Court Hotel Kyoto Shijo

Court Hotel Kyoto Shijo

Court Hotel Kyoto Shijo Website

1. Listed as a budget hotel
2. Offers a buffet breakfast 
3. There are two train stations within a 5 minute walk- Karasuma and Shijo station
4. The staff speaks English very well 
5. There are brochures and some discount fliers for attractions at the entrance of the hotel.  

Court Hotel Kyoto Shijo is located in downtown Kyoto off the main road Shijo-Dori. It is wedged between two larger buildings so it might be a bit tricky to find it. Look for a blue and white sign. 

Court Hotel Kyoto Shijo Google Pin

600-8472 Kyoto, Kyoto, Shimogyo-ku Nishinotoin Dori Shijo Minami Hairu

We checked into Court Hotel Kyoto approximately 5:15pm on Friday, April 18th 2014 only a week or two after the cherry blossom season. The hotel was at full capacity and I was 1 of 2 people to take the last decently priced rooms available in Kyoto on such short notice. 

We booked a twin non-smoking room

There was a decent amount of space for two people

No closet space but a rack to hang a few pieces of clothes and a luggage holder 

The bathroom 

PROS: It was available during a really busy season (which can also double as a CON.) The beds were comfortable and clean. There are two train stations within walking distance. Nishiki market about a 15-20 minute walk. On the desk in the room there is a fold out vanity and a separate LED light. There is a family mart across the street from the hotel and a 7-11 nearby. CONS: The T.V. was a joke, there are no free channels whatsoever. The parking they offer is not on-site and is actually oe of the more expensive parking areas (2000 yen.) The bathroom is very small and only 1 person can use it at a time because the sink and shower share the same faucet. The views from our room were terrible. One of the views faced a building that was like 1 foot away. There also happened to be some construction workers, working in that building right across from our room. I actually didn't notice they were right there until I was already dressed (awkward.)There are not many outlets and none in the bathroom. Worst of all, there must be mold in the room because both myself and my husband had an allergic reactions when we were in the room that disappeared when we left the hotel each time. Final Verdict: Find another hotel. If this is your last resort...then it will due.

Kinkakuji (The Golden Pavilion)

Kinkakuji (The Golden Pavilion) 

Kinkakuji Website

1. Kinkakuji offers a tea ceremony 

Kinkakuji is located in Northern Kyoto 

Address: 

1 Kinkakujicho

Kita Ward, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture 603-8361

Japan

Kinkakuji Google Pin 

Due to its popularity, Kinkakuji is bound to be busy anytime or day of the week. Because it's golden exterior, the best time to view it would be golden hour (the period of time just after sunrise or just before sunset.) The golden sunlight cascading off of the building is sure to be a beautiful sight. 

Opening Hours
Summer (3/1-11/30)
8:30 am to 5:00 pm 

Winter (12/1- 2 / last day)
4:30 from 9:00 pm to 9:00 am

Never Closed

Aside from the fact that the pavilion is nearly 75% covered in golden flakes and it's an UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kinkakuji is beautiful sight to see. The pavilion is situated atop a pond with a serene landscape in the foreground. Visitors are able to view the temple from a far distance, and also get pretty close to it. 

If you plan to part-take in the tea time, 

it will 500 yen per person

Upon paying our entrance fee, we were handed these papers which
we showed to get through

Just a few steps in and the Golden Pavilion was right in front of us. I was expecting a few minutes of walking, but nope! As soon as you walk through you will see it. 

As you can  see, trying to take pictures is somewhat of a pain since there are so many people crowding the area. 

After some maneuvering around dozens of people, you will surely get that perfect shot!

Daniel had the clever idea of trying to get the reflection of the pavilion in the pond. 

After viewing the pavilion from the left side (the farthest side) we walked over to the right side, the cloest side to the pavilion to get a better look. 

After looking at the pavilion we decided to follow the path through the garden where we came across a pile of rock statues sitting on a net with piles of coins. 

A few school girls were tossing coins, trying to get them in the black stone bowl. She actually got one in! A great way to get rid of your yennies! 

The pathway led up some stone stairs 

 The stroll through the gardens was amazing. The colors of the leaves and moss were vibrant. You can even gets some awesome shots of the pavilion from up there. 

As we descended, we knew the pathway was ending when we saw the white tents. 

Off to the right side, there was the  Sekkatei Teahouse, a little area with a couple umbrellas and benches. It was a tea rest area. There was a lady standing at its entrance who we paid 500 yen each to and she gave us two small tickets in return and ushered us inside. 

Not all of the benches had umbrellas, and I really wanted a chance to enjoy my tea while sitting underneath one, so I waited a few minutes then group left and I got my chance!

