Kamogawa River Kyoto: Best Place to Visit in Weekend

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Attractions in Kyoto City – Kamogawa

If you can stay in Kyoto for two to three days, there is a place that is worth arranging an afternoon to visit, and that is Kamogawa in Kyoto.

Kamogawa, which is called かもがわkamogawa in Japanese, although there are not really ducks walking on Kamogawa, but in the eyes of many people in Kyoto, Kamogawa is actually a place where they often go to play during holidays. Especially during the period from May to September, when late spring enters summer and then gradually enters early autumn, it is most suitable to walk on the banks of the Kamogawa River.

In Kamogawa, you can easily see families of local Kyoto people come to Kamogawa to play during holidays, or some people will bring guitars and come to the embankment next to Kamogawa to play and sing by themselves. For tourists who come to Kyoto from other places for sightseeing and entertainment, it is probably the most suitable place to enjoy the lunch they prepared for you while using their exclusive cool beds in the restaurants on both sides of the Kamogawa River.

Best time to go to Kamogawa

Because the weather in Kyoto can be regarded as the one with four distinct seasons, even in spring and March there may still be single-digit temperatures, and then it will start to get cold in autumn and October. These times are more suitable for going to different hot spring hotels. If It can still be a bit cold to go to Kamogawa.
Therefore, the most suitable time to go to Kamogawa usually starts in May every year and ends in October every year. Not only because the temperature in Kyoto will remain in the range of 20-30 degrees during this period, but more importantly, the restaurants on both sides of Kamogawa will have cool beds during this period, so that you can enjoy exquisite meals on the water of Kamogawa .

Location of Kamogawa

Generally speaking, Kamogawa mainly refers to going up from the Kiyomizu Gojo Bridge to the delta next to Demachiyanagi Station. But if you want to talk about the most popular and the part that everyone likes to gather the most, it must be the area where the cool bed is built.
During the period from May to September, as long as you walk from Qingshui Wujo Bridge to Erjo Bridge, you will definitely see the restaurants on both sides extending their dining positions from the restaurant to the open-air high platform erected outside the restaurant. These are Limited in summer – enjoy the shade bed.

If you walk slowly from Wujo Bridge to Erjo Bridge, it will take about 30 minutes. In addition to quietly enjoying the scenery of Kamogawa, you can also choose which restaurant will attract your attention, or consider bringing some snacks to start a small picnic next to Kamogawa, and experience the holidays of local Kyoto people Life.

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The best way to experience Kamogawa

Walk into the Kamo River and experience the water

Although on the surface, Kamogawa is just an ordinary river without any sightseeing facilities. But as long as you look carefully, the running water of Kamogawa is actually very clear. In summer, the temperature of 30 degrees is very suitable for walking into the middle of the river and enjoying the feeling of coolness, or walking on the embankment next to Kamogawa. It is also a good experience to have a lunch next to Kamogawa for a picnic.

However, if you really plan to walk into Kamogawa, you must remember to bring a towel before going, otherwise you will wet your feet and affect the subsequent itinerary.

jumping turtle rock

Another major feature of Kamogawa is that there are some animal-shaped stones on the river to stabilize the river and allow people to cross the river when the water level is relatively low. If you come to Kamogawa during the Japanese holidays, you will also see many elementary school students jumping on the turtle stone. If you are interested in playing, you can also dance with them.

Maybe you will also ask, whether Kamogawa is long or short, if you want to experience jumping on the turtle rock and take pictures in the middle of Kamogawa, it should be better in the section of Kamogawa?

Generally speaking, the stones placed on the Kamo River are mainly distributed in the "Nijo Bridge", "Aragami Bridge", "Takano Bridge", and near the delta of Shimogamo Shrine. On the Internet, it is common to wait for the jumping turtle stone, which is on the side of "Aragami Bridge", "Kawai Bridge", and "Takano Bridge".

Generally speaking, the location of the "Rage God Bridge" will be better. In addition to being in the middle of the duck slice, the delta and the vertical part of the duck slice can be photographed. "From the beginning, it stretches all the way to the cool bed of the "Five Bridges". If you plan to go to Shimogamo Shrine, it is not too late to decide whether to go to the turtle jumping stone on the other side of the "Takano Bridge".

