigoin-cho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City. It was established in the year 1118. The temple's main deity is a wooden statue of Amitabha Buddha, and the flanking attendant statues are both national important cultural properties. The temple is filled with ancient trees reaching for the sky, moss-covered grounds, babbling streams, and offers a delightful natural scenery throughout the seasons with cherry blossoms in April, azaleas in May, hydrangeas in July, and autumn leaves in the fall. Within the temple grounds is the Pure Land Hall, also known as Eishin-in, which is said to have been built by the monk Eishin; it was merged with Sanzen-in due to its proximity and now serves as the main hall of Sanzen-in. Although the exterior of this hall has been rebuilt over time, the interior retains the style of an Amitabha Hall from the late Heian period. Its garden dates back to the early Edo period and is considered one of the scenic beauties of northern Kyoto. Establishment date: 1118 Opening hours: 8:30~16:30 Admission fee: 700 yen Address: 540 Ohara Raigoin-cho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City Transportation advice: Take the Kyoto bus to 'Ohara' station and walk for about 10 minutes Recommended visiting time: 2-3 hours

Life advice: You must visit Kyoto to experience a koyo (autumn leaves) hunt

🍁 Every November, during the maple viewing season, I am reminded of Kyoto's autumn leaves. Not only are the colors beautiful, but when paired with local architecture, temples, shrines, etc., it's absolutely stunning! 🍁 Having been to Kyoto multiple times and visited over 30 spots for autumn leaves, here are 9 spots I find to be the most beautiful: 📍1. Kajii Shrine —— One of the earliest places in Kyoto where the leaves turn red, it's less known but breathtaking. There are few visitors, so I recommend going in the morning when the sun is shining brightly. How to get there: Take a local bus from JR Kameoka Station and get off at Kajii Shrine. 📍2. Jingoji Temple —— Located on Mount Takao, you need to climb a small mountain path, but the scenery is truly beautiful. The most beautiful time is not when the leaves are at their peak, but when they start to fall. How to get there: Walk for 20 minutes from JR Bus Takao Station. 📍3. Ohara Sanzenin —— Sanzenin in autumn is much more stunning than in summer. Sitting quietly in the inner hall, enjoying matcha while admiring the courtyard's autumn leaves is one of life's great pleasures. How to get there: Take Kyoto Bus No. 17 to Ohara and walk for 10 minutes. 📍4. Jojakkoji Temple —— Located in the Arashiyama area, I would like to call it the 'ceiling' of Kyoto's autumn leaves. The combination of red, yellow, and green colors and the sense of layers are very outstanding. How to get there: Walk for 20 minutes from JR Arashiyama Station. 📍5. Tofukuji Temple —— The most spectacular autumn leaves in Kyoto city, consistently ranking in the top 3 spots for maple viewing in Kyoto. After the peak, you can see the magnificent sight of the Tōtenkyō Bridge ablaze with color, but there are also many visitors. How to get there: Walk for 10 minutes from JR Tofukuji Station. 📍6. Eikando Temple —— A must-visit spot for viewing autumn leaves in Kyoto, it's not an exaggeration to call it the most beautiful autumn scenery. The combination of autumn leaves and traditional wooden temples is the best pairing. How to get there: Take Kyoto Bus No. 5 to Nanzenji Eikando and walk for 3 minutes. 📍7. Nanzenji Temple —— Near Eikando, you can visit both at the same time. You must enter Tenjuan to truly experience the beauty of the autumn leaves. There's also the very famous Suirokaku aqueduct worth seeing. How to get there: Walk for 10 minutes from Kyoto Subway Keage Station. 📍8. Kitano Tenmangu Shrine —— The best combination of autumn leaves and a red bridge. The autumn leaves alone are not outstanding, but paired with the red bridge and flowing water, the atmosphere is greatly enhanced. Go early to capture the bridge without people. How to get there: Take Kyoto Bus No. 203 and get off at Kitano Tenmangu. 📍9. Kodaiji Temple —— A famous spot for autumn leaves near Kiyomizu Temple. The daytime scenery is not as outstanding as other spots, but the night maple is really worth seeing. The light show is nice, and the night maple by the quiet lake in the backyard is also beautiful. How to get there: Take Kyoto Bus to Higashiyama Yasui and walk for 7 minutes.