Not long after sitting, one the ladies walking around with the tea and sweets served us right away and took our tickets in exchange. 

It was quite an interesting combination. The sweet had a very strange taste and texture. The white part tasted like pure sugar and the inside was like a red bean but had something else in it that was sorta of salty. The green tea, as with any was bitter. 

If you enjoyed it, then you in luck! You can buy a box of 6 or 9 to take home!

On our way out there were several vendors. Most selling different varieties of Yatsuhashi. You can also sample much of what the vendors were selling! I probably would have preferred sampling the tea and yatsuhashi from the vendors rather than paying 500 for the tea ceremony, but the area was just too darn cute! 

On the way out you can also stop over at the Cafe

We headed back to our car about 4:05pm

PROS: Kinkakuji is beautiful sightseeing spot. Walking through the garden was nice because it wasn't too long and you can view the pavilion from a different view. They offer a green tea ceremony

CONS: Because of it's popularity it is pretty crowded and getting pictures without other people in it is a little tricky.It felt a little commercial due to the several vendors at the end.Final Verdict: I would definitely suggest adding this landmark to an itinerary, afterall it is one of the most popular sights in Kyoto. It's great for a one-time visit. 

Nijo Castle

Nijo Castle 

1. Unlike the Kyoto Imperial Palace, you do not need a reservation to enter Nijo Castle grounds 
2. There is no guided tours but there are some English explanation inside the main building you can enter. 
3. If you plan on walking around inside the main building (I suggest you do) make sure you wear your best socks because you will need to take off your shoes before entering. 
4. Nijo Castle offers a green tea ceremony you can partake in for 700 yen. 

Nijo Castle is located in Central Kyoto 

The following Pin will take you right there: 

Nijo Castle Google Pin

(Information below adapted from the website)
Address: 

541, Nijojo-cho, Nijo-dori Horikawa Nishi iru,

 Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto 604-8301

TEL: 075-841-0096

 FAX: 075-802-6181

Nijo Castle Website

Nijo Castle is one of many Sakura viewing spots in Kyoto. From the end of March to mid April, Nijo Castle holds a special illumination event. If visiting during this season, it would be best to visit in the evening. 

Otherwise, you can visit Nijo Castle any day of the week 

Opening hours 

8:45am - 4pm (the castle closes at 6pm)
*Ninomaru Palace viewing hours 9am - 4pm

Closed: 

New year period (26 December - 4 January)
Each Tuesday of January, July, August and December*
*When Tuesday falls on a public holiday, the castle will be closed the following day instead

Nijo Castle is interesting because it was the home to the first shogun (commander-in-chief) of the edo period in Japan. Visitors are allowed to enter the Ninomaru Palace, which is a collection of buildings that are connected by a nightingale floor that squeeks loudly when you step on it. This was used to warn guards of intruders into the palace. This was one of the more key features of this Castle. 

Nijo Castle Information Sheet  

Nijo Castle Information Sheet 2

As with most Japanese Castles, you will know your there when you see lots of greenery, a moat, and stone wall. As with most Japanese Castles, you will know your there when you see lots of greenery, a moat, and stone wall. 

We approached the main gate, where many people were taking photos. We by-passed this photo-opp this time. We arrived approximately 1:30pm Friday, April 18th 2014. 

As we entered, the main attraction was right in front of us,The Niomaru Castle. 

Shoes come and camera get put away. No pictures in here, unfortunately. 

As we followed the path we were lead into a garden area with lots of rocks, a small waterfall, and a pond. 

There was also an inner moat...

With Koi Fish!

Not sure what building this was, but it was closed to visitors anyway. 

Beautiful and bright trees in the garden 

And then of course you know it's the end when you come to a souvenir shop. We left about 2:45pm

Don't forget to stamp your book!

PROS: The nightingale floors is a unique feature of the Nijo Castle. The flooring of this part of the castle is covered in carpet so you don't have to walk on the hard wood floors. Throughout the Niomaru castle, there are mannequins set up in the different rooms to show the placement of people from that era. This visual aid helped to put things into perspective. CONS: While they do supply some English explanations throughout, it is very limited, and does not give very much information. Also, the Honmaru palace itself if not open to visitors due to insufficient earthquake safety measures. Also, almost in each room there is a sign that says the sliding doors are replicas and that the real ones are in another museum or location. This constant reminder, kind of took away from the entire experience because when I thought I was reading info about each particular room, it was actually a sign stating it was a replica. FINAL VERDICT: Nijo Castle is a great experience, however I would encourage getting one of the tour guide head phones to provide more information or at least reading up on it before entering. Its a calm place to visit, very relaxed and the garden space is beautiful.