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Curious about what to do in Shimabara? This fascinating guide by travelers for travelers will highlight the best things to do in Shimabara, Kyoto. Pack your bags because you’re going to explore Japan like you’ve never done before!
Kyoto, Japan’s former capital, a city on the diverse Honshu Island, is one of the country’s most widely visited cities, the others being Tokyo and Osaka. In Kyoto, you’ll find Shimabara, an area that was a popular entertainment, red light, and brothel district during the Edo era. If you’re looking for a unique adventure, Shimabara is the place where you should be.
1. Visit an Edo Period Restaurant Where Geishas Once Performed for Their Guests
Shimabara is a fantastic place to take a peek at the lives of geishas, female Japanese performing artists and entertainers famous during the 17th century. Here, you can visit ageyas, sophisticated restaurants where geishas and courtesans resided and performed for their guests. Travel back in time and experience what it’s like to be entertained by geishas.
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2. Stroll Around the Shimabara District
As you make your way out of the ageya, you can take a moment and just lose yourself around the Shimabara district. It will also be like taking a trip down memory lane as you explore this historic area in Kyoto. Marvel at traditional architecture and walk the charming streets reflecting the old-world personality of the district.
3. Stop by a Shinto Shrine
Shinto, which literally translates to “the way of the gods,” is a Japanese faith practiced by the country’s ethnic groups. Believers of this religion built shrines to house the kami, the deities of Shinto. One such shrine is found around the vicinity of Kyoto’s Shimabara. It’s the Shimabara Sumiyoshi-jinja Shrine, once the tutelary shrine of the old entertainment district.
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4. Relax in Umekoji Park
Though perhaps not on most tourists’ Kyoto itineraries, Umekoji Park, which opened to the public in 1995, is the perfect place to walk around or simply take in the calmness of nature before you. The park has walking paths surrounded by beautiful trees, plants, and flowers.
5. Explore a Buddhist Temple
Being a small district located in Kyoto and a site that has seemingly been forgotten in history, unlike its heyday as an entertainment district in the 1600s, you will need to make your way to nearby attractions instead to still enjoy what this district is all about. One such attraction is the Nishi Hongan-ji Temple.
This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a Jōdo Shinshū Buddhist temple. It serves as the head temple of the Buddhist sub-sect known as Honganji-ha. Its architecture is breathtaking. Its gardens, relaxing.
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6. Experience an Outdoor Bath of Lava From Mount Fuji
After a day filled with strolling around, the best way to relax is by bathing in an outdoor bath of Mount Fuji lava, warm enough to revitalize your senses. Find your peace at Kyoto Ryokan Shoei, a famous rotemburo in the area.
Rotemburos are hot springs or baths located on rooftops or outdoors, so there are no enclosures around. Additionally, Ryokan Shoei is also award-winning, named thee Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice Best of the Best.
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7. Indulge Yourself in Sumptuous Japanese Food
What could be better than indulging yourself in delicious Japanese food after your outdoor bath experience? Adjoining the Kyoto Ryokan Shoei rotemburo is a restaurant that will take you to an unforgettable gastronomic adventure.
The nearby Hanaguruma restaurant has everything you need to fill your stomach after a day full of tours. You can order obentos or boxed meals, nabe or stew cooked on your table, otsukuri or raw fish, and so much more.
A trip to Shimabara, Kyoto is unconventional. It isn’t a common inclusion in the itineraries of travelers in Japan, but those who are fans of history love it here. The highlights are the geisha performing venues, but you’ll also learn more about Japanese faith and even relax in a bath of lava from Mount Fuji in Shimabara.
Looking for a fun food tour in Kyoto? Join us for our Nishiki Market Kyoto Food Tour where we will take you around the best food spots at Nishiki Market and feast on various delicious dishes.
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