Deepen Your Relationship! Five Tourist Spots in Kyoto Recommended for Couples

1. Kyoto Tower

Kyoto Tower is one of the city\'s most famous landmarks. It rises right in front of Kyoto Station, and at a height of 131m, it is the tallest building in the world that doesn\'t have a steel framework. It houses many facilities including restaurants and souvenir shops.
The observatory that is at a height of 100m is a must see! It offers a 360-degree view of the city of Kyoto, and the romantic night view is particularly recommended. It may also be nice to have a drink in the chic Sky Lounge, where you can also enjoy the night view. There is a kimono rental store on the third floor, so why not have a date in Japanese-style clothing?

Tower entrance fee: Adult 770 JPY (incl. tax), high school student 620 JPY (incl. tax), elementary and junior high school student 520 JPY (incl. tax), young child (3 and up) 150 JPY (incl. tax)

2. Jishu Jinja

This shrine is known as the shrine for "the god of love connections"! It is within the compounds of one of Kyoto\'s most famous temples, Kiyomizudera, and is crowded with worshipers year round.
The secret to its popularity is the magical rocks on the grounds called the "Love Fortune-telling Rocks." They are two rocks that are about knee-high. It is said that if you pass safely between them with your eyes closed, your love wishes will come true. These days, the rocks are quite famous among visitors from abroad.
If you are able to pass through the rocks on your first try, your wishes will come true quickly, and if you need assistance from others, they will come true with the help of others. Why not see what the rocks say about the prospects for your love?

Fee to worship: Free (there is a fee to enter the grounds of Kiyomizu-dera)

3. Kyoto Aquarium

This aquarium is a popular date spot. The aquarium is divided into 12 zones, including one that reproduces the flow of rivers from Kyoto to the ocean, and another that focuses on penguins and seals. The experience of observing the fish tanks side by side with your date is sure to bring you closer together. The performance by dolphins in an open stadium with a 180-degree panorama is also a must see!

Entrance fee: Adult 2,050 JPY, university and high school student 1,550 JPY, junior high and elementary school student 1,000 JPY, young child (3 and older) 600 JPY (all incl. tax)

4. Kifune Shrine

Kifune Shrine is famous for making love wishes come true. Among the three shrines there, the god of matchmaking, Iwanagahime-no-Mikoto, is enshrined in the middle one called Yui-no-yashiro.
There are many love stories associated with this shrine, starting with the one that, during the Heian Period (lasted for about 400 years from 794), the famous poet, Izumi Shikibu, was able to win back her straying husband\'s love after praying at this temple.
The musubibumi (200 JPY each (incl. tax)) that can be purchased on the grounds of the main shrine is also recommended. It is said that if you write your wishes on a long piece of green paper and tie it on a musubidokoro (a designated area for typing them), you will be blessed with a good love match.

5. The Kamogawa at Night

The Kamogawa is a river that\'s a popular date spot in Kyoto. It is a 23km river that runs from south to north through Kyoto that is a popular place to relax both for locals and tourists.
A walk along the Kamogawa on a sunny day is nice, but if you are going with your special someone, the evening is recommended. The section from Sanjo Ohashi bridge to Shijo Ohashi bridge is especially popular. You will have a romantic evening walking and chatting along the river reflecting the lights from the nearby commercial district.

Whether you\'re a new couple or have been together for years, these date spots are sure to bring you closer together. Don\'t miss out!