Due to the influence of the “COVID -19” there are few foreigners in Kyoto. During my stay in Osaka, I often visit Kyoto, but when I walk around the city, I hardly see foreigners, and the main sightseeing spots are empty!
The bus is not crowded and it is comfortable to travel! Here is a summary of how to enjoy Kyoto that can only be done now!
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Walking the “ancient capital” with fewer people
The best part of sightseeing in Kyoto is first of all walking around the city! The beautiful streets lined with houses with tiled roofs called “Kyomachiya” make me feel relaxed just by walking. There are many areas that escaped the bombing of World War II, and there are old buildings that remain from the Edo period.
When you walk through such a city, you will see almost no foreigners under the influence of COVID-19! I don’t mean to make them bad, but to be honest, I was surprised that the city of Kyoto could be so beautiful only by the disappearance of foreigners …!
In fact, how many years has it been since I walked through this romantic city of Kyoto …
However, there are surprisingly a lot of Japanese people, and when you walk around Kawaramachi Station or the approach to Kiyomizu Temple, you often see tourists dragging their suitcases.
Since “Kyoto empty theory” became a hot topic on Twitter around February, many people go to Kyoto just for the chance.
Even so, I didn’t have the impression that it was crowded at all, and it felt like it was crowded with just the right number of people. The feeling is similar to the off-season before inbound demand begins.
Soaking in the charm of the ancient capital while taking a leisurely stroll, this is the real pleasure of sightseeing in Kyoto!
tour popular spots for foreigners
In addition to walking around the city, this is a place that you will definitely want to take this opportunity to visit the popular tourist spots which are usually crowded with foreigners!
I went to “Fushimi Inari Shrine” which is the most popular among foreign tourists, but as expected there were almost no foreigners and the precincts were empty! It is also easy to take a picture of “Senbon torii” that no one takes a picture!
Japanese people come in their own way, but they don’t feel crowded at all.
“Kinkaku-ji Temple” is also a popular spot among foreigners, but the number of visitors is even smaller here. Not only in the precincts, but the “Matcha Green Tea Seating” which is usually crowded with foreigners was empty and I was able to enjoy the matcha quietly by myself!
It may be the first time in my life to come to Kinkakuji Temple in the quiet area of the precincts.
There is no queue even at a popular restaurant!
In addition to sightseeing spots, if you want to go to popular restaurants and cafes, it’s now! I went to “Hyakushokuya Sukiyaki Senka” in Kawaramachi where there is always a long line, but I was able to get in without waiting time even though it was lunch time!
Also, there is no waiting time for “Kikunoi Mugesanbo” which is famous for “Dark Matcha Green Tea Parfait”! If you see a numbered ticket machine at the store, you can see that it is usually very crowded.
In Kyoto where the number of people has decreased, it might be good to highlight such popular shops.
The bus is empty too!
The Kyoto City Bus was once reported as a representative of overtourism (tourism pollution) in Kyoto, but once you get on it, you’ll see that all the routes are empty! Not only can you ride without waiting in line, but there is also less traffic jam (I mean, almost none.), so it is smooth and comfortable to go anywhere!
There is a lane for lining up at the bus stop near the major sightseeing spots, so you can see how crowded it is usually. There are many places in Kyoto that are inconvenient by train, so I would like to use many buses at this time.
If you are visiting Kyoto where you can feel the Japanese atmosphere, it is now!
So, I have been to Kyoto many times since I was young, but it has been a long time since I felt such an emotional Kyoto! I was able to rediscover the charm of Kyoto, and it was such a fulfilling visit!
Once the COVID-19 riot is over, the streets of Kyoto will be crowded with foreigners. Now is your chance to immerse yourself in the charm of Kyoto!
The list of articles about sightseeing in Kyoto is here → “Kyoto“