The independent Kyoto directory — Vol. 1
Every corner of Kyoto,
actually indexed.
Temples, districts, seasons and food — filed like a card catalogue, not a blog. 88 guides live and growing every week.
9 districts indexed
Jump straight to a district
HIGASHIYAMA
Kiyomizu-dera, Gion's lanes, Yasaka Shrine — the classic postcard district
D-02ARASHIYAMA
Bamboo grove, Togetsukyō Bridge, and the western hills
D-03GION & DOWNTOWN
Kawaramachi, Pontochō, Nishiki Market, and the nightlife core
D-04FUSHIMI
Thousands of torii gates and the old sake-brewing quarter
D-05KITAYAMA & KIBUNE
Kinkaku-ji, Kibune's riverside dining, and the northern hills
D-06OHARA & SAKYO
Rural temples, Kurama's onsen, and the Philosopher's Path
D-07UJI
A day trip south for matcha and the Byōō-in temple
D-08KAMEOKA & TAKAO
Quiet mountain temples and river rafting, off most itineraries
D-09HIDDEN
Off the beaten path — new spots, added as we find them
8 departments · 88 guides live
Everything, filed by department
Each card below is a whole section of the site. We're opening with the essentials in each — new entries get added weekly.
Plan your trip
Visas, IC cards, getting around, money, and how many days you actually need.
View plan your trip17 guides live
Where to stay
Ryokan, business hotels, machiya townhouses and hostels — matched to district and budget.
View where to stay6 guides live
Districts
Every neighbourhood, mapped and described honestly — all nine districts now have a full guide.
View districts9 guides live
Temples & shrines
1,600 temples and 400 shrines. We're starting with the icons and working outward.
View temples & shrines19 guides live
Culture & etiquette
Geisha and maiko, tea ceremony, kimono, and how to be a respectful guest.
View culture & etiquette10 guides live
Food & drink
Kaiseki, street food, matcha, sake, and where locals actually eat.
View food & drink11 guides live
Seasons
Sakura in spring, kōyō in autumn — Kyoto is a city that runs on its calendar.
View seasons6 guides live
News & updates
What's actually changing on the ground — new pages, seasonal alerts, closures.
View news & updates10 guides live
Kyoto's defining feature
A city that runs on its seasons
Spring
Sakura, Mar–AprSummer
Festivals, Jun–AugAutumn
Kōyō, Oct–NovWinter
Illuminations, Dec–FebOn the board
Recent updates
- NEWVegetarian dining, the local dialect, and more templesToday
- GUIDEShōjin ryōri: Kyoto's Buddhist temple cuisineToday
- GUIDESolo travel in Kyoto: what to knowToday
- GUIDEKurama-dera: mountain temple and onsen villageToday
- NEW4 more temples, 2 new day trips, and KoreanThis week
- NEWSTotally Kyoto has launched9 weeks ago
We're starting small on purpose.
Totally Kyoto launched with 101 pages across 8 departments and 9 mapped districts. Each department card above grows into its own full section — every temple, every district, every season — without changing how the site is organised.
New guides are added at least weekly, usually two or three at a time — follow along on the board.