Uploaded August 2016 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
A beautiful destination often overlooked due to its location at the end of the winding bamboo forests of Arashiyama, the Ōkōchi Sansō Villa is the former residence of Japanese period film star Ōkōchi Denjirō (1898-1962). Located in the foothills of Mt. Ogura, Ōkōchi’s Villa includes a traditional home, tea house, and Buddhist halls on the property amidst carefully planned and cultivated Japanese-style gardens designed to showcase the best of each of the four seasons. Despite being constructed relatively recently, the villa employs classic architecture and traditional techniques, appearing far statelier than its age would imply. The villa is also well known for its view of Kyoto City spread out below it. Though the admission fee is steeper than most of its kind, the price includes a cup of green tea and a Japanese sweet served in the teahouse where you can relax and rest your feet while enjoying the view. Fans of the samurai film genre can also enjoy an open air museum dedicated to the villa’s original owner and jidaigeki actor Ōkōchi Denjirō.
To see more of Ōkōchi Sansō and how to get there, check out our page:
discoverkyoto.com/places-go/okochi-sanso
A beautiful destination often overlooked due to its location at the end of the winding bamboo forests of Arashiyama, the Ōkōchi Sansō Villa is the former residence of Japanese period film star Ōkōchi Denjirō (1898-1962). Located in the foothills of Mt. Ogura, Ōkōchi’s Villa includes a traditional home, tea house, and Buddhist halls on the property amidst carefully planned and cultivated Japanese-style gardens designed to showcase the best of each of the four seasons. Despite being constructed relatively recently, the villa employs classic architecture and traditional techniques, appearing far statelier than its age would imply. The villa is also well known for its view of Kyoto City spread out below it. Though the admission fee is steeper than most of its kind, the price includes a cup of green tea and a Japanese sweet served in the teahouse where you can relax and rest your feet while enjoying the view. Fans of the samurai film genre can also enjoy an open air museum dedicated to the villa’s original owner and jidaigeki actor Ōkōchi Denjirō.
To see more of Ōkōchi Sansō and how to get there, check out our page:
discoverkyoto.com/places-go/okochi-sanso
![Beautiful Kyoto: Autumn 2016 Eikan-dō [4K]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ER1ykUnqtNg/mqdefault.jpg "Beautiful Kyoto: Autumn 2016 Eikan-dō [4K]
Kyotos autumn leaves (kōyō) are some of the most famous in the country, and one of the most popular places to view the changing colors is at Eikan-dō temple. A Pure Land Buddhist temple originally founded in 853, Eikan-dōs precincts are filled to the brim with maple trees, which turn a variety of fall colors come November and brighten up the landscape in shades of yellow, orange, and red. Since Eikan-dō is host to a light-up event, you can enjoy their gorgeous autumn scenery by day or by night, and neither will disappoint!
To see more of Eikan-dō and how to get there, check out our page: https://www.discoverkyoto.com/places-go/eikan-do-zenrin-ji")
![Kyoto Festival: Hiwatari Matsuri at Tanukidanisan Fudō-in [4K]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ET4kVb8rgxo/mqdefault.jpg "Kyoto Festival: Hiwatari Matsuri at Tanukidanisan Fudō-in [4K]
For more information, visit our website:
https://www.discoverkyoto.com/event-calendar/july/fire-walking-tanukidanisan-fudoin-temple
Tanukidanisan Fudō-in is a temple that eschews the more traditional Buddhist sect system in favor of the ascetic nature worship of Shugendō. A practice that combines various Buddhist, Shinto, and Taoist beliefs, Shungendō can be translated as the way to spiritual power through discipline.
One of the rituals associated both with Shungendō and Fudō Myōō worship is the Hiwatari Matsuri, or Fire Walking Festival. In this ceremony, goma (wooden prayer sticks) are assembled into a pyre to be ritualistically burned and the still flaming ashes and remnants raked flat.
Shungenja (Shugendō followers) lead the way by walking barefoot across the hot ground before helping the public do the same. This fascinating ritual is not only interesting for its religious components but also for anyone who would like to participate themselves. Can you handle the heat?")
