5 Photogenic Buildings & Streetscapes in Kyoto

Kyoto is full of special "photogenic spots" where history and beauty overlap. This article covers Nijo Castle, Sannenzaka (Sanneizaka) & Ninenzaka, Former Butokuden, Fushimi Sake Brewery District and Kyoto Prefectural Office Old Main Building. Grab your camera and head out to find that special shot!

01 | Nijo Castle (Nijojo)

The scenery woven by the brilliant white castle walls and the elegant Karamon gate is just like a painting. During the spring cherry blossom season, the contrast between the castle and the pale pink petals reaches its peak! The best timing is the early morning hours when the soft light gently illuminates the stone walls. If you aim at the Karamon gate from the front at a low angle, the gold-leaf decorations will shine for a gorgeous shot.

📍 Access | Right by "Nijojo-mae" Station on the subway Tozai Line

02 | Sannenzaka (Sanneizaka) & Ninenzaka

Townhouses lining the cobblestone slope, lattice windows, lanterns hanging from the eaves... Wherever you crop your shot, it makes a picture—a spot that concentrates the essence of Kyoto. During the autumn foliage season and on spring mornings with morning mist, the area is wrapped in a fantastical atmosphere. By composing your shot looking up from the bottom of the slope, you can capture photos with depth and dimension. The sweet spot is before 7 a.m. on weekdays when there are fewer people!

📍 Access | About a 5-minute walk from the "Kiyomizu-michi" city bus stop

03 | Former Butokuden (Budo Center)

A massive Western-style building constructed in the Meiji era. The contrast of brick and white walls gives off a European atmosphere—a hidden spot that will make you do a double take and ask, "Is this really Kyoto?" The hours when the afternoon western sun warmly tints the red brick are especially recommended. Of course you can shoot the whole building from a distance, but even just a close-up of the arched windows makes a great picture.

📍 Access | About a 10-minute walk from "Marutamachi" Station on the subway Karasuma Line

04 | Fushimi Sake Brewery District (Fushimi / Chushojima Area)

A retro-filled landscape where sake breweries with white walls and black lattices continue along the river. The promenade along the Horikawa River, where Jikkokubune boats come and go, is a treasure trove for photogenic shots. In spring it co-stars with the cherry blossoms, and in summer the green of fresh maple leaves stands out beautifully against the white walls of the breweries. Try a water-surface reflection photo that makes use of the breweries mirrored on the river!

📍 Access | About a 5-minute walk from "Kintetsu Tambabashi" Station on the Kintetsu Line or "Chushojima" Station on the Keihan Line

05 | Kyoto Prefectural Office Old Main Building

One of the oldest still-in-use government office buildings in Japan, constructed in the Meiji era. The imposing exterior in the Neo-Baroque style looks just like a movie set. In spring the cherry blossoms in the courtyard come into full bloom, and the combination of the Western-style building and Japanese flowers creates a dreamlike space. Portraits using the grand staircase at the main entrance are also stylish and popular! During special open periods, you can also photograph the interior.

📍 Access | About a 5-minute walk from "Marutamachi" Station on the subway Karasuma Line

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Best season and time of day: Nijo Castle is at its finest for the cherry blossoms from late March to mid-April, right after the gates open. Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka are best in the early morning on a weekday when there are few people, and in autumn for the fall colors. The sake brewery district of Fushimi is best with the cherry blossoms of spring and the green maples of summer. The Old Main Building of the Kyoto Prefectural Office is best in early April, when the cherry trees in the courtyard are in bloom.
• Opening hours / closed days: Nijo Castle opens at 8:45 (admission reception until 16:00, closing at 17:00) and is closed from December 29 to 31. The Ninomaru Palace is closed to viewing from December 26 to 28 and January 1 to 3, and on every Tuesday in January, July, August and December. The Old Main Building of the Kyoto Prefectural Office is open to the public from Tuesday to Friday and on the first, third and fifth Saturdays, from 10:00 to 17:00 (excluding public holidays and the New Year period). Because Nijo Castle does not open until 8:45, the pre-dawn "early morning" photography described in this article is not possible.
• Fees: admission to Nijo Castle is 800 yen for general visitors, 400 yen for junior and senior high school students and 300 yen for elementary school students, and a set ticket including the Ninomaru Palace viewing ticket is 1,300 yen for general visitors (500 yen for general visitors if bought separately at the information center after entering the castle). The Old Main Building of the Kyoto Prefectural Office is free to enter. Strolling Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka and the sake brewery district of Fushimi costs nothing. The Jikkokubune boat is a paid ride operated seasonally.
• Access: Nijo Castle = right by Nijojo-mae Station on the subway Tozai Line. Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka = about 5 minutes on foot from the Kiyomizu-michi city bus stop. Butokuden (Kyoto City Budo Center) = Shogoin Entonbi-cho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City, about 7 minutes on foot from Higashiyama Station on the subway Tozai Line (not Marutamachi Station on the subway Karasuma Line). The sake brewery district of Fushimi = about 5 minutes on foot from Chushojima Station on the Keihan Main Line. The Old Main Building of the Kyoto Prefectural Office = about 8 minutes on foot from Marutamachi Station on the subway Karasuma Line.
• Parking: Nijo Castle has a paid car park. The streets around Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka are narrow and parking is limited, so we recommend using public transport.
• Photography rules: Photography and video recording are prohibited inside the Ninomaru Palace and the Honmaru Palace at Nijo Castle. Visitors are also asked to refrain from using monopods and tripods within the castle, and flying drones on the grounds is prohibited. Professional photography for use in publications and the like requires an application at least 10 days in advance. Butokuden is still in active use today as a martial arts hall, so in principle only the exterior can be photographed; visiting or photographing the interior is generally not possible. At Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka and in the sake brewery district of Fushimi, do not enter the grounds or private lanes of private homes, shops or breweries without permission. Be sure also not to photograph maiko or other visitors without their consent, and not to block the way by opening out a tripod on the narrow stone steps and alleys.
• Safety notes: Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka are lined with the steep stone steps that gave them their names, and they become especially slippery on rainy days. There is a heavy flow of people, so walking while looking through your viewfinder is dangerous. Along the promenade beside the Gokawa river in Fushimi there are stretches where the railing is low, so take care not to move too close to the water.

* Campaigns to raise awareness of tourist etiquette are carried out throughout the city of Kyoto. On some private lanes, such as those in Gion, there are areas where photography without permission is prohibited. Always follow the notices posted on site.

(Sources: official website of Nijo Castle (Motorikyu Nijo-jo, Kyoto City); Kyoto Prefecture official website "Old Main Building of the Kyoto Prefectural Office"; Kyoto City Sports Association (Kyoto City Budo Center); Kyoto Prefecture Tourism Federation official website)