How to Not Get Templed-Out in Kyoto
Three simple steps for avoiding a case of the all-to-real AFT syndrome
I recently had a thought-provoking conversation with a foreign visitor - a professional travel journalist no less - who was passing through Kyoto for a few days.
He was asking me for advice for the rest of his stay in town, and I started to list off some of my favorite sites in the city. "Fair warning," he interrupted me. "I can't handle any more AFT." I sensed a joke coming on, so I played along and informed him I wasn't familiar with that acronym.
"Oh, AFT stands for Another F*cking Temple," he replied expecting a laugh. Needless to say, all I could manage was a polite chuckle.
Look, as a tour guide, I live and breathe Kyoto's rich history and culture. This includes a (very) heavy dose of temples and shrines. The most rewarding part of my work is introducing these sites to visitors, but I know that sometimes it just becomes too much and the next historical site really does feel like AFT. This is especially the case when you're touring on your own without a guide to give you some interesting cultural context.
So I get it. Becoming templed-out can certainly happen, and with over 1600 Buddhist temples and 400 Shinto shrines, the struggle is real. When you come to Kyoto, one of the main things to do is see the temples, and I want to make sure your time in Kyoto - both on my tours and on your own - is the best travel experience of your life.
So here's a few tips to keep in mind as you plan your time in Kyoto so that you won't get templed-out and can fully appreciate all that this beautiful city has to offer.
Plan Ahead and Mix It Up
This is a simple tip. Mix up your itinerary to keep it interesting and add some variety to the sites you visit. Don't just get a list of the popular temples and shrines from online and check them off one by one. Throw in some gardens, museums, Zen moments, local food, teahouses, shopping, hands on experiences, and outdoor activities like hiking and nature walks (yes, there is great hiking in Kyoto if you do some research).
Don't get stuck in the all too common situation of showing up with no plan, only to end up funneled into the same old tourist spots that every other visitor sees. This will get you locked into a day full of crowds, confusing public transportation, and a bunch of temples that you won't fully appreciate.
For every few popular temples that you read about online, look deeper and find a hidden gem. If you read a review online about a spot that was deserted and charming, add that into your day for some quiet downtime. This is pretty common sense advice, right? You'd be amazed how many people don't prioritize planning their day, and end up slogging through a dozen of the big temples and getting burned out fast.
Think about branching out into the nearby region as well. A day trip to Nara is must-do when visiting Kyoto for a few days, and a visit to Osaka to experience their famous street food and nightlife should be on your list as well, time permitting. Maybe even visit an onsen hot spring up in the mountains if you're feeling the need for some relaxation? With a little research and planning, you can also find some great outdoor activities in neighboring Shiga prefecture, a truly underrated region with unique sightseeing opportunities only minutes from Kyoto by train.
Know What You're Seeing
This comes with the point above, because as you research the places you want to see, you'll learn about them. Don't just pick a location because it's rated high or has nice pictures. Read about what you're going to see there so you can better appreciate it when you arrive.
Don't make the mistake of relying on a guidebook too much once you get there. I see way too many visitors with their face in the pages the whole time instead of enjoying the scenery. Read your guidebook before you leave your country or on the flight over, skim it when you're heading out that morning, and then just take in the sights. Ideally, your time at a temple or shrine should be all about "Oh, I already read about that statue/building/garden! So cool to see it for real finally!" Don't let it become "Um, let's see, what page is this temple? What is that thing I'm seeing? And how does this book NOT have an index?!" Think of the guidebook at a primer for what you'll take in when you get there, not what you're presently seeing.
Spend some time beforehand on various travel sites like Japan Guide, or even Wikipedia and Youtube. If you can get just a tiny bit of background on the places you'll visit and what makes them special before you arrive, you'll feel much more comfortable just enjoying the site once you arrive. It won't just be AFT if you were looking forward to seeing it after reading about it first.
Collect Goshuin Temple Stamps
I’m gonna let you in on one of the greatest activities for travelers that most foreigners haven't discovered yet. Goshuin seals are special stamps and calligraphy collected in a traditional book at various temples and shrines through out Japan. This started as a religious pilgrimage record, but nowadays it's a popular hobby activity for locals to show where they've visited.
Not only will you have fun collecting the seals and building your collection, but you'll end up with a great souvenir to bring home: a lovely book filled with beautiful calligraphy personally collected by YOU on your journey! You'll soon find that you'll be actively seeking out more temples and shrines to fill up the pages in your book, so this makes a great activity for a city like Kyoto that is filled with religious sites.
Don't wait until Kyoto to start collecting. Buy a goshuin-cho book at the first temple or shrine you visit wherever that might be and start filling it up before you reach Kyoto. If you're traveling with kids, consider using this activity to keep them engaged and excited about visiting temples, and maybe set some sort of fun goal for filling up pages each day. Also, be on the lookout for special fabric bags sold by some temples that are used to hold the books. They are usually beautifully embroidered with the names of temples and make quite a stylish pairing with an equally attractive goshuin-cho book.
I hope this advice will help you enjoy your time in Kyoto and keep you from feeling like you overdid it on temples and shrines. Whether you're touring with a guide or on your own, follow these simple suggestions and you'll have a great time in Kyoto without coming down with a dreaded case of AFT.