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It is said that Kyoto is calm and green in the rain. However, walking outside can be a hassle. Here are some sightseeing spots in Kyoto where you can enjoy the rain without getting wet.
Kyoto Railway Museum
京都鉄道博物館 Kyoto Tetsudou Hakubutsukan
One of the leading railway museums in Japan. Although there are some outdoor exhibits, most are indoors, and both adults and children can enjoy it for several hours. You will understand why Japanese people love trains.Homepage
kyoto Aquarium
京都水族館 Kyoto Suizokukan
This place is adjacent to the Kyoto Railway Museum. It has nothing to do with Kyoto traditions, but it shows that Japanese people love to see and eat fishes. The fishes swimming in the tank are very beautiful. You can spend a few hours here.Homepage
Theatre GEAR
ギア劇場 GEAR Gekijou
A small theater that continues to perform long-running performances. A fun and moving pantomime performance that can only be seen here. If you go to Kyoto, it's worth seeing even if it's not raining. It can be enjoyed by people of all nationalities and languages. It's best to get tickets early. Highly recommended.The performance lasts approximately 2 hours. Homepage
Theatre Minamiza
南座 Minami za
They perform traditional Japanese culture such as Kabuki, dance, and song shows. Popular performances tend to sell out quickly, but if there are seats available you can enter on the day. Performances usually last 2-3 hours.Homepage
Nishiki Market
錦市場 Nishiki Icniba
Nishiki Market is always mentioned when talking about sightseeing in Kyoto on rainy days. It is an arcade so you won't get wet. The adjacent arcade streets have many shops other than food stores. You can eat foods on the streets and shopping.Homepage
Kamogawa Odori
先斗町歌舞練場(加茂川をどり)
Pontocho Kabu burenjou(Kamogawa odori)
It is originally a practice hall, but it hosts traditional Japanese dance performances for audiences. You can often enter on the day. The performance lasts about an hour. Highly recommended.Homepage
Gion Kobe
祇園甲部 Gion Kobe
Traditional dances by maiko and other performers are held in the center of Gion. Be sure to check the dates.Homepage
Kyoto Station Building
京都駅ビル Kyoto Eki Building
A modern station building built on the Karasuma Exit side. There is a large outdoor staircase on the west side, where you can enjoy an illumination show at night. There are plenty of things to see, including an escalator leading up to the east side and a walkway connecting between east and west, , from which you can see Kyoto Tower right in front of you. You can spend about 1-2 hours strolling around here, including the adjacent Isetan department store. You won't find any old traditional designs here, but you can feel the spirit of Kyoto people who love new things. Highly recommended.Homepage
P.S.: The first and second basement floors of Isetan are large food sections. They sell a variety of foods and snacks that Japanese people eat on a daily basis. Seeing all of them will be a valuable experience during your trip to Japan.
kyoto city Kyocera Museum
京都 京セラ美術館 Kyoto shi Kyocera bijutsukan
If you find an exhibit that interests you, you can see it, or even if you don't want to see the paid exhibits, you can enjoy the beautiful Japanese modern style building that was completed in 1933. There is also a cafe on the premises.Homepage
Chourakukan
長楽館 Chourakukan
A beautiful Western-style building completed in 1909 in a corner of Maruyama Park. The interior design is also beautiful, and spending time here over tea and a meal is a luxurious experience. I recommend it, but there is often a line to get in during the spring and fall seasons, but reservations are also possible.Homepage
Old Main building of Kyoto Prefectural Office
京都府庁 旧本館 Kyoto-Fucho kyu-honkan
This Western-style building was completed in 1904. Not only is the exterior beautiful, but the interior, including the offices and assembly hall, has also been well preserved and can be explored at your leisure.Homepage
Higashi Honganji
東本願寺 Higashi Honganji
It is within walking distance of Kyoto Station. You can walk around the inside of the temple houses and enjoy the temple. If you can attend a Buddhist event, you can experience a part of Japanese culture. Admission is free. Homepage
Nishi Honganji
西本願寺 Nishi Honganji
It's far from Kyoto Station and the subway, so you'll need to take a bus or taxi to get there. You can wander around the temple houses and admission is free. Homepage
Kenninji
建仁寺 Kenninji
It is located at the southern end of Gion. There are outdoor facilities, but the indoors are also worth visiting as there are many things to see. There is also a rock garden where you can sit and enjoy the view. Highly recommended.Homepage
Nanzenji
南禅寺 Nanzenji
It can be reached on foot from Keage Station on the subway. There are many outdoor attractions such as the Sanmon Gate and Suirokaku, but the main building with its Hojo Garden can also be viewed indoors. Homepage
Lake Biwa Canal Museum
琵琶湖疏水記念館 Biwako Sosui Kinenkan
In 1890, the Lake Biwa Canal was completed, a waterway that supplied water to Kyoto City from Lake Biwa. This is a museum that displays its history. You can see the history of Japan's modernization (Westernization). The content is a little deep for the average foreign tourist. It is close to Nanzenji Temple, Murin-an, and the Kyocera Museum of Art, so you can combine your visit there. Homepage
Murin-an
無鄰菴 Murin-an
There is a garden and a house. The whole area is not very large, so on rainy days you can enjoy the view of the garden while drinking matcha tea in the main house. The adjacent Western-style building is also where the decision to start the Russo-Japanese War was made. Reservations may be required depending on the season.。Homepage
Jissoin
実相院 Jissoin