Things to pay attention to when walking into the Kamo River

Generally speaking, there are not too many restrictions on playing here in Kamogawa. You only need to be courteous to each other and queue up to jump the turtle stone. However, try not to enter the range of Kamogawa after heavy rain, or in the days after a storm, because the risk of river surges is very high during this time. If you really arranged to come to Kamogawa in Kyoto during this time, you can also consider another way to experience the scenery of Kamogawa, such as enjoying a beautiful lunch on the cool bed next to Kamogawa, watching the scenery of Kamogawa and then continue in Kyoto itinerary.

Restaurants near Kamogawa

To be objective, the biggest selling point of the restaurants near Kamogawa is that you can enjoy the meals prepared by the restaurant while looking at Kamogawa from the cool bed, so generally speaking, the charges are not cheap. But purely in terms of food quality, if you can’t experience the summer mat, you can actually find a few high-end restaurants in Kawano to experience traditional Beijing cuisine for the same price.
Although it seems a bit harsh to say this, being able to enjoy the scenery of Kamogawa while enjoying your favorite meals is actually a good travel memory.

The restaurants on the Kamogawa side are divided into four areas: "Kamigiyamacho", "Pontocho", "Nishishigaki", and "Shimogiyacho", with a total of nearly 100 restaurants. Provides different types of dishes such as Japanese, Western, and Beijing. The average consumption ranges from ¥2,000 to ¥10,000 per person, and additional charges such as service fees and seat fees will be added. Also because the restaurants on the Kamogawa side are mainly high consumption, it is best to check the charges before ordering.

So if you come to Kamogawa and plan to have a meal, it is recommended to find some restaurants with reasonable prices and experience Kamogawa’s cool beds. You don’t have to eat very well, after all, there are many delicious restaurants in Kyoto. Or walk a few steps to Kamogawa Starbucks, basically there is no other charge except for the drink charge. If you can experience the cool mat at this price, it is also a good choice.

If you really plan to go to Kamogawa to enjoy the scenery of Kamogawa while enjoying lunch on the cool bed, you can go there firstThe website of the Kyoto Kamogawa Harmony Bed CooperativeCheck out which dish you like and the price is acceptable. After locking several rooms, you can reserve a seat, and remember to be on time.

In addition, if you come to Kamogawa for enjoying the cool mat, you must pay attention to the time when the restaurant sets up the cool bed. Generally speaking, every year from May 1st to October 31st is the time for the restaurant to set up the cool bed, but some restaurants will dismantle the cool bed earlier, so if you plan to take pictures here, it is recommended to arrange it in summer From June to August, come to Kamogawa.
Another point is that on rainy days, most restaurants will close the cool bed part, and then arrange guests to dine indoors. If there is a high probability of rain in the itinerary, you can also think about it before deciding whether to book a seat or not.

Kamogawa Starbucks store information

"Starbucks Cohike Kyoto Sanjo Ohashi Store"
Address: 〒604-8004 Omi House 1F, 113 Nakajima-cho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
Business hours: 08:00 – 23:00

Things to do near Kamogawa

Shimogamo Shrine (Kamo Mizu Shrine)

If you go straight up from the "Five Bridges", you will arrive at the famous Kyoto Shimogamo Shrine (Kamo Mizu Shrine) when you walk to the delta.

Shimogamo Shrine is one of the World Heritage Sites. If you are interested in visiting different shrines in Kyoto, I believe that in addition to Yasaka Shrine and Kiyomizu Temple, Shimogamo Shrine should be another attraction in your itinerary.

Location and opening hours of Shimogamo Shrine

Shimogamo Shrine (Kamo Mizu Shrine)

Address: 〒606-0807 59 Shimogamo Izumikawa-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
Opening hours: 06:30 – 17:00

To Kibune, Kurama

When you arrive at the Kamogawa Delta, you just take the Eizan Tram to the Demachiyanagi Station of Guibune and Kurama. If you haven’t heard of the place of Guifu and Kurama, you can check it outTourist Information for Guibune and Kurama,as well asScenery along the Eizan RailwayWhat a beauty!

