Southern Kyoto

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Now that I have already shared the must-see places in Western Kyoto, let us move on to Southern Kyoto. Southern Kyoto is often skipped by tourists due to lack of time, but it boasts some of the most unique and beautiful shrines and temples in Kyoto. Here are some of the must-see sites in this region:

1) Fushimi Inari Shrine (伏見稲荷大社)

The highlight of any trip to this shrine is the climb up the hill near the temple. As you go up, you pass through thousands of torii gates lined on the path. The climb up the 230-meter hill may take around 1 to 2 hours, but it is truly one great and unique experience. I really recommend it to those who plan to visit Kyoto. Admission to the shrine is free.

Fushimi Inari Torii Gates (taken on October 12, 2008)

Fushimi Inari Torii Gates (taken on October 12, 2008)

Fushimi Inari Shrine (taken on October 12, 2008)

Access:
a) Keihan Railway Fushimi Inari Station
b) JR Nara Line Inari Station

2) Toufukuji (東福寺)

This is one of the temples in Kyoto where nature's beauty stands out. Toufukuji boasts beautiful gardens and is one of the most famous places to view autumn foliage in Kyoto. It is also one of the five major zen temples of Kyoto. Just a trivia for Japanese movie and drama addicts: this temple was used as a location of the movie Hana Yori Dango Final or Boys Over Flowers. The temple is open from 9am to 4pm and 830am to 430pm in November only. There are two entrance fees for this temple: one is for the garden which costs 400yen and another is for the bridge which also costs 400yen.

Toufukuji Zen Garden (taken on October 12, 2008)

Toufukuji Bridge (taken on October 12, 2008)

Toufukuji (taken on October 12, 2008)

Access:
a) Keihan Railway Toufukuji Station
b) JR Nara Line Toufukuji Station
c) City Bus Toufukuji Stop

3) Daigo-Ji (醍醐寺)

This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the best places to view cherry blossoms in spring. I have never been to this temple, but it is said to be one of the must-see temples in Southern Kyoto. This temple is open from 9am to 5pm and entrance fee is 600yen. For more information, visit the temple's official site.

Access:

a) Kyoto subway Tozai Line Daigo Station
b) Keihan Bus Daigo-Sanpo-In Stop (ride from JR Yamashina Station or Keihan Railway Rokujizo Station)