I spent 5 days in Kyoto during my trip to Japan, and in this article, I will tell you what to do in Kyoto?
📋 Key points to remember: Kyoto is the traditional heart of Japan with its 1,600 Buddhist temples and 400 Shinto shrines. My must-sees: Fushimi Inari Taisha (10,000 red torii gates), Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion), Arashiyama (bamboo forest), Gion (geisha district), Kiyomizu-dera. Plan for 3 to 5 days. Ideal season: April (cherry blossoms) or November (red maples).
What to do in Kyoto? My choice
Kyoto is the city to visit in Japan along with Tokyo, it offers a more traditional aspect than Tokyo and if you want to visit temples in Japan. You will not be disappointed with Kyoto.
What to do in Kyoto for 3 days?
During my stay in Kyoto, I stayed 4 days in Kyoto, but in this article, I will give you several places you should visit during the day.
What to do in Kyoto? : Your first day:
First advice: it is easier to choose accommodation near Kyoto station, because from this place, it is easier to access all of Kyoto!
It is also easier to take a Kyoto day pass for 500 Yen to take Kyoto buses unlimitedly. You will need to take it 4 times to make it worthwhile. See the expenses to avoid in Japan
🌍 Did you know?
Kyoto was deliberately spared from American bombings during World War II thanks to the intervention of Secretary of War Henry Stimson, who had spent his honeymoon there. That is why the city preserves an almost intact architectural heritage, UNESCO listed on 17 sites.
The temple you must visit as soon as you arrive is Kiyomizudera, which is one of the largest temples in Kyoto.
When you finish, you can go to the Gion area, where if you are lucky you might see geishas! There are quite a few restaurants around if you want to try Japanese cuisine.
🗣️ My experience: Sunrise at Fushimi Inari Taisha, arrival at 5:30 am. No tourists during the first 200 torii gates. The silence of the shrine with just the sound of sandals on the stone steps, and the red gates against the forest. One hour later, tourist buses arrived. The lesson: in Kyoto, getting up early radically changes the experience of each iconic site.
You can also visit the Ginkakuji temple which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
It is preferable to go to Gion last.
What to do in Kyoto? Second day:
🍀 Kyoto
- Exceptional architectural heritage
- Preserved traditional atmosphere
- Refined cuisine (kaiseki, tofu, matcha)
- Human-scale city
🔻 Limits
- Over-tourism at iconic sites
- High cost during cherry/maple season
- Expensive traditional hotels (ryokan)
- Buses sometimes overcrowded (prefer bike)
You will need to visit the Kyoto Imperial Palace which is open to foreigners with two guided tours per day, the visit lasts 1 hour and a half. The gates open at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. so don’t miss the tour.
After the visit, you can eat and then go to the Kinkakuji Temple, where the famous Golden Pavilion is located.
If you still have time, head to the Toji Temple. It is a beautiful building with a nice structure, originally known for protecting the city.
⚠️ Classic trap
Traveling to Kyoto during Golden Week (April 29 – May 5) or cherry blossom season (late March – early April) without having booked hotels and trains in advance. Prices double or triple, ryokans are fully booked 6 months ahead. Prefer the second half of April or November for the maples: just as beautiful, much cheaper.
| Site | District | Cost | Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fushimi Inari Taisha | South | Free | Visit at sunrise (empty) |
| Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion) | North-West | 500 yen | Combined with Ryoan-ji |
| Arashiyama (bamboo forest) | West | Free | Early morning before 8 a.m. |
| Gion (geisha district) | Center-East | Free | Hanami-koji street, evening |
| Kiyomizu-dera | East | 400 yen | Visit + descent of Sannenzaka |
| Nijo-jo (castle) | Center | 1,030 yen | “Nightingale” floor |
| Nishiki Market | Center | Free | Japanese street food |
What to do in Kyoto? Third day
You can go to the Fushimi Inari Shinto shrine, it is a place with many Tori (red gates), you can do the tour which takes several hours! The hike is quite tiring as you have to climb up, but it’s worth the detour. It’s one of the must-see places in Kyoto!
To combine with other Japanese cities, what to do in Tokyo covers the modern megacity. Getting around Japan helps to decide on JR Pass and Shinkansen bullet trains. And the Japan budget specifies the orders of magnitude on site.
Later in the day you can go to the Nijo Castle.
After all that you will have completed your visit of Kyoto and seen the essential places of the city! You can choose to do each of these visits in any order, I am just suggesting an itinerary.
