48 hours in… Kyoto: Where to eat, sleep, drink and visit

 

Situated along a scenic stretch of the Kiyamachi-dori, Michelin-starred restaurant Kiyamachi Sakuragawa is an accessible way to try kaiseki, Japan’s haute cuisine. Smart casual dress is encouraged and the open kitchen means you can watch the chef whip up dishes while you wait. 

 

 

Experience Kyoto’s obsession with the 50s and 60s by visiting Ace Cafe for a drink. Set high up in a tower, three sides of the bar and restaurant are floor-to-ceiling windows with stunning views of the city.

 

 

No trip to Kyoto is complete without a visit to Gion, one of the most exclusive and well-known geisha districts in Japan. It forms the setting for much of Arthur Golden’s novel Memoirs of a Geisha, but the women are known as geiko in this region. 

 

 

Five star luxury is only a few minutes away from JR Kyoto Station at the Hyatt Regency. This hotel is in the historic region of Higashiyama Shichijo close to the Kyoto National Museum, a host of ancient temples and Nisiki Market.