Kyoto

Why Kyoto?

Kyoto is often considered the cultural heart of Japan. As the country's capital for more than 1,000 years, the city is home to countless temples, shrines, gardens, and traditional neighborhoods that preserve Japan's rich history and heritage. Unlike the fast pace of Tokyo or Osaka, Kyoto offers a more relaxed atmosphere while still providing everything students need for daily life. With a large university population and excellent public transportation, it is a popular destination for both Japanese and international students. Whether you're exploring historic streets in Gion, cycling along the Kamo River, enjoying seasonal festivals, or studying Japanese in a traditional setting, Kyoto offers a unique blend of old and new Japan that few cities can match.

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Step into the heart of traditional Japan in Kyoto, a city where centuries of history are woven into everyday life. Wander through the lantern-lit streets of Gion, discover hidden temples tucked between quiet residential neighborhoods, and experience the changing seasons in some of Japan's most beautiful gardens. From the endless torii gates of Fushimi Inari Taisha to the tranquil bamboo groves of Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, Kyoto offers a level of cultural immersion that few cities in the world can match. Throughout the year, Kyoto showcases traditions that have been preserved for over a thousand years. Experience the grandeur of Gion Matsuri, where towering festival floats handcrafted by local communities parade through the city in one of Japan's oldest celebrations. In summer, the mountains surrounding Kyoto glow with the giant bonfires of Gozan no Okuribi, creating a breathtaking farewell to the Obon season. During spring and autumn, the city's temples, shrines, and historic gardens become spectacular showcases of cherry blossoms and vibrant maple leaves, transforming Kyoto into one of Japan's most unforgettable destinations.

Kyoto History

A group of people carrying goods walks across a long red bridge over water, with a village and snowy hills on the far shore.

794

Emperor Kanmu moves the capital to Heian-kyo (modern-day Kyoto), beginning a period that would shape Japanese culture, literature, and art for centuries.

1200s

Zen temples, stone gardens, and tea culture begin to flourish, leaving a lasting influence on Kyoto's identity.

1467

A devastating civil conflict damages much of the city and marks the beginning of the Sengoku (Warring States) period.

1603

The Tokugawa Shogunate establishes political control over Japan while maintaining Kyoto as the home of the Imperial Court.

1868

Japan's political capital moves to Tokyo, but Kyoto remains the country's cultural and historical center.

1895

After losing its status as Japan's capital, Kyoto modernized through major projects such as the Lake Biwa Canal and Japan's first electric streetcar system.

1945

Kyoto avoided major wartime destruction, allowing many of its historic temples, shrines, and traditional neighborhoods to survive intact.

Present

Kyoto combines centuries of tradition with a vibrant modern student community, attracting millions of visitors and thousands of international students every year.

Where Food Meets Tradition

Kyoto is one of Japan’s great culinary destinations, with a food culture shaped by centuries of tradition, seasonality, and craftsmanship. As the imperial capital for more than a thousand years, Kyoto developed a distinctive cuisine that places great importance on fresh seasonal ingredients, delicate flavors, and thoughtful preparation. The city is especially famous for Kyo-ryori (京料理), traditional Kyoto cuisine that includes everything from elegant multi-course kaiseki to simple local dishes made with tofu and seasonal vegetables. Kyoto’s Buddhist heritage has also left its mark through shojin ryori, a plant-based cuisine originally prepared in temples, while the abundance of clear local water helped shape the city’s traditions of tofu making, sake brewing, and tea. But eating in Kyoto doesn’t have to mean formal dining. Explore Nishiki Market, pick up freshly made sweets from a neighborhood shop, enjoy a bowl of nishin soba, or discover the city’s surprisingly rich ramen scene. And of course, no visit to Kyoto would be complete without trying its famous matcha, whether served traditionally as tea or transformed into parfaits, cakes, ice cream, and countless other treats. From centuries-old restaurants to tiny family-run shops, Kyoto is a city where food offers another way to experience its history, culture, and changing seasons.

A steaming ceramic pot filled with fish, tofu, and vegetables in broth sits on a table next to chopsticks and garnishes.
YUDOFU

A Kyoto classic of soft tofu gently simmered in a light kombu broth, especially popular around the temple district of Nanzenji.

A brown ceramic bowl of matcha tea sits next to a blue plate holding three colorful wagashi sweets on a white surface.
MATCHA SWEETS

From parfaits and soft serve to cakes and traditional wagashi, Kyoto is one of the best places to experience Japan’s famous matcha culture.

