Uploaded July 2016 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Ema (votive tablets for writing wishes on) are very popular in shrines and temples around Japan. People write their wishes and leave the tablets hanging up at the shrine where the kami(Shinto deities) can receive them. Usually ema have a more rectangular shape, but the special ema at Fushimi Inari Taisha are in a shape of a fox. These ema can be purchased at the shrine for 500 yen. When you buy the ema you write your wish on the back, and on the front you draw the face of the fox. It’s exciting to see all the ema lined up with the different faces that the visitors drew!
To see more of Fushimi Inari Taisha and how to get there, check out our page:
discoverkyoto.com/places-go/fushimi-inari-taisha
Ema (votive tablets for writing wishes on) are very popular in shrines and temples around Japan. People write their wishes and leave the tablets hanging up at the shrine where the kami(Shinto deities) can receive them. Usually ema have a more rectangular shape, but the special ema at Fushimi Inari Taisha are in a shape of a fox. These ema can be purchased at the shrine for 500 yen. When you buy the ema you write your wish on the back, and on the front you draw the face of the fox. It’s exciting to see all the ema lined up with the different faces that the visitors drew!
To see more of Fushimi Inari Taisha and how to get there, check out our page:
discoverkyoto.com/places-go/fushimi-inari-taisha
![Discover Kyoto Website: Your Guide to Kyoto [4K]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/7gv9yEHvbNA/mqdefault.jpg "Discover Kyoto Website: Your Guide to Kyoto [4K]
Explore the city of Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan, using the Discover Kyoto website!
Because Kyoto’s history spans 1,200 years, no matter where you go there are gorgeous shrines and temples, interesting experiences, delicious cuisine, and fascinating historical tales that await you. Watch our video to see just how the Discover Kyoto website can help you enjoy your stay. Including incredibly detailed guides to tourist sites and festivals, helpful information on shopping and transportation, and breathtaking photo and video coverage, let the Discover Kyoto website be your helpful companion on your journey. We’ll help you make the most of it.
Discover Kyoto Website: www.discoverkyoto.com")
![Kyoto Event: Takigi Noh at Heian Shrine 2017 [4K]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/88v-HYGAKMQ/mqdefault.jpg "Kyoto Event: Takigi Noh at Heian Shrine 2017 [4K]
On June 1st and 2nd, 2017, the 68th Annual Takigi Noh performance took place at Heian Shrine in Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan. A Fantastic Tour of Kyoto Powerspots was the theme of this years performance, and through the stately traditional dance and song the audience was transported to famous locations such as Kiyomizu-dera, Fushimi Inari Taisha, Nonomiya Shrine, Kurama-dera, and the Kamo Shrines. Get a taste of noh, the oldest style of Japanese theater still practiced today, through selected scenes from the plays Kamo, Tamura, and Shari, performed by the Kanze and Kongō schools of noh, as well as the more comedic kyōgen via Kurama Mairi performed by the Ōkura school.
Takigi Noh is an event not to be missed if you find yourself in Kyoto in June, so make sure to check Discover Kyoto and book your tickets in advance!
For more information and photographs:
https://www.discoverkyoto.com/event-calendar/june/takigi-noh-heian-shrine/ AND http://www.kyoto-nohgaku.or.jp/kyoto-takiginoh-en/")
![Kyoto Festival: Japanese Mounted Archery at Shimogamo Shrine (Yabusume Shinji) [4K]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/9MmU1QwRyqc/mqdefault.jpg "Kyoto Festival: Japanese Mounted Archery at Shimogamo Shrine (Yabusume Shinji) [4K]
Every year in May Kyoto begins to buzz with excitement as the Aoi Matsuri (Hollyhock Festival), one of the three biggest festivals in the city, draws near. Though the festival procession itself falls on the 15th of the month, various rituals and ceremonial preparations begin to take place from the first week of May, drawing thousands of visitors and worshippers from around the country and from abroad. Centered on the Kamo Shrines, Shimogamo Shrine and Kamigamo Shrine, the fesitivites range from sedate purification rituals to high-paced horse races.
