Sara Aiko is the owner of Selected Kyoto, a company that offers custom tours and carefully curated experiences for businesses and people, showcasing a new aspect of Japan's imperial city. Sara, who offers her insider advice here, states, "We're about good cuisine, nice design, and a lot of souls."  

In our new Ask A Local series, we ask knowledgeable locals to provide their greatest advice for the community they call home.  

Sara Aiko, who relocated to Kyoto to research her mother's family history, claims to have resided there for 13 years. It's one of those cities where you have to be a member of the neighborhood to know what's going on and have access. Although it could come out as snobbish, Kyoto is a city that has long maintained its culture.  

Aiko's business, Curated Kyoto, began by giving tourists conventional city tours. "At the time, I was employed by a media organization that advertised Kyoto to the world, but many of the locations we suggested were very commercial. Although those locations are stunning, I wanted to highlight the Kyoto that I adored, such as the fantastic Kaiseki restaurant in Kyoto's coastal hamlet or the neighborhood soba shop managed by an 86-year-old couple. Aiko quickly became an expert in tours of design locations, calls to interior stores, and private studio visits as a result of her experience as a creative director. I also love to bring people private temple meditations or marketplaces selling local vegetables because I'm interested in wellbeing, she adds. Her clientele expanded from intrepid, creative travelers to Hong Kong matcha firms ("I connected them to the tea plantations here," she claims) and international design houses looking to engage with local artists. "My clientele is diverse, but many of them are employed by the creative sectors. They want to understand the city via art, spirituality, and incredibly delicious cuisine.  

Ask a local: tour guide Sara Aiko's guide to Kyoto https://t.co/XrGlxRbvkv pic.twitter.com/yb21aFLo7K

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Both on the list below and her tours, Aiko's suggestions strike the ideal balance between upscale hangouts and more homey, rural locations. She adds, "I search for locations with aspects of elegance, but I want to make sure they have a narrative to tell." "Not every location will be attractive for photos. A tour might stop at a run-down soba restaurant in Gion, but the owner has been making the best tempura soba in the city for the past 50 years. The next day may include eating an egg sandwich at a vintage jazz café in western Kyoto, whereas the day before might feature an invitation-only restaurant. I want visitors to experience both Kyoto's elite and poor cultures.  

Here is her Kyoto travel guide.  

Harada, Nanzenji  

Table of the chef: Nanzenji Harada  

Sakyō-ku  

"Chef Harada's hyperminimal cuisine, which focuses on a straightforward dashi broth made with kelp and freshly cut bonito flakes, is served at this lovely restaurant, which is housed in a renovated machiya townhouse close to the Nanzenji Temple. It has a single counter and only accepts one group per night. The focus is on the powerful flavors of basic mushrooms in broth or a delicious oyakodon rice bowl with chicken and egg since he doesn't use condiments or preservatives, like salt, sugar, or soy. Even to the locals, it still feels like a priceless secret.  

Consider: an evening spent very privately with friends or family.  

Beautifully minimalistic vibe.  

Insider tip: go with an open mind and come with an air of mystery since the cuisine will undoubtedly surprise you.  

Hotel Moksa Rebirth  

The lodgings: Moksa  

Sakyō-ku  

The Ace and Roku as well as the new Shinmonzen, which is situated amid the antique stores of Shinmonzen-dori and features a cool contemporary design by Tadao Ando, are all excellent hotels in central Kyoto. However, for a change of pace, I'd stay in Moksa in the city's calmer north, where nature and temples are the main attractions. There is also delicious natural cuisine served with Japanese tea, a stunning sauna and hot tubs surrounded by a forest, and quietly gorgeous art. It's a wonderful location to unwind and feel refreshed.  

Choose a tranquil sleeping area with old-fashioned bathtubs.  

The forest is the center of the vibe.  

Insider tip: The tradition of drinking tea is important in this country since it helps to promote the flow of "ki" energy. Seasonally appropriate teas are available all day.  

Temple of Zuihoin  

Zuihin temple's Zen garden  

Zuiho-In Temple is a place of culture.  

Kita-Ku  

"Kyoto is home to numerous well-known Zen temples, but I choose the more serene ones, such as Zuih-in, which is a component of the Daitokuji complex. It has a lovely garden where I frequently sit and read or journal. I enjoy seeing who enters and exits the temple, and occasionally the monk will come out and speak to me. It's where I go to be quiet and uninvolved. There is a genuine sense of calm.  

Choose a less hectic temple visit.  

Tuned into the inherent energy of the city  

A little-known fact: There are a ton of temples and zen gardens to discover throughout the Daitokuji complex.  

Coffee cafe Woven  

Woven: The coffee shop  

Sakyō-ku  

"This little coffee shop tucked away in the Okazaki neighborhood, is one of my favorites in the city and another location you won't find in travel guides. Kan Chan, a former employee of the renowned Italian restaurant Monk in Kyoto, is the proprietor. Amazing Japanese sweets are served beside the coffee by him. He has a sizable record collection behind the stone counter, so when you go in, you could hear jazz or low-key hip-hop playing.  

Choose a finding that is off the beaten path.  

Subtly cool vibe  

Order the yokan with tea leaves, according to a secret.  

Restaurant KI  

Restaurant Ki  

Ki, the restaurant  

Neighborhood: Shimogy-ku  

"People usually find it odd when I recommend a Lebanese restaurant in Kyoto, but I adore this spot and the extremely unique and intriguing local interpretation of Lebanese cuisine served there. It seems like you are dining with other people at a family meal since there is a long table underneath a large skylight. Since it first opened in early 2021, Ki has generated a lot of talks and there are long queues of residents waiting to enter.  

Choose a more unique culinary experience in Kyoto.  

Relaxed but with an envious vibe.  

Order one of the fluffy, packed pitas, as a secret.  

T.T., the boutique  

Neighborhood: Higashiyama-ku  

"This is the gallery-like store of the young fashion designer Taiga Takahashi, who unfortunately went suddenly lately. Taiga Takahashi had only debuted in this Gion machiya at the end of 2021, which was a feat in and of itself given the Gion community's propensity for being extremely close-knit. But the brand has survived, and the store is unique, from the light-filled atelier downstairs to the dark traditional sabi tea salon above with views of a Zen garden outside.  

Go for: a taste of Kyoto's traditional and modern creative culture   

Insider tip: Visitors may arrange a tea-matching experience that is inspired by the traditional Japanese tea ritual.   

Vibe: tradition meets modern.