Two triangle-shaped Japanese sweets, one beige and one green, rest with a wooden pick in a ceramic bowl.
YATSUHASHI

Kyoto’s iconic sweet made from rice flour and cinnamon, often filled with sweet red bean paste and enjoyed as a popular local souvenir.

A steaming bowl of ramen with pork, a soft-boiled egg, and scallions sits on a wooden surface next to chopsticks.
KYOTO RAMEN

Discover Kyoto’s surprisingly rich ramen scene, known for flavorful broths ranging from soy-based classics to thick chicken paitan.

A serving of soba noodles in a woven bamboo basket is arranged on a wood table with wasabi, green onions, and dipping sauce.
NISHIN SOBA

A traditional Kyoto noodle dish featuring warm buckwheat soba topped with sweet and savory simmered herring.

A variety of small Japanese dishes, including seafood, soup, and rice, are arranged on a dark lacquer tray.
KYO-KAISeki

Kyoto’s refined multi-course cuisine celebrates seasonal ingredients through beautifully prepared dishes rooted in centuries of culinary tradition.

A collection of nine small Japanese dishes including beef, shrimp, and tofu are served on a gold and black tray.
OBANZAI

Kyoto-style home cooking made with seasonal vegetables, tofu, and other local ingredients, served as a variety of simple, comforting dishes.

A long ceramic dish holds three small portions of garnished food: one flower-shaped, one shredded, and one round with sauce.
KYO-TSUKEMONO

Kyoto’s traditional pickled vegetables come in countless varieties and are a staple of local cuisine, from crisp senmaizuke to shibazuke.

A variety of colorful, packaged Japanese candies and confections are displayed for sale on a red-covered table.
NISHIKI MARKET

Explore the famous “Kitchen of Kyoto,” packed with small shops selling local snacks, seafood, pickles, sweets, and regional specialties.

Shopping with a Kyoto Twist

Shopping in Kyoto is a mix of old and new. Alongside modern department stores and popular fashion brands, you'll find centuries-old craft shops, lively markets, independent boutiques, vintage stores, and small businesses selling products you might only find in Kyoto. Traditional ceramics, tea, incense, handmade stationery, kimono, sweets, and local crafts make the city particularly fun to explore if you're looking for something uniquely Japanese. From the busy shopping streets around Kawaramachi to the traditional shops of Gion and the food stalls of Nishiki Market, each area has its own character. You can spend the afternoon hunting for vintage clothes, discovering local designers, picking up unusual souvenirs, or simply wandering through Kyoto's covered shopping arcades.

  • Shijo & Kawaramachi
    • Explore one of central Kyoto's busiest shopping areas, packed with department stores, fashion brands, cafés, restaurants, and smaller shops. Its central location also makes it a great starting point for exploring the surrounding shopping arcades and side streets.
  • Nishiki Market
    • Known as "Kyoto's Kitchen," this narrow covered market is filled with shops selling local specialties, sweets, pickles, tea, seafood, kitchenware, and plenty of snacks to try along the way.
  • Teramachi & Shinkyogoku
    • Wander through two of Kyoto's best-known covered shopping arcades. You'll find everything from fashion and sneakers to souvenirs, anime merchandise, cafés, traditional shops, and second-hand stores.
  • Gion & Higashiyama
    • Shop among the historic streets of eastern Kyoto, where traditional stores sell ceramics, tea, sweets, incense, fans, textiles, and other locally made goods. It's one of the best areas to look for something distinctly Kyoto.
  • Vintage & Independent Shops
    • Kyoto also has a growing collection of vintage stores, independent fashion boutiques, record shops, bookstores, and small cafés, particularly around central neighborhoods such as Teramachi and Sanjo. It's a quieter alternative to the huge shopping districts of Tokyo and Osaka, with plenty of hidden places to discover.

Nightlife and Entertainment

Kyoto may be famous for its temples and traditional culture, but the city has a lively side once the sun goes down. Rather than huge entertainment districts, Kyoto's nightlife is concentrated around atmospheric streets filled with small bars, izakayas, live music venues, and late-night restaurants. The areas around Kiyamachi and Pontocho are particularly popular with students, locals, and international visitors, making them great places to meet people and practice your Japanese. Whether you prefer a quiet drink beside the Kamogawa River, karaoke with friends, or staying out until the early morning, Kyoto has plenty to discover after class.

