Kyoto City of Art (Part 1) - Visiting museums and zen meditation japan-guide.com

One of the most popular destinations in Japan, Kyoto is known around the world for temples, gardens and historic streets, but these classic sightseeing spots are far from the only things this vibrant and fascinating city has to offer. My name is Matt Evans, staff writer for japanguide.com and in this two-part video I'm going to introduce some great cultural sites and experiences to Here's the plan. Starting at Kyoto station, we'll take the train to Tofukuji, then change to the Keihan line to Jingu Marutamachi, from where it's a 15-minute walk to the Heian Shrine. After exploring the shrine and its garden, we'll check out the National Museum of Modern Art and the Kyoto City Kyocera Museum, located a short walk from the shrine entrance. Finally, we'll take a walk along the Shirakawa River, passing the historic Gion district on our way to the Good Nature Hotel, where we'll enjoy a special course meal and stay for the night. On day two, we'll make an early start with a Zen meditation experience at Keninji Temple, before enjoying some Zen-inspired breakfast cuisine at Kishin, a local restaurant. From there, we'll finish the day exploring the Shinmonzen and Furumonzen districts, an old part of Kyoto famous for art and antiques. So follow along as we explore some of Kyoto's most fascinating cultural experiences. Day one. This is Heian Shrine, one of the city's youngest but best-loved shrines, built in 1895 to commemorate the 1100th anniversary of the city becoming the nation's capital. The shrine complex forms a slightly smaller scale model of the old Imperial Palace, and inside we'll find a beautiful landscape garden in four parts, showcasing the beauty of Kyoto through the seasons. Let's go inside and take a look. Just a few steps from Heian Shrine are two of the city's best art galleries. On the left, the Kyoto City Kyocera Museum of Art, and here on the right, the National Museum of Modern Art Dedicated to artworks from the 20th century, the National Museum of Modern Art Kyoto, or MOMAK, focuses on Japanese-style paintings of the Kyoto school, but its impressive and varied collection also includes paintings by Western artists and crafts of all kinds. Opened in 1930 to mark the enthronement of the Showa Emperor, the Kyoto City Kyocera Museum of Art offers a large floor space with a wide variety of exhibitions. The building has recently undergone extensive remodeling, adding an attractive rooftop terrace as well as a stylish cafe. So we're here at Infuse and we're about to try some very beautifully presented coffee and cakes. Beautiful cheesecake. After exploring the two museums, we thread our way along the Shirakawa River towards the hotel where we will be staying tonight. Located just a few steps from the Kamagawa River and Shijodori, Kyoto's busiest shopping street, the Good Nature Hotel is an attractive space with a sleek modern look and relaxing atmosphere designed around a sustainable and eco-friendly concept. The three floors below the hotel are home to several stylish restaurants, a wine bar, and a market selling locally sourced food, drinks, and produce. Tonight we're going to enjoy a course meal here at Eritan. Eritan is nature backwards and as the name would suggest the theme here is healthy organic food with a twist. Can't wait to try it. Day two. Well as you can see it's a pretty rainy day in Kyoto and we're here at Keninji, one of the city's oldest and most important Zen temples, to take part in a morning meditation experience and take a look around. The practice at the very heart of Zen Buddhism, meditation is all about calming the mind, allowing thoughts and sensations to drift past without becoming attached to them. A process that can take a lifetime to master. After our meditation session, we stroll around the grounds of Keninji Temple before heading out to breakfast. So after our morning meditation class at Keninji, we're here for the Zen-inspired signature breakfast here at Kishin. The food here is simple but healthy and beautifully presented, all in a way that encourages the kind of mindfulness that you find in Zen practice. Let's eat. The name Kishin comes from a Zen expression meaning a joyful mind. Here, the simple act of coming together, preparing and eating a meal are a kind of training for the mind, encouraging mindfulness and appreciation. After a hearty traditional breakfast at Kishin, it's just a 10-minute walk north along the Kamo River to the Furumonzen and Shinmonzen districts. This is Shinmonzen, an old part of the city famous for fine art and antiques. Now you might not think it from the lack of inviting shop windows but hidden away in these beautiful old wooden townhouses are boutiques selling some of the most sought-after arts and crafts in all the city. Let's take a look. And that concludes our two-day trip exploring Kyoto's museums and traditional attractions. Thanks for joining me. I hope this video has inspired some ideas for your future travels. For more information about this trip or to watch another video, click the links on the screen now or head over to japan-guide.com, your comprehensive up-to-date travel guide first-hand from Japan. Thanks for watching. Be sure to subscribe and click the notification bell for more videos about Japan. Happy travels!