One-day tour in the suburbs of Kyoto

When going to Kyoto, Japan, there are several attractions in the suburbs. In order to reduce the hassle, I booked a small group for a one-day tour. The driver picked me up from the hotel in Osaka early in the morning, played for a day with my luggage, and disbanded in Kyoto after the end. 🗓Itinerary: 1, Arrive at Sanzenin at 10:30, visit and have lunch 2, Arrive at Kifune Shrine at 12:40 3, Arrive at Arashiyama Sagano Station at 14:15 4, Return to Kyoto with the group or disband on your own. ❤Recommended reasons: 1, Sanzenin is a Buddhist temple. As soon as you walk in, you can't help but calm down. It is still green in winter. The most special thing is that its green land is not grass, but covered with moss plants. The buildings in the courtyard are very elegant, and you can also order a set meal to have tea and snacks there. There are a row of small shops outside the door, selling pickles, specialties, restaurants, etc. 2, Kyoto's Kifune Shrine is the national headquarters, probably in charge of water, located on the side of the mountain, there are many restaurants along the way from the parking lot, and there is a small stream next to it. The red of Kifune Shrine is very bright and eye-catching, and it is very good for taking pictures against the backdrop of the forest. But this is a small attraction, suitable for handsome men and women to take pictures, you can stroll around in 30 minutes. If you are free, it may be difficult to come here specifically. 3, Arashiyama is a mountain on the west side of Kyoto. I was attracted by the beautiful scenery of the introduction map, I have to go! And I also bought a VIP seat on the small train! You can go out and play at the end, or you can return the same way. We bought round-trip tickets before departure, so we decisively returned to Kozan Station. There are obviously a lot more tourists here, everyone walks around and looks at the bamboo forest. On the way back to Sagano Station, there are many snack shops, and there is a small bread truck selling chocolate, many of which are Kyoto limited, and the price is not expensive. 4, Arashiyama to Kyoto can go to JR Sagano Station, it is very convenient to buy a ticket to Kyoto. 📝Note tips: 1, The problem is that the VIP seat of the Arashiyama small train has no windows and a transparent glass skylight (it's too dirty to see the sky clearly)! The ordinary seat is fully enclosed. Their VIPs can probably enjoy the fresh air and cold in the mountains. I sat in a seat that was twice as expensive as others, blowing the wind, and feeling the Arashiyama without snow and flowers. There are people boating under the mountain, slower than us, probably not so cold. 2, The small train allows everyone to see the overall scenery from a distance. The train passes through the tunnel and looks at both sides in the valley, which can save a lot of physical strength. Because there is a lake in the valley, the scenery seen by walking and boating must be different from the small train. 3, JR Sagano Station has lockers, our 2 20-inch boarding boxes are stuffed into one grid, reducing the burden for ourselves and playing more comfortably! Overall, this route is mainly for sightseeing, supplemented by humanities, combining work and rest, and the elderly are under no pressure. It is not suitable for children. Arashiyama

Sanzen-in | An oasis away from the hustle and bustle

📆2023.9 Sanzen-in in Kyoto has a history of 1200 years and is famous for its exquisite wooden buildings and gardens. It is one of the famous attractions in Kyoto. In addition to the buildings, the cherry blossoms in April, the azaleas in May, the hydrangeas in July, and the autumn leaves attract many tourists to visit. In addition to the beautiful scenery of the four seasons mentioned above, other seasons are also worth visiting. Recently, I came to visit before the fall. Because it is not the peak tourist season, there are few tourists. The whole area is surrounded by ancient trees and green moss, bringing a feeling of tranquility and relaxation. This is an oasis away from the hustle and bustle, suitable for those who want to enjoy peace alone. The late summer Sanzen-in is recommended for those who do not like too many people. You can slowly enjoy the tranquility brought by the green, and also look forward to the brilliant red Sanzen-in this autumn. 📍Tianzongtai Kyoto Ohara Sanzen-in Kyoto City Sakyo District Ohara Raigoincho 540 9:00〜17:00 8:30〜17:00 (November) 9:00〜16:30 (December〜February) 🚖Transportation Get off at Kyoto Bus 'Ohara' Station and walk for about 10 minutes 👀Tips It is recommended to go early in the morning, so you can take pictures of the garden without people. It is basically a 10-minute uphill road after getting off the bus, so save your energy. Sanzen-in