People walk down a narrow street lined with traditional Japanese buildings and glowing lanterns at dusk.
  • Pontocho Alley
    • Spend an evening exploring one of Kyoto's most atmospheric streets. This narrow lantern-lit alley between the Kamogawa River and Kiyamachi is lined with traditional restaurants, izakayas, and small bars hidden inside historic buildings.
  • Kiyamachi
    • Discover one of the main centers of Kyoto nightlife. Running alongside the Takase River, Kiyamachi is packed with casual bars, izakayas, restaurants, karaoke spots, and late-night hangouts popular with both students and locals.
  • Kamogawa Evenings
    • Grab some food or drinks with friends and head down to the banks of the Kamogawa River. On warmer evenings, the riverside becomes a popular meeting place for students, musicians, couples, and groups of friends.
  • Karaoke Nights
    • Sing your way through Japanese and international favorites at one of Kyoto's many karaoke venues. With private rooms available until late at night, karaoke is an easy choice for a spontaneous evening with classmates.
  • Live Music
    • Explore Kyoto's independent music scene at its many intimate live houses, jazz bars, and underground venues. The city's large student population supports everything from indie rock and electronic music to jazz and experimental performances.
  • Kyoto's Student Scene
    • With dozens of universities and a large student population, Kyoto has a younger side that's easy to miss among its temples and historic streets. Affordable bars, cafés, music venues, and casual restaurants give the city a relaxed social scene that feels very different from its daytime image.
  • Izakaya Hopping
    • Spend the evening hopping between small Japanese pubs and trying different dishes along the way. Central Kyoto is full of hidden izakayas, from lively student favorites to tiny neighborhood spots with only a handful of seats.

There is More!

Throughout the city, you can explore bamboo forests, mountain trails, lively neighborhoods, peaceful riversides, and some of Japan’s most famous cultural landmarks. Its compact size makes it easy to go from the city center to beautiful natural surroundings, while nearby destinations like Uji, Nara, Osaka, and Lake Biwa are perfect for day trips. Whether you're interested in Japanese history, photography, hiking, food, or simply discovering somewhere new, Kyoto gives international students plenty to explore during their stay.

An ornate red Japanese building with a dark roof stands atop a stone staircase with people gathered at its entrance.
FUSHIMI INARI TAISHA

Walk through thousands of iconic red torii gates as they wind their way up the forested slopes of Mount Inari, with plenty of hidden shrines on the way.

A stone staircase with woven fences winds up through a dense green bamboo forest as sunlight shines from above.
ARASHIYAMA

Explore Kyoto's famous bamboo grove, riverside scenery, temples, and surrounding mountains in one of the city's most beautiful areas.

A red Japanese pagoda with blue roofs stands on a hill among cherry blossoms, overlooking a city and mountains at sunset.
KIYOMIZU-DERA & HIGASHIYAMA

Discover one of Kyoto's most famous temples before wandering through the streets of Higashiyama, with traditional houses, cafés, and local shops.

A shallow river flows between green banks through a small town, with mountains visible in the distance under a blue sky.
KAMOGAWA RIVER

Relax along the banks of Kyoto's favorite river, a popular place for cycling, picnics, evening walks, and hanging out with friends after class.

A stone statue of a frog with a smaller frog on its back sits on a mossy rock in a forest stream.
KURAMA & KIBUNE

Escape into the mountains north of Kyoto for a scenic hike connecting small villages, with forest trails, temples, shrines, and hot springs.

A bright turquoise lake sits at the base of steep mountains covered with dense evergreen forests under a partly cloudy sky.
LAKE BIWA

Take a short trip to Japan's largest lake for beaches, cycling, water sports, hiking, and beautiful views just outside Kyoto.

Proximity to Osaka

Tall buildings covered in massive, bright neon signs with Japanese characters illuminate a crowded city canal at night.

One of Kyoto’s many advantages is its location. In less than 30 minutes by train, you can find yourself in the heart of Osaka, surrounded by neon lights, endless shopping, incredible street food, and some of Japan’s liveliest entertainment districts. Living in Kyoto lets you experience Japan’s cultural heart every day while having one of the country’s biggest and most exciting cities practically next door. For students, that means even more opportunities for weekend adventures, nightlife, shopping, and language practice. Spend your weekdays exploring Kyoto’s temples, cafés, and historic neighborhoods, then hop on a train to Osaka for takoyaki, shopping in Shinsaibashi, or a night out in Namba. And if you find yourself falling in love with Osaka too, why not experience both? With Meiji Academy, you can even move between our locations during your studies.