![Beautiful Kyoto: Cherry Blossoms by the Kamogawa River [4K]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/EbgFHMR5p9E/mqdefault.jpg "Beautiful Kyoto: Cherry Blossoms by the Kamogawa River [4K]
The cherry blossom season truly delivered this year! Except for a couple of rainy days, sunshine illuminated the beautiful trees in full bloom and there were many happy cherry blossom admirers in Kyoto.
Temples and shrines are popular and beautiful places to view the pink spring beauties, but the Kamogawa river in Kyoto City is also a great place. Not only is it very accessible, but it’s also the perfect place to have a picnic underneath the trees.
Our team took a camera out to the river this cherry blossom season so we could share this Kamogawa sakura magic with you all!
To see more of what Kyoto has to offer, check out our website:
https://www.discoverkyoto.com
Music: Warm Evening by FredIMusicProduction")
![Things to Do: Maiko Theater [4K]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/FAYhoRnbdF4/mqdefault.jpg "Things to Do: Maiko Theater [4K]
For reservations at the Maiko Theater for your trip to Kyoto, see here:
http://maikotheater-rs.resv.jp/reserve/calendar.php?x=1493012476&pc=1
When visitors come to Kyoto, one thing is almost always on their bucket list: to see a beautiful geiko or maiko up close and personal. But outside of the annual dance season, hoping to see one on the street, or reserving a seat on the specific day a restaurant calls an entertainer… how do you meet one without breaking the bank or knowing the right people?
That is where the Maiko Theater comes in! At the Maiko Theater guests can choose between four different dining courses according to their budget/desired reservation time. During the course guests are treated not only to a delicious catered meal, but to explanations from staff in English or Japanese, an intimate hosted tea ceremony with sweets, and of course, a traditional dance performed by the maiko host(s). Like at expensive zashiki banquet parties, you can also try your hand at chatting with the young ladies, and a commemorative group photo will make sure you don’t forget meeting one of Kyoto’s beloved maiko!")
![Kyoto Event: Takigi Noh at Heian Shrine 2019 (Day Two) [4K]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/FclgA6h4xZU/mqdefault.jpg "Kyoto Event: Takigi Noh at Heian Shrine 2019 (Day Two) [4K]
On June 1st and 2nd, 2019, the 70th Annual Takigi Noh performance took place at Heian Shrine in Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan. Honoring the abdication of Emperor Akihito and the enthronement of Emperor Naruhito, the theme for this year’s Takigi Noh was “Celebrating a New Era”. Noh is the oldest style of Japanese theater still practiced today, which makes it quite a fitting form to celebrate such a momentous occasion. Selected scenes from the plays “Heian”, “Sōshiarai Komachi”, “Shakkyō”, “Hagoromo”, and “Ema”, performed by the Kanze and Kongō schools of noh, as well as the more comedic kyōgen via “Fukube no Shin Tsutomeiri” and “Niō” performed by the Ōkura school, were performed to mark the occasion, mixing classic performance staples with rarely performed ceremonial pieces.
Takigi Noh is an event not to be missed if you find yourself in Kyoto in June, so make sure to check before you come or book your tickets in advance!
For more information and photos:
https://www.discoverkyoto.com/event-calendar/june/takigi-noh-heian-shrine/
and
http://www.kyoto-nohgaku.or.jp/kyoto-takiginoh-en/")
![Things to Do: Kyoto Aquarium [4K]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/I_DqspUUGDw/mqdefault.jpg "Things to Do: Kyoto Aquarium [4K]
Kyoto is a paradise for those looking to take in the old capital’s traditional shrines and temples, but as a decently sized modern city in its own right, Kyoto is also home to a bevy of parks, museums, and more. Especially popular with families is Kyoto Aquarium, an aquarium in Umekoji Park that is home to twelve different themed areas exhibiting a variety of aquatic creatures that includes river-living Japanese giant salamanders, fish from the seas of Kyoto, playful seals, popular tropical fish, and spellbinding jellyfish. The Kyoto Aquarium is a staple with locals that makes for a fun afternoon for families, couples, or tourists looking for something to do indoors on a rainy day.")
