Are there any good tattoo artists in kyoto that can do fine line detailed tattoos, my partner wants to get a tattoo on her spine whilst we are in Japan. Any recommendations would be appreciated

Hey, as you probably know, setsubon is nearing, and I would like to get a more permanent oni mask than the cheap plastic ones from the supermarket. Does any of you know where in Kyoto I could get one that isn't made out of plastic (or at least better, more durable plastic)? I looked at the flea markets on kitano tenmangu etc, but haven't found a good one

I had the best morning routine when visiting Kyoto last month…

1. Buy a “premium” banana from the convenience store and then drink R1 or Meiji or Yakult probiotic.
2. Then eat an Almond Croissant from 2/7 Kitchen

Nothing in America compares…

I'm hosting a poker game at my apartment with some friends tomorrow night, looking for a few other people to join us. It's always a lot of fun so please feel free to join! Just leave a comment or shoot me a DM :)

Dear all,

Any suggestions for a kaiseki dinner place for a group of 6 persons (my parents plus my brother and our partners) in Kyoto. Traditional Japanese cuisine. Budget max. 100 dollars per persons, but preferable a bit lower :) no fancy wines needed.

I was checking Michelin star rated restaurants, but my parents don’t enjoy such a vibe.

Thank you!

Looking to get some paintings that I have framed but don’t know exactly where to go to do so adequately. Preferably I’m looking for somewhere that can use acid free papers and museum-grade glass (if that’s what it’s called). Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

As title says, visiting kyoto from Feb 1 - Feb 5 and would love to find some cool live alternative music (think punk, rock, etc). Also love hiphop as well. Are there any venues or events I should know about? Thank you in advance for answering!

I (23m) have been hosting poker games at my house with friends for the last few months. Its been a ton of fun, and would love for new people to join in. If you're interested please leave a comment or shoot me a DM! Anyone is welcome :)

hello everyone, i will be studying (god willing) in September at doshisha for a semester

i have scrolled through the depths of reddit and read every post about doshisha ever posted. problem is, they’re either really old and outdated, or don’t really offer me much information i didn’t already have/am looking for.

i am particularly looking for info regarding housing/dorms because i cannot for the life of me find any. their website sucks and has zero real info. no pictures, prices nothing. i would especially appreciate anything about the new dorms (keishiryo) and imadegawa. if anyone here is/was a student at doshisha, please let me know. i have a lot of questions!

also, if anyone knows if i will learn kansai-ben or standard japanese in my japanese language courses. (i’m intermediate if that matters)

i probably am forgetting some key questions but anyway

ありがとう✌︎('ω')✌︎

I took this photo back in my December 2022 Japan Trip. It was outside of the Yasaka Jinja Nishiromon Gate (Western Tower Gate), Kyoto.

I thought it would be an amazing picture opportunity, so I asked if I could take the runner’s and rider’s picture!

At the time it didn’t come to mind that I could’ve provided them this photo right after taking it, so ever since the trip I’ve felt kind of guilty about it.

I just hope this photo reaches them after all this time! If anyone in Kyoto knows this Rickshaw runner or the Girls, please send this to them! Thanks Ya’ll!

I remember taking the last pound cake in family mart last week and it was 180 yen. I checked it out today morning and it's 230 yen. Damn

I'm looking at a rental in Higashiyama. I love most things about it but one thing that concerns me is the notable lack of supermarkets walking distance. We're talking around Shoren-in here, about 3 minutes walk south of Higashiyama Station. I've lived here for years now and spent a fair amount of time exploring that area even before, and never found anything better than a Fresco Petit (which hardly puts the "super" in supermarket).

Is there a secret local place that I'm not seeing on Google Maps or do locals just schlep 20 minutes or ride a bike to a decent supermarket?

Where in Kyoto can I buy a papier-mâché oni mask like this? I got the blue one in a flea market back in Australia, I would love to get a red one.

Hi all, Recently I’ve been asked in a couple of places to remove headphones while cycling. I was vaguely aware there are some rules against this, but didn’t know it was actually finable/a real offense. I believed it was like the helmet ordinance, which is a rule with no teeth afaik.

