A Summer Spectacle: Cormorant Fishing--If you're lucky enough to be in Kyoto between July 1 and September 15, I highly recommend that you spend one evening on the Oi River, drifting in a wooden boat and watching men fishing with trained cormorants, or seabirds. Cormorant fishing takes place in Arashiyama every evening in summer (except when there's a full moon or during and after a heavy rain). There are two 1-hour shows, at 7 and 8pm in July and August and at 6:30 and 7:30pm September 1 to September 15. For a fee of ¥1,700 ($14) for adults and ¥850 ($7.10) for children, you can board a narrow wooden boat gaily decorated with paper lanterns. Along with dozens of others, your boatman will pole you down the river so you can see the fishing boats lit by blazing torches. The cormorants, with rings around their necks so they don't swallow the fish they catch, dive under the water for ayu, a small river fish. Water taxis ply the river offering snacks and beer. I find the whole experience terribly romantic. If you're on a budget, however, you can watch from shore.

Cormorant fishing takes place near the Togetsukyo Bridge in Arashiyama, about 7km (4 1/2 miles) from Central Kyoto. You can reach it by taking the JR Sagano Line from Kyoto Station to Saga Arashiyama Station; from there, it's a 15-minute walk. There's also a local commuter line, the Keifuku Arashiyama Line, which you can catch on Shijo Dori at either Shijo-Omiya Station or Sai Station; take it to Arashiyama (the last stop), from where it's a 2-minute walk. Or catch bus no. 71, 72, or 73 from Kyoto Station and take it to Arashiyama, from where it's a 1-minute walk.