Kyoto Guide

Kyoto Guide: Itinerary and Top Attractions

Kyoto is located in the Kansai region of Japan and is the city that best represents traditional Japanese culture.

kyoto photo by Roméo A. | David Emrich | Marek Piwnicki

How to Get to Kyoto

Check Kansai Airport to Kyoto, Tokyo to Kyoto and Kyoto to Osaka for more information.

kansai map

Where to Stay in Kyoto

Kyoto Station serves as the transportation hub of Kyoto and is the preferred accommodation choice for most travelers. The following hotels are approximately a 5-minute walk from Kyoto Station.
hotel map

Onyado Nono Kyoto Shichijo Natural Hot Spring
★★★★ Location 8.8 | Facilities 9.4 | Value for money 8.9

Rihga Gran Kyoto
★★★★ Location 9.0 | Facilities 9.2 | Value for money 8.9

Hotel Vischio Kyoto by GRANVIA
★★★★ Location 9.6 | Facilities 9.4 | Value for money 9.1

Getting Around Kyoto

Trains and Subways
Most attractions can be reached by train or subway, making it suitable for first-time travelers to Japan. Use Japan Transit Planner or Google Maps to check transfer routes and ticket prices.

Bus
Pros: Provides access to all major tourist destinations.
Cons: Crowded, easy to miss your stop.
Route Map: See here
Fare: Flat rate for city buses, 230 yen for adults, 120 yen for children. Board from the rear door and pay or swipe your card when exiting from the front door. For more information, refer to this video.

Kyoto 3-Day Itinerary

Day1:
Visit Kinkaku-ji Temple
Shop and eat at Nishiki Market
Walk to Kiyomizu-dera Temple and visit the temples along the way
Day2:
Visit Fushimi Inari Taisha
Go to Arashiyama to see bamboo forest, and traditional Japanese gardens
Day3: Nara day trip

Kyoto Map

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If you’re interested in history, you can visit Nijo Castle.
If you’re with children, you can go to the Kyoto Railway Museum.

Top Attractions in Kyoto

Kinkaku-ji Temple

Due to its Shariden (reliquary hall) being adorned with gold leaf, it is popularly known as the Golden Pavilion. Built in 1397, designated as a National Treasure by the Japanese government, it is a renowned Buddhist temple in Kyoto.

Hours: 9am - 5pm
Admission: Adults 500 yen, Primary and Middle School Students 300 yen
Duration: 30 minutes
Website: https://www.shokoku-ji.jp/en/kinkakuji/
Transportation: Take bus number 12, 59, 205, or M1 to the “Kinkakuji-michi” stop.

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The Golden Pavilion is not large, and the main attraction is the Shariden (reliquary hall) by the lakeside. The Shariden has three stories, with each representing different architectural styles: the first floor reflects the aristocratic style of the Heian period, the second floor showcases the warrior style of the Kamakura period, and the third floor displays the Zen Buddhist temple style from the Tang Dynasty of China. (The original Shariden was burned down by a 21-year-old novice monk in 1950 and what we see now is a reconstruction from 1955.)

Kamo River

Selected Video: Kinkaku-ji Temple (金閣寺)

Nishiki Market & Shinkyogoku Shopping Street

Nishiki Market has a history of 400 years and is known as the “Kitchen of Kyoto” (similar to Osaka's Kuromon Market). The market is 390 meters long and has about 140 shops selling fruits, prepared foods, seafood, and more. At the end of the market, there is a small shrine called Nishiki Tenmangu. Shinkyogoku Shopping Street is adjacent to Nishiki Market and is similar to Osaka’s Shinsaibashi, but with fewer tourists, offering a better shopping experience.

Hours: 7am - 6pm
Duration: 1 Hour
Website: https://www.kyoto-nishiki.or.jp/en/
Transportation: Take the Subway Karasuma Line (Green) to Shijō Station, or take bus number 5 to the “Shijo Takakura” stop, and walk for approximately 7 minutes. Kamo River

Selected Video: Japanese STREET FOOD in Kyoto

Selected Video: Teramachi/Shinkyogoku Shopping Street in Kyoto

Kiyomizu-dera Temple

Kyoto’s most famous attraction, enshrining the deity Avalokiteshvara. Built in 778 AD, with a history of over 1200 years. Listed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site of Ancient Kyoto. Best time for cherry blossom viewing is late March/early April, and for maple leaf viewing is mid-November/early December.

Hours: 6am - 6pm
Admission: Adults 400 yen, Children 200 yen
Duration: 30 minutes
Website: https://www.kiyomizudera.or.jp/en/visit/
Transportation: Take bus number 206 or 100 to “Gojozaka " stop and walk for approximately 10 minutes.
Tips：Instead of taking the bus to Kiyomizu-dera Temple, I recommend starting from Kawaramachi and walking all the way to the temple, following the route: Kamo River > Hanamikoji Street > Kennin-ji Temple > Kōdaiji Temple > Hōkan-ji Temple > Ninenzaka > Sannenzaka > Kiyomizu-dera Temple > On the way back, visit Yasaka Shrine to see the night view.