Anyway, I wanted to know where and if you’ve seen this enforced before? For me I’ve only seen it in the very center of the city, once by two 交差点ルール sashed women, and once by a cop near Nishiki Market

Also, I wanted to get the vibe of how people feel about this rule? I personally found it a little affronting that everyone else I’m sharing the mixed use passageways with gets to listen to music and be insulated from the noise of the city a bit (the cars and the pedestrians). But I also could see how it might be safer if we removed the radios from cars and fined people for being air podded out crossing a busy street, so maybe this is the thin end of that wedge?

I looked into it and it seems there’s no rules against it in helmets for 原付, which is inline with cars, so I’m not surprised. [I checked cause I also ride an old Super Cub]

If you cycle regularly, let me know how you deal with this. Do you raw dog the city? Do you wear a hood or helmet that conceals your headphones? Doubly curious for those riding for sport outside of the city as that’s when I can’t really imagine doing it without them

Hi all. Any recs for bars or restaurants that have great oysters?

Hi My wife and I are visiting Gion April 2-4, smack dab in peak Sakura season so we are worried about crowds.

We are staying right in Gion. We are also very early risers, which I am hoping allows us to walk around a bit early morning 6:30-7am

Would there be any cafes in Gion open that time?

Thanks for any info.....

I am wondering is shigeharu knife shop still open and running, I’ll be headed to Osaka in October and I am hoping to go there and buy a knife but when looking online the store page says temporarily closed can anyone confirm please.

My family and I will be in Kyoto until March, and I’m interested if there will be any Lunar New Years festivities anywhere this week.

I know it is not a Japanese thing, but if there are any Chinatown pockets in the area, we’d appreciate the advice!

Hello :)

Me and my fiancee are spending ten days in kyoto. I was wondering if the parks there like Gyoen national park are open 24/7, if we could have a nice stroll there at night when most people have gone home to sleep. I hate to say this because i myself am one, but i am afraid that the crowds will take away from Kyoto’s potent charm, so im wondering if there are many spots at night where things are more empty and the city’s sound quiets down for peaceful moments.

Parks, restaurants, konbini? If anything is open late into the night i would consider visiting.

Thank you ❤️

Hi everyone,

I’ll have a new apartment ready near Tambaguchi Station (JR Sagano Line) , will be ready by March 2026. The property was purchased through an overseas agent in Singapore, and the developer is Keihan. I’m looking for recommendations for reliable real estate agencies in Kyoto to help me lease it out.

Additionally, I’d appreciate insights into the typical rental process in Kyoto for landlords, especially if there are specifics related to managing rentals as a non-resident owner.

Thanks in advance for your advice!

Heya,

A good friend had some last minute travel plans change and is now spending just over a week in Japan.

He will be heading to Kyoto from Tokyo Saturday evening to see me, and will leaving Monday morning.

He would love to see some of Kyoto but the catch is he is quite autistic and doesn't like crowds/loud noises much. I only moved to Kyoto a couple of weeks ago so I'm still pretty ignorant on the city overall.

Question
Does anyone have any recommendations of places to go, things to show my friend that will give him a little taste of Kyoto without the crowds?

I'm moving to Kyoto in March and am currently looking at apartments. However, I'm receiving mixed feedback on whether I should sign a lease while still in the US, or whether I should wait and view the apartments in-person.

Does anyone have a general timeline of how long it takes to view and move into an apartment? I would have around 2 weeks before school starts. Ideally, I would like to move within this 2 week timeframe so I'm not stressed during school. I know this is a popular time to move, so I'm worried all of the good apartments will be gone by the time I get to Kyoto.
I'm also unsure of whether the landlords will be willing to give me a lease before I am physically in the country+have my physical visa.

The realtor I'm working with isn't great (super slow to respond and not really helpful), so I'm nervous about renting without actually seeing the unit. However, if I found a great realtor who was willing to visit it/etc, I would be more open to it. So if anyone has realtor recs that would also be appreciated:) I've been looking at apartments on Suumo etc already.