You can view the beautiful garden from the indoor viewing area. The only drawback is that it takes about 20 minutes on foot from Iwakura Station on the Eizan Electric Railway. Homepage
Housenin
宝泉院 Housenin
You can enjoy the garden at your leisure from the indoor viewing (matcha tea is included). However, it is not efficient to go all the way to Ohara just for this. Also, many tourists from the neighboring Sanzen-in Temple visit the garden, so it can sometimes lack tranquility. Homepage
Ninnaji
仁和寺 Ninnaji
The main attractions here are the cherry blossoms in spring and the outdoor viewing of the five-story pagoda, but you can also admire the gardens inside the houses. The Treasure Exhibition Hall also has a fine display of handwriting by Kukai, the temple's founder, but may not be suitable for foreigners. Homepage
Ryoanji
龍安寺 Ryoanji
It is possible to visit this temple in succession with Ninna-ji Temple. You can sit and view the famous stone garden from inside the temple. However, it has the drawback of being quite busy, with many visitors. Homepage
Daikakuji
大覚寺 Daikakuji
The fee is different for the inside of the hall and the garden (around Osawa pond). The structure of the hall and the walkway are interesting, but the exhibits inside require some knowledge or interest. Homepage
Niaonin
二尊院 Niaonin
The approach to the temple is beautiful, and the main hall also has verandas on three sides, where you can sit and relax while looking at the garden. However, there are always a fair number of people coming and going from the temple, including tourists touring Sagano. Homepage
Tenryuji
天龍寺 Tenryuji
The garden and the hall have separate entrances and fees, and you cannot go back and forth between them. If it rains, it's best to view the garden from inside the hall. It's a famous temple, so it's always crowded. Homepage
Arashiyama Yusaitei
嵐山 祐斎亭 Arashiyama Yusaitei
This is not a temple, but a former restaurant or villa. There are many great attractions for taking photos. The entrance fee is a little high, and it is not well known yet, so you can enjoy it at your own pace. It is relaxing to look at the Hozu River while sipping matcha tea. Recommended.Homepage
Rokuouin
鹿王院 Rokuouin
It's a small temple, but the reception hall has a veranda where you can view the garden and the beautiful Shariden, so you can relax. It gets very crowded during the autumn foliage season, but you can sit here more comfortably than at other famous temples. Highly recommended. Homepage
Kiyomizudera Jojuin
清水寺 成就院 Kiyomizudera Jojuin
It is located at the far left of the gate of Kiyomizu-dera Temple. Please note that it is only open for a limited time. You can only sit and look at the garden called "Moon Garden" from inside the building. Photography is prohibited inside the building, including the garden, so you can spend your time quietly and leisurely looking at the view. Highly recommended. Homepage
Chishakuin
智積院 Chishakuin
The autumn leaves and hydrangeas outside are beautiful, but in case of rain, you can enjoy the view of the garden from the reception hall and the actual display of Hasegawa Tohaku's sliding door paintings in the exhibition hall. There aren't many tourists, so you can relax. It is also close to Sanjusangendo Temple and Yogen-in Temple, which are listed below. Recommended. Homepage
Sanjusangendo
三十三間堂 Sanjusangendo
Most of the time, the purpose is to see the statues inside the hall, so it's not a problem even on rainy days, but the downside is that it's always crowded and you can't sit down and relax. You can combine this with a visit to the nearby Yogen-in and Chishaku-in temples.Homepage
Yougenin
養源院 Yougenin
Located to the east of Sanjusangendo. There is a small garden, but most of the time you will be inside the temple, listening to explanations from guides and looking at Sotatsu Tawaraya's panel paintings. Unfortunately, the explanations are in Japanese. Homepage
Other to do in rainy day
To visit art galleries and museums
Kyoto has many art galleries and museums. Most of the exhibits are indoors, so you can enjoy them without getting wet in the rain.
To do 写経Shakyo･写仏Shabutsu
写経Shakyo･写仏Shabutsu is done by placing translucent paper over a model text or picture and tracing the letters or pictures underneath with a brush to create a copy. Shakyo is the act of copying Buddhist scriptures written in Chinese characters, while Shabutsu is the act of copying pictures of Buddhist Buddhas. These are usually held at temples as paid events.
However, this is not offered at all temples, but only at certain temples. Please check the website of each temple or use a search to find out where you can do this.
Shakyo is extremely difficult for foreigners who are unfamiliar with writing Chinese characters, but copying Buddha images can be done by anyone who has experience using a brush. It generally takes about an hour to complete one image, so you can experience traditional Japanese culture at the temple even on rainy days.
You can take the finished product home with you, or donate it to the temple.
The top photo is an example of a shakyo and the bottom photo is an example of shabutsu. This Shakyo is a simple example; usually the number of characters is several times larger than this.The paper size should be about A4 size.
To go out from Kyoto
If you look at the weather forecast and it looks like it's going to rain only in Kyoto, it's even better to leave Kyoto and go sightseeing in places where it's not raining.
For example,(Day trips possible)
→West
Osaka (Osaka Castle, Dotonbori) Himeji (Himeji Castle) JR New Rapid or Hankyu-Line trains are convenient)
→East
Lake Biwa (Pleasure boats) and Omihachiman (Old town) JR New Rapid is convenient
→North
Wakasa Bay coast (Amanohashidate and Ine Funaya) Transportation is somewhat inconvenient
→South
Various places in Nara Visit by JR or Kintetsu-Line
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