When planning the itinerary, it is actually very suitable to put your ship, Kurama, and Kamogawa on the same day, because you can go to your ship and Kurama first in the morning to experience the flowing water of your ship and the ability to really immerse your feet in the river. Kawadoko Cuisine, stop by the Guishen Shrine.
In the afternoon, take the Eizan Tram back to Demachiyanagi Station, then pass the Turtle Jumping Rock from the Kamogawa Delta, and then walk slowly back to the "Gojo Bridge" side. You can also take pictures with Kamogawa's Kawadoko in the middle of Kamogawa. In addition, if the time is arranged well, you can even take sunset photos in Kamogawa!

Access to Kamogawa

From Kyoto Station

• Take the subway Karasuma Line at Kyoto Station, transfer to the Hankyu Railway at Shijo Station and get off at Kawaramachi Station.
• Take the Kyoto city bus and get off at the stops of "Kawaramachi Gojo", "Shijo Kawaramachi", "Kyoto City Hall" and other stops.

of accommodation in Kamogawa, Kyoto

If you want to stay in a hotel next to Kamogawa for one night of your trip in Kyoto, and at the same time want to experience what is a high-end Kyoto service and allow you to enjoy the scenery of Kamogawa without restriction, I believe Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto Hotel The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto will definitely satisfy you!

The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto

The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto is located next to the "Nijo Bridge" of the Kamogawa River. It is a high-end hotel with 5-star service and a view of the Kamogawa River.
You can choose the Japanese-style design of the room, allowing you to experience the most traditional side of Kyoto from the beginning to the end, or choose a Western-style room, so that you can enjoy the most comfortable vacation in Kyoto in a room of more than 50 square meters. From the balcony of the room, you can enjoy the other side of Kamogawa from different angles.

The Ritz-Carlton Kyotospecialty

• Few premium luxury accommodation options near Kamogawa
• The location of the hotel is in the center of Kyoto, it is very convenient to go to any attractions
• Modern Ryokan Design with Traditional Japanese Service
• Mainly designed as double rooms, suitable for staying with the most important people on important festivals
• The room size is very large, from 50 square meters to 140 square meters can also be booked, so that you can enjoy the most comfortable accommodation experience in Kyoto

Rating: 9.5/10
Is there free breakfast provided: Yes, breakfast plan can be booked at the same time

Guest Comments: "The first impression of The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto is that the room rate is extremely high, almost double the average room rate in Kyoto. But after careful inspection, it turns out that the rooms of this hotel are very large, even the smallest room The rooms are much larger than those in other hotels. In addition, the hotel is located next to Kamogawa. In addition to enjoying the natural scenery of Kamogawa, the hotel is located in the center of Kyoto, so it is very convenient to go to other scenic spots in Kyoto. Another point is that the service of the staff is very considerate. They always seem to guess what you need and take the initiative to solve the problem for you.
The last point is that if you plan to go to Kamogawa to experience high-end cuisine, you can actually spend your budget on hotel accommodation, which seems to be more worthwhile! "

Check Prices and Discount Offer: The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto
Check-In/Check-Out: 15:00 / 12:00

Address: 〒604-0902 Kamogawa Nijo Bridge, 543 Hokota-cho, Nakakyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
Tel: +81757465555

Summarize

Someone once said that beginners in Kyoto would only know how to go to popular Kyoto attractions such as Kiyomizu Temple and Yasaka Shrine, and only those who have been to Kyoto several times will appreciate the attractions of Kamogawa.

Being able to sit on the river bank of the Kamogawa River and enjoy a quiet afternoon, take a book and a bento like a local Kyoto person and experience another flavor of Kyoto beside the Kamogawa River. Sometimes the meaning of travel is to relax and find yourself. It is not necessary to fill the suitcase to be considered a fruitful itinerary.

In addition, if you are planning your itinerary in Kansai and Kyoto, and you happen to find this article on the Internet, you can actually check out theKyoto classification, there are more different scenic spots and tourist information in Kyoto. If you plan to go to the entire Kansai area, go toKansai Tourism ClassificationThere will be more to discover!

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