1. Kamo River:
You can see it while passing by the Shijo bridges. photo by Luna Wang

2. Hanamikoji Street:
The road is short, lined with two-story wooden buildings. Geishas may appear in the evening. photo by Jay

3. Kennin-ji Temple:
An ancient Zen temple with a history of over 800 years, featuring typical Japanese dry landscape gardens.
Hours: 10am - 4.30pm
Admission: Adults 800 yen, Children 500 yen
Selected Video: the oldest Zen temple in Kyoto

4. Kōdaiji Temple:
In spring, there’s a unique cherry blossom tree to see, and in autumn, you can enjoy the sight of maple leaves at night.
Hours: 9am - 5pm
Admission: Adults 600 yen, Children 250 yen
Selected Video: K2024 春の京都・桜〜高台寺

5. Hōkan-ji Temple (Yasaka Pagoda):
The Yasaka Pagoda beautifully represents Eastern architecture. While the temple may not always be open, you can still admire the building from the outside.
Best Photo Spot: Yasaka Pagoda Photograph Spot photo by Sorasak

6. Ninenzaka & Sannenzaka:
Small shops on narrow streets, showing what makes Kyoto special. photo by Shawn Tung

7. Kiyomizu-dera Temple
The main buildings are shown below.
Selected Video: Kyoto Kiyomizudera Drone

Kiyomizu-dera Temple’s main entrance is Nio-mon. photo by Sung Shin

From here, you can overlook the Kyoto cityscape and see Kyoto Tower in the distance. Kiyomizu-dera Temple photo by Harry Cunningham | HorseRat

The most important structure in Kiyomizu-dera Temple is the HINOKI WOODEN STAGE in the Main Hall, which is 13 meters high.

Kiyomizu-dera Temple photo by Michelle_Maria

8. Yasaka Shrine
This is the main shrine among the 2,300 Yasaka Shrines in Japan. It’s open 24 hours with no admission fee. The nighttime scenery is especially cinematic, making it ideal to visit on your way back. photo by Danique Dohmen

Fushimi Inari Taisha

The iconic attraction of Kyoto is the head shrine of the 30,000 Inari Shrines in Japan.

Hours: Open 24 hours a day
Admission: Free
Duration: 1 - 2 Hours depending on how long you want to hike
Website: https://inari.jp/en/
Transportation: Located right next to Inari Station on the JR Nara Line, or take the Minami 5 bus line to the “Inari Taisha-mae” stop and walk for approximately 7 minutes.

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The station has luggage lockers, and there are also businesses outside the station that offer luggage storage services.

Main Shrine: You can make wishes, purchase amulets, or hang ema votive tablets. Fushimi Inari Taisha photo by Michelle_Maria

Foxes are messengers of Inari deities, not Inari deities themselves. Fushimi Inari Taisha photo by tsukagoshi

The following image shows the famous Senbon Torii, consisting of around 10,000 torii gates of various sizes. These gates are donated and erected by individuals or organizations, with larger ones being more expensive. Names and dates are inscribed on the back. If you find too many tourists while trying to take a photo, keep climbing higher as there are fewer people further up! Fushimi Inari Taisha

Fushimi Inari Taisha photo by Pexels | Michael Leei

Selected Video: Walking to the Top of Fushimi Inari Shrine

Kyoto Railway Museum

There are multiple real trains, realistic railway models, and a steam locomotive that whistles. It is suitable for family trips with children.

Hours: 10am - 5pm, closed every Wednesday
Admission: Adults 1500 yen, University and high school students 1300 yen, Junior high and elementary school students 500 yen. Available for booking on Klook.
Duration: 2 - 3 Hours
Website: https://www.kyotorailwaymuseum.jp/en/
Transportation: Located a 2-minute walk from Umekoji-Kyotonishi Station, or take bus number 205 or 208 to the “Umekoji Koen/JR Umekoji-Kyotonishi-eki-mae” stop and walk for approximately 3 minutes.

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Indoors, you can explore real trains (ranging from steam locomotives to Shinkansen trains), train models, and station replicas. Outdoors, you can enjoy a steam locomotive ride, which runs once an hour for a 10-minute journey. Tickets for the ride need to be purchased separately: 300 yen for adults and 100 yen for children.

Selected Video: Japan Railway Enthusiast’s Paradise

Nijō Castle

Nijō Castle has a history of over 400 years and is a World Cultural Heritage site. It is quite large, and the Ninomaru-goten Palace inside has 33 rooms, over 800 tatami mats, and many wall paintings that can be appreciated. It is suitable for tourists interested in the history of the Japanese shogunate to visit.

Hours: 8.45am - 4pm
Admission: Adults 1300 yen, Children 400 yen
Duration: 1 - 1.5 Hours
Website: https://nijo-jocastle.city.kyoto.lg.jp/?lang=en
Transportation: Take the Subway Tozai Line (Red) to Nijojo-mae Station, or take bus number 9 or 50 to “Nijojo-mae” stop.

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The official website offers three recommended tour routes: 1 hour, 2 hours, and 2.5 hours. The Audio Guide supports English and costs 600 yen per device.

Nijō Castle photo by Eleonora Albasi

Selected Video: Nijo-jo Castle Seen from the Sky

Day Trips from Kyoto

Arashiyama

Arashiyama is located very close to downtown Kyoto. The region boasts rivers, mountains, bamboo forests, temples, and is especially celebrated for its vibrant autumn colors. Check Arashiyama Guide: Itinerary and Essential Tips for more information.

Arashiyama photo by Marisca Kadharmestan | Yuka Yamazaki

Nara

Nara was Japan’s first capital and is the second-largest cultural heritage city in Japan, after Kyoto. However, most visitors come here to see the deer. Check Nara Day Trip Guide for more details.

Nara Deer photo by Agathe | Alex Kolpikov

Thank you for reading, and may you have a wonderful journey!
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Kansai Airport to Kyoto