On May 3rd at Shimogamo Shrine, one of these prepatory events occurs within the green canapy of the Tadasu no Mori forest leading up to the shrine proper from 1pm. The Yabusame Shinji, or Mounted Archery Ritual, is conducted to pray for the safety of the procession and purify the parade route. Performed by archers of the Ogasawara school, a style that traces its history back about 850 years, riders thunder down a 500m lane firing arrows at three targets along the way. Each time an archer hit the target a cheer springs up from the assembled crowd, and the sound of thundering hoofbeats growing closer and closer let people know something exciting is about to happen. If youre in town for Golden Week or the Aoi Matsuri, be sure not to miss this dynamic ritual and display of martial prowess!")
![Beautiful Kyoto: Shaping the Sacred (Preserving Japans Decorative Metalwork Tradition) [4K]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/9iAQmY24v4c/mqdefault.jpg "Beautiful Kyoto: Shaping the Sacred (Preserving Japans Decorative Metalwork Tradition) [4K]
Step into the fascinating world of Japanese metalwork with the craftsmen of Kyoto’s Morimoto Decorative Metal Workshop, some of the foremost kazari kanagu artisans in the old capital. Kazari kanagu are the pieces of decorative metal you will most often see on Kyoto’s shrine and temple architecture in the form of ornate locks, gilded lanterns, engraved panels, and glittering statuary. Preserving traditional methods that enable them to both create new pieces and repair aged metalwork, the influence of the Morimoto Decorative Metal Workshop can be seen everywhere in Kyoto, from the humblest of local shrines to the most famous of sight-seeing temples. In this video you can hear directly from the craftsmen themselves about their profession and what it means to them, and explore both the process of creating new lanterns and the work that goes into repairing weatherworn metalwork.
Go to Discover Kyoto to learn even more and watch videos of the metalworking process in action here: https://www.discoverkyoto.com/kyoto-voice/morimoto-decorative-metal-workshop/")
![Things to Do: Kyoto Railway Museum [4K]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/AMvzdzwzmkA/mqdefault.jpg "Things to Do: Kyoto Railway Museum [4K]
If there’s one thing Japan is praised for the world over, it’s the punctuality, wide coverage, and convenience of its railway system. Here in Kyoto you’ll surely make use of the shinkansen bullet train when you arrive or leave, and the local lines that crisscross the city for sightseeing… But if you want to do more than just ride, you can always visit the Kyoto Railway Museum! Opened in 2016, this shiny new museum is a sprawling space that covers everything about trains from their construction and operation to their history and services. Interactive in many ways, this museum has lots of areas where guests can touch and operate exhibits in a way that makes things both educational and fun, making it great for visitors traveling with families. The real trains are hard to overlook, but be sure not to miss the train conductor simulators and the country’s largest train diorama!")
![Beautiful Kyoto: Sakura at the Sewaritei River Park [4K]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/AT2yU-KS56Q/mqdefault.jpg "Beautiful Kyoto: Sakura at the Sewaritei River Park [4K]
Popular among locals but as of yet unknown to many tourists, journey southwest of Kyoto to find the Sewaritei riverbank, where a 1.4 kilometer long path is lined on both sides with tall, bountiful cherry trees. The sakura tunnel effect at this riverside park in Yawata city is absolutely gorgeous, and you can even picnic underneath the branches heavy with flowers. In a nearby area vendors set up selling tasty snacks and souvenirs, and depending on the day you might see some entertainment during Aprils cherry blossom season. Those interested can even take a short boat ride along the path. As beautiful as this place is, make sure you get there early if you want a prime spot to lay your picnic blanket down!
Music: Ambient Space Soundscape by Seatools")
![Kyoto Event: 2018 Kitano Odori Dance Performance [4K]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/AtnPo3IiQuY/mqdefault.jpg "Kyoto Event: 2018 Kitano Odori Dance Performance [4K]
The geiko and maiko of Kyoto, keepers of time-honored traditional dance and music, are concentrated in five kagai (geisha districts) across the city. Each of the districts performs a large-scale dance for the public once a year, and Kamishichiken districts Kitano Odori runs from March 25th to April 7th to usher in the spring. Two performances are held each day, at 13:30 and 16:00, and tickets cost 4,300 yen. For an additional 500 yen guests can enjoy a cup of green tea and a sweet before the play, which also comes with a commemorative plate. Tickets can be purchased online for those with Japanese credit cards, procured through travel agents, or reserved with assistance at the Tourist Information Center in Kyoto Station.
For more information, please visit the Kitano Odori page on our website:
https://www.discoverkyoto.com/event-calendar/march/kitano-odori/")
