Kodaiji Temple
At the foot of Mt. Higashiyama, Kyoto, northeast of Hokanji Temple known for Yasaka Pagoda, there is a zen temple. After the death of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, his wife Nene (Kita-no-Mandokoro) moved from Osaka to Kyoto and retired into religion.
The nighttime illumination event at Kodaiji Temple is really popular, especially in autumn and winter. When the garden is lit up, the scenery becomes even more magical and enchanting.
Yojiya Kiyomizu Sannenzaka Store
Step into Yojiya, a cosmetics store famous for selling the quintessential Kyoto souvenir "aburatorigami" (oil blotting paper), that founded in 1904. Initially, the store sold stage makeup items such as lipstick and face powder, as well as toothbrushes. Today, Yojiya has evolved into a skincare brand offering a full range to shop.
The shop's design is very elegant and full of traditional Japanese style. It really gives you a strong Kyoto vibe.
Kotohiragu Shrine
The head shrine of Kotohira Shrine stands on Mt. Zozu. It is visited by about 4 million worshippers a year. The main deity, Oomononushinokami, has been known since before the Middle Ages as a guardian deity of maritime traffic and a deity that brings a bountiful harvest and prosperity of industry and culture.
One of the most famous spots in Shikoku! Climbing over 1,000 steps will leave everyone out of breath.
Tono Furusato Mura Village
This tourist facility recreates an old-fashioned Tono mountain village. A stream flows through the village, and fields and charcoal-making huts provide a glimpse of Tono in the past. Magariya, a thatched-roof house (an L-shaped house in which the main house and stable are integrated) built between the mid-Edo and mid-Meiji periods, has been relocated and can be seen as it was in its original form.
A retro, nostalgic house with adorable horses.
Heisogen Park
Located on a hill where you can enjoy a panoramic view of Shirahama. This is a large park with a panoramic view of Kii Suido in the west, Yoshino Kumano National Park in the south, and the mountain ridges of Kumano 3,600 peaks in the east. There are about 2000 cherry trees of 9 kinds, including Yoshino cherry, Wild cherry, Oshima cherry and Double-flowered cherry. In the season from the end of March to the beginning of April, it is usually crowded with people enjoying the blossoms.
There are so many cherry blossom trees in the park—it's gorgeous! You can also get a great view of Shirahama from the observation deck.
Kifune Shrine
Located along the Kibune River at the foot of Mt. Kibune in Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City, the shrine is the head shrine of about 2,000 water god shrines in Japan, and enshrines the deity Taka-okamino-kami, who controls water. The exact date of establishment is unknown, but there is a record of the rebuilding of the shrine in the 6th year of Hakuho (677), during the reign of Emperor Temmu, making it one of the oldest shrines in Japan with a history of over 1,300 years.
Kyoto gets really hot and humid in summer, but Kifune Shrine is a great place to cool off.