Festival & Events

Jan
Mar
Four women in colorful kimonos walk down a street toward a large, red torii gate in the distance.
Toka Ebisu Festival
Mid January

Join over a million visitors at Imamiya Ebisu Shrine to pray for business success and buy lucky decorated bamboo branches.

A red mask with golden fangs and a wooden box of soybeans sit beside woven balls on a bamboo mat.
Setsubun at Yoshida Shrine
Early February

Kyoto's biggest Setsubun celebrations, where thousands gather around Yoshida Shrine for traditional ceremonies, food stalls, and the symbolic driving away of evil spirits.

Jul
A multi-tiered pagoda stands over a narrow, stone-paved street lined with traditional, illuminated wooden buildings at night.
Higashiyama Hanatoro
Throughout March

Explore Kyoto's historic Higashiyama district after dark during special temple openings and seasonal evening events.

A person in an orange kimono walks between two attendants in white robes holding red parasols during an outdoor procession.
Aoi Matsuri
May 15

Watch an elegant procession of hundreds dressed in traditional Heian-period clothing pass through the heart of Kyoto.

Aug
Large, ornate floats carrying people move in a procession down a city street lined with buildings.
Gion Matsuri
Throughout July

Experience Kyoto's biggest festival, with enormous traditional floats, street food, music, and celebrations throughout the city center.

A large Japanese kanji character (大) formed by bonfires burns on a dark hillside against the night sky.
Gozan Okuribi
August 16

Watch five enormous bonfires illuminate Kyoto's surrounding mountains to mark the end of the Obon season.

Oct
People carry large, flaming basket-like torches toward a central bonfire at an outdoor nighttime gathering.
Kurama Fire Festival
October 22

See enormous flaming torches carried through the mountain village of Kurama during one of Kyoto's most dramatic festivals.

A person in a yellow and patterned robe, a straw hat, and a quiver of arrows sits on a horse outdoors.
Jidai Matsuri
October 22

See over a thousand years of Kyoto history represented in a colorful procession of historical costumes through the city.

Nov
Dec
A crowd of people walks along a path lined with dried brush through a tall, green bamboo forest.
Midosuji Arashiyama Momiji Festival
Second Sunday of November

Watch traditional musicians and performers travel along the river against the colorful autumn mountains of Arashiyama.

A large bell hangs within a wooden Japanese bell tower with a tiled roof, surrounded by green trees.
Joya no Kane
December 31

Welcome the New Year as Kyoto's temples ring their bells 108 times in one of Japan's most atmospheric traditions.

Sports in Kyoto

Two people in kendo armor holding bamboo swords face each other inside a dojo with large windows.

Kyoto might be best known for temples and traditional culture, but it's also a fantastic city for staying active. Surrounded by mountains and crossed by rivers, Kyoto makes it easy to go hiking, cycling, running, or even rafting without traveling far from the city center. Its strong university and martial arts culture also offers plenty of opportunities to experience a different side of Japanese sports.

  • Kendo
    • Experience one of Japan's best-known martial arts and learn the basics of bamboo sword fighting, etiquette, and traditional training.
  • Hiking Mount Daimonji
    • Hike up one of Kyoto's most recognizable mountains for an impressive view across the entire city, just a short distance from central Kyoto.
  • Arashiyama Cycling
    • Rent a bicycle and explore Arashiyama's riverside paths, quiet neighborhoods, temples, and surrounding countryside at your own pace.
  • Kamogawa Running & Cycling
    • Join locals along the Kamogawa River, one of Kyoto's favorite places for jogging, cycling, walking, and relaxing outdoors.
  • Kyoto Trail
    • Take on sections of the long-distance Kyoto Trail, which circles the city through forests, mountains, temples, and historic neighborhoods.
  • Hozugawa River Rafting
    • Head into the mountains outside Kyoto for an exciting rafting trip through the scenic Hozugawa River valley near Arashiyama.
  • Yodogawa River Cycling
    • Rent a bicycle and cruise along the scenic, wide trails of the Yodogawa River park, a favorite local spot for weekend workouts.
  • Tate Sword Fighting
    • Learn the basics of Japanese stage sword fighting and practice the choreographed techniques used in samurai films and performances.
  • Lake Biwa Water Sports
    • Head to nearby Lake Biwa for swimming, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, sailing, and other water activities during the warmer months.