Janet Moyer and Michael Hofman, San Francisco
We went because: We wanted to see the beautiful temples and the gardens that surround them in Kyoto. The gardens form the cornerstone of Japanese garden design.
Don’t miss: The Silver Palace, the Shogun’s Palace and just about any local noodle restaurant. A real pleasure is walking the back streets.
Don’t bother: Maybe pass on city buses, especially during rush hour (take the subways instead).
Coolest souvenir: Personalized chopsticks with local artisan hand engraving.
Worth a splurge: A local guide. Ours picked us up at the hotel, gave us transit info and pointed us to great spots to eat and shop.
We wish we’d packed: Warmer clothes. It snowed one day (but was 60 degrees the next).
Other comments: If you’re attempting to go during cherry blossom season, try to arrange a visit during the week. On weekends, the temples and gardens are packed.
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