The absolute best spots in Kyoto for Instagram and Facebook photos

When on a trip, almost everyone takes photos. Nowadays social media like Facebook and Instagram are really popular so many people seek places that will win them many “likes” on those sites. Kyoto is a popular spot for tourists all over the world with its temples, historic townscape, the seasonally changing scenery, and the city also has a cornucopia of picturesque places. Erika is going to tell you about five of her most “liked” places in Kyoto!

First I have a small temple close to Yasaka Pagoda that is called Yasaka Koshin-do. This temple is really small, but it is really popular among women.

The secret for this temple’s popularity can be seen in this picture! There are many of these cute beanbag looking talismans hanging from the structure, and the sight is impressive. The talismans are called “kukurizaru” and they represent a monkey with its hands tied up. They are made from colorful cloth and when you wish upon one and hang one up, it is said you wish will come true.

This place is really popular among women because of the cute and colorfulness of these balls. This place looks good in picture with yukatas and kimonos, and these pictures are sure to bring you many “likes” on Facebook! I hope you will write your wishes on a “kukurizaru” ball, and take some pictures with it!

Next we have this place! A place everyone knows, the always popular Fushimi Inari Shrine. The thousand torii gates make you feel like you wondered into a different world, and make for a great backdrop for pictures. Please take pictures from this angle if you come to Kyoto.

Around the shrine you can also see guardian foxes, not the usual guardian dogs. There are four different types of foxes in the shrine, and they can be differentiated by the things they have in their mouths. It may be fun to look for the different foxes too.

At Fushimi Inari Taisha famous for their torii gates, they also sell talismans torii gates. These tiny torii gates are really cute.

Third we have Nanzen-ji Temple, one of the most famous sightseeing spots in Kyoto.

There is a lot to see at this temple of high status, but this Suiro-kaku aqueduct is especially popular among photographers. This aqueduct was built to look like the ones in Rome to carry water from Lake Biwa to Kyoto, over a hundred years ago. The arches of the aqueduct made of red brick are beautiful.

The retro atmosphere of the arches of the aqueduct that seem to go on like a tunnel are popular. Many Japanese television shows are also shot here because the feeling is not Japanese. The view almost looks like it was not Kyoto, but the western looking arch tunnel and the traditional Nanzen-ji Temple match together really well.

Next I’m going to introduce you to the stone paved quintessentially Kyoto sight of Shirakawa Minami-dori Street. The vermilion paper-covered lanterns by the street are photogenic. If you wear a yukata or kimono when walking here, you can surely take picturesque selfies.

Shirakawa-dori is also famous as a place to see cherry blossoms, and in spring you can see scenes like this overflowing with emotion. There are many teahouses and fancy restaurants by the river so it’s a good place for a stroll.

These narrow bridges over the river and the swaying willow trees form a somewhat nostalgic scene. It may be a good idea to take a selfie for Facebook while crossing the bridge.

This is a place I recommend you visit if you want to take pictures that have a Kyoto feeling.

Lastly I’m going to tell you about Horin-ji Temple, also known as Daruma Temple. This temple, like some of you probably already got from the name, has really many daruma dolls inside it. If you go inside the Daruma Hall you will be surrounded by daruma dolls. It is said there are 8,000 daruma dolls! This mysterious sight is just something you have to upload to Facebook.

The daruma dolls all have different faces, and there are dolls small and big. The small ones look cute with their small form factor.

Besides the hall there also daruma hidden in the garden, a bit like Disney’s Hidden Mickeys, so there is a lot to see. For those who have gotten bored at taking pictures at the main spots, how about snapping a few photos at a place like this?