I’ll admit it.
I have a problem.
I’m a photo junkie.
I cannot go on a vacation without taking hundreds of photos.
So, Rick and I actually got new phones before our trip to Japan as we knew we’d be snapping a million pictures of the cherry blossoms and we both wanted those captures to be high-quality.
Plus, all the other gorgeous views and sights in Tokyo, the Mt. Fuji region, and Kyoto!
We went to Japan fully prepared with new phones, full batteries, and an excitement to capture Japan’s beauty on film (or at least in Google Photos).
And I’m so glad we did have great cameras as we were busy taking pictures of all the wonderful things we saw in Japan: The cherry blossoms, the architecture, the food, the temples, the bright lights of Tokyo, and Japan’s natural beauty.
We had about three days in Kyoto, and we made sure we stopped at some fantastic photography locations while there!
Here’s a list of our favorite photography locations in Kyoto.
Instagrammable locations in Kyoto
Imperial Palace
The Imperial Palace will always have a special place in our hearts as it was where we saw our first real cherry blossom blooms in Japan!
We saw a few in Tokyo, but the ones in Kyoto were open and ready for their close ups!
It was honestly magical seeing all the trees filled with white and pink flowers. Not only did we get to see the blossoms in Kyoto, we finally also had gorgeous springtime weather.
Kyoto used to be Japan’s capital for many years and the Imperial Palace was the Imperial Family’s residence until 1868. Today the grounds are free to visit (though there is no entry into the palace buildings), and there is recreational space along with the gardens where we saw our cherry blossom trees.
Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion)
This temple was made to be photographed!
The top two floors are completely covered in gold leaf and it’s an iconic building.
The Pavilion is now a Zen temple but was once the retirement villa of the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu who wrote in his will it would become a Zen temple after his death, which happened in 1408. This temple inspired the build of the Silver Pavilion or Ginkakuji, built by Yoshimitsu’s grandson, which also became a Zen temple after the grandson’s death in 1490.
Interestingly, the golden temple has been burned down several times. It was actually burned twice during the Onin War and then again in 1950 by a monk. The current structure has been in place since 1955.
Not only is the Golden Pavilion gorgeous, but the grounds and other buildings on the property are as well!
Nijo Castle
Next up on our list of places to photograph in Kyoto is Nijo Castle! This national treasure dates back to 1603 and achieved UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 1994.
This castle is famous for Ninomaru Palace with its nightingale floors due to the sound the floors make as people walk on them. It was pretty neat and unlike anything I’ve ever heard before.
Plus, the different rooms were absolutely stunning with the different murals, painted ceilings, and painted doors. Unfortunately photography is not allowed within the palace walls. We only got to take mental photographs in there!
Rick and I walked around Ninomaru Garden and snapped pictures of the pond and well-cared-for trees before walking upon another garden that was filled with cherry blossom trees. Which unfortunately were not blooming just yet. We kept strolling and luckily for us, a special event was taking place on the grounds so we got to watch a dance festival for a bit.
Fushimi Inari Shrine
A visit to see the torii gates wasn’t on our original itinerary but I’m glad we were able to make it happen as these gates are so recognizable as a symbol of Kyoto. Plus, I just really wanted to see it with my own two eyes!
We’ll get this out of the way: the entry to this walking path is pure chaos. There are people everywhere and everyone is trying to get that Instagram-worthy shot. If you can, keep walking and the crowd will thin out pretty quickly! Within about 10 minutes we were able to snap pics without anyone in them!
If you think about Kyoto, the images of Fushimi Inari Shrine often are the first ones that come to mind. These torii gates are stunning and it’s unlike anything we can find here in Colorado.
The trail leads up to Fushimi Inari Shrine, a Shinto shrine, which dates back to 794. Inari is the Shinto god of rice, and this is most definitely not the only shrine dedicated to Inari in Japan.
Keep a lookout for the many fox statues on the ground! It’s said that foxes are the god’s messengers and our own tour guide told us the story of foxes saving the harvest and rice as they would eat the rats that would otherwise eat the rice themselves.
Gion
Another area we enjoyed taking photography in Kyoto in was the Gion district, where the geishas live.
We visited this Kyoto neighborhood at night and it actually kind of made our photos look even cooler with the blue lighting.
Gion has a beautiful temple and we found some blooming cherry blossoms during our walk around the grounds. We did walk down some of the streets known for geisha houses but there were plenty of signs asking visitors to not take photos and be respectful of those that live on that street.
Arashiyama District
Lastly, one of our favorite places to snap pictures in Kyoto was in Arashiyama, especially in the bamboo groves! We were there later in the day and the position of the sun made for some amazing photographs as the sun lit up the bamboo stalks and foliage at the top.
On our visit here included a stop at Okochi Sanso Villa, complete with gardens and a few buildings, like a tea house.
We then moved on to visit Tenryuji Temple, which is listed as one of Kyoto’s five great temples! The temple dates back to 1339 and is situated among beautiful gardens (with blooming cherry blossoms!), a peaceful body of water, and plenty of walking paths.
It was a great place to end our sightseeing in Japan!
We can’t wait to return to Kyoto and snap more pictures of this beautiful city! If you’ve heard of other places we need to add to our list of photography spots in Kyoto, please share those in the comments!
