Kyoto is known as Japan’s culture capital and once you arrive, you’ll quickly find out why. We felt spoiled for choice with regard to the variety of excursions and sights on offer where we learned all about Japanese arts, religious practices, and the city’s history.
Kyoto served as the residence of the emperor for over 1000 years and the buildings and culture have been well preserved making this a must-visit city if you ask us.
We packed a lot into our time in Kyoto and the following is our 4-day itinerary to help you get the most out of your trip!
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Best Place To Stay in Kyoto
Rinn Miyagawacho Grande
This was the perfect hotel for our time in Kyoto. It’s located on a quiet street but is very walkable to some of the most popular area’s attractions such as the Gion district (which has amazing restaurants and bar scene), the famous Pagoda viewpoint, and the Kiyomizodera Temple. It’s also a 5-minute walk to the train and several bus stations.
The accommodation was very basic but had comfortable beds and very helpful and friendly staff. It was also an amazing price, especially for the area that it is in. The hotel can run up to $200 per night, but we were able to snag an amazing deal on Expedia.com for about $93 dollars per night which was a complete steal.
Kyoto Grandbell Hotel
Kyoto Granbell Hotel is located just down the street from Rinn Miyagawacho Grande. The hotel receives rave reviews about the location as well as a relaxing bathhouse.
We were very close to booking this hotel but opted for a cheaper option because we decided to stay one night at a luxury ryokan in Hakone. Prices typically stay around $250, so it is not unreasonable especially considering it includes free breakfast, free use of their onsen bath, and free skin care products.
How To Spend 4 Days in Kyoto?
Did you know Kyoto is home to over 2,000 Buddhist Temples and Shinto Shrines? While you are spoiled for choice, it can be tough to narrow down.
Our itinerary includes all the famous, must-see spots such as the Bamboo Forest, Fushini Inari-Taishi Shrine, Nishiki Market, and plenty more.
But, we also incorporated some hidden gems into our itinerary which we learned out through local suggestions, friends and families experiences, and countless hours of scouring the internet.
While there is so much to see and experience in Kyoto, here is our 4 day Kyoto Itinerary!
Day 1: Nishiki Market and Kiyomizo-Dera Temple
Upon arriving to the beautiful city of Kyoto, we made our way to the famous Nishiki Market. This was only a 10 minute walk from Kyoto Station (where the bullet trains drop you off). After dropping our luggage off at our hotel, we walked to the Kiyomizo-Dera Temple just in time for sunset. We ended our first day at the famous Pagoda Viewpoint which was my favorite picture from Japan and is an absolute must see.
Nishiki Market:
Nishiki Market features over 130 different shops all within a walkway that is over 400 meters long and less than 4 meters wide!
We stopped by this market before we even reached our hotel as it was pretty much on the way, and we couldn’t wait to try some of the well-renowned food there.
Nishiki Market has been in place for over 400 years, and we saw many locals and tourists alike while we were there. Although it’s famous for its fish, we found a huge variety of different foods to try which ranged from sweet to savory.
This bustling market offers some great authentic Japanese food and although we only spent 40 minutes here, you could easily stay for a couple if you were buying gifts here too.
Kiