Isn’t there a lot of people who think so?

Kyoto is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, with many beautiful gardens and historic shrines and temples. In addition to nationally famous places such as Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Yasaka Shrine, and Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine, Tetsugaku no Michi and Nanzen-ji Temple are also must-visit spots.

In this article, we will tell you about 10 recommended location shooting spots in Kyoto!

3 photo spots near Kyoto Kawaramachi Station

When sightseeing in Kyoto, many people stroll around various places around Kyoto Kawaramachi Station.

Here, we will tell you about 3 location shooting spots that are right near Kyoto Kawaramachi Station, the center of Kyoto tourism!

Waplus Kyoto location shootingClick here for the plan

①Yasaka Shrine

First of all, the first place I would like to tell you about is Yasaka Shrine, which is famous for the Gion Festival, one of Japan’s three major festivals!

Yasaka Shrine can be seen as soon as you walk east from Kawaramachi Station in Kyoto. The bright red vermilion gate has an atmosphere that makes you feel like you are in Kyoto, and it is often used not only for location photography but also for tourists to take pictures.

Not only the vermilion gate at the entrance, but also the main shrine and dance hall inside are made of impressive large Japanese-style architecture, so it’s perfect for taking photos with the background!

②Maruyama Park

Maruyama Park is a large park located just past Yasaka Shrine. Of course, it’s not your ordinary park. Maruyama Park has a garden called Chisen Kaiyushiki Garden, which is designed so that you can enjoy the garden and scenery from various angles.

In other words, there are many spots suitable for photography! At Maruyama Park, you can enjoy beautiful scenery in each season, with cherry blossoms in spring, greenery in summer, and beautiful autumn leaves in autumn.

By taking pictures here, you will be able to capture the beauty of Japan’s four seasons and the splendor of the kimono.

③Kiyomizu Temple

The next temple I would like to introduce is Kiyomizu-dera Temple. Kiyomizu-dera is the place where the “Kanji of the Year” is announced every year, and the “Kiyomizu Stage” is famous, so many people may have seen it on TV.

Location shooting spots include the Shimizu stage, Niomon, and the three-storied pagoda. If you take photos at Kiyomizu-dera Temple, you will be able to take photos that capture the Japanese atmosphere of Kyoto.

However, since it is a famous tourist spot, it is often crowded on weekends. We recommend that you meet with the location shooting staff in advance to discuss when and where you would like to shoot on location!

7 recommended location spots in Kyoto City

From here on, we’ll be a little far from Kyoto Kawaramachi Station, but we’ll tell you about 7 location photo spots that we highly recommend if you’re coming to Kyoto!

① Bamboo forest path

Have you ever seen a photo with a bamboo forest in the background on SNS such as Instagram? Speaking of bamboo forest in Kyoto, this is it! This bamboo forest path in Arashiyama is so famous that it is said to be.

Walking along the bamboo-covered path that stretches high into the sky, you can feel the tranquility and calm atmosphere of nature, away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

By taking a photo with the green bamboo background, there is no doubt that the kimono you rented will look great in the photo!

②Heian Shrine

Heian Shrine is a shrine with a history of over 200 years located in Okazaki, Kyoto. Here you will find the “Shinen” garden, where you can enjoy seasonal plants, and the beautiful “Daigokuden”, a large vermilion building.

The shrine garden was built using the best landscaping technology of the time, and you can enjoy cherry blossoms in the spring, Japanese pine trees in the summer, autumn leaves in the fall, and beautiful snowy scenery in the winter.

Also, the Daigokuden and Otorii gates are probably many times larger than many people imagine. When you see the large torii gate soaring into the sky and the gorgeous shrine building, you’ll want to take a photo.

Heian Shrine, with its many attractions, is also one of the highly recommended spots for location photography!

③Keage Incline

A railway ruin that is no longer in use, covered with cherry trees. That is the Keage Incline.

The fantastic scenery, which looks like something out of a movie, captivates the hearts of many people, and is crowded with people during the cherry blossom season.

By taking a photo with the railroad tracks stretching out into the background, you will be able to create a composition that takes advantage of the scenery of the incline.

However, it is expected to be crowded during the spring season. If you want to shoot on location, we recommend early morning. You can also enjoy the beautiful scenery during the fresh green season. It might be a good idea to visit after the cherry blossom season, as the crowds will be a little less crowded than in spring.

④ Nanzenji Temple, Suirokaku

Suirokaku, located at Nanzenji Temple, is a brick arch bridge that was built over 100 years ago as a waterway. The sight of the retro red brick piers continues to be a popular photo spot.

When it comes to location photography in Kyoto, there tend to be many photos of shrines, temples, and gardens, but here at Suirokaku, we aim to take photos that are a little different from those photos, with a Showa retro (Meiji retro?) atmosphere. I can!

⑤The path of philosophy

Philosopher’s Path is a walking path spanning approximately 2 kilometers that connects Ginkaku-ji Temple and Nanzen-ji Temple from north to south. It got its name because the philosopher Kitaro Nishida used it as a walking path.

A river flows beside Philosopher’s Path, making it a recommended spot to take a walk while feeling the nature. It is also known as one of the best spots for viewing autumn leaves in Kyoto, and is crowded with many people during the autumn leaves season.

If you are planning to take a location photo shoot on Tetsugaku no Michi, which stretches about 2 kilometers from north to south, we recommend that you first think about where you want to take the photo. There are many famous shrines and temples along the way, so it’s a good idea to take photos near the shrines and temples that interest you.

⑥Fushimi Inari Shrine

If you are going to take a location photo shoot at Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine, you cannot miss the Senbon Torii. Even if you’ve never been to Kyoto, you’ve probably seen the photo of vermilion torii gates lined up so long that you can’t see the end.

The Senbon Torii is a collection of objects that have been dedicated to Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine by many people over the years with the hope that their wishes will come true. When you think about this idea, it makes sense that the place where Senbon Torii is located has a different atmosphere from its surroundings.

It’s like a different world here You can take location photos in a mysterious atmosphere that makes you feel as if you have wandered into the area.

However, it is usually crowded with people, so if you are planning to use it for location shooting, we recommend visiting as early as possible in the morning.

⑦Kibune Shrine

The last shrine we will introduce is Kibune Shrine, which is also famous as a power spot for matchmaking. There are many spots perfect for location photography, such as the stone steps lined with lanterns, the murmuring of the Kibune River flowing nearby, and Kibune’s rich nature.

Kibune is also famous for its summer kawadoko (a place where you can eat on tatami mats on the river). If you are shooting on location in the summer, we recommend that you also enjoy a meal on the riverbed!

Waplus Kyoto is recommended for location shooting in Kyoto!

If you would like to take location photography at the sightseeing spots in Kyoto that we have introduced so far, please come to Waplus Kyoto Location Please take advantage of the shooting!

At Waplus Kyoto, we accept location shootings starting from 16,000 yen for 60 minutes. Taking advantage of our strengths as a kimono rental store, we will work with you to choose the perfect kimono for your location shoot.

Waplus Kyoto also employs many experienced photographers and female photographers who are familiar with Kyoto. Therefore, we not only provide high-quality location photo shoots, but also offer location shoot experiences that you can enjoy with peace of mind.

Summary｜Location shooting that captures the charm of Kyoto!

So far, we have introduced 10 recommended spots for location shooting in Kyoto.

Kyoto has many attractive spots. However, some places are usually very crowded.

The best way to comfortably take photos at the location you want to shoot is to hire a photographer who is knowledgeable about Kyoto. Waplus Kyoto has many such staff members.

If you are thinking of renting a kimono or having a location shoot in Kyoto, please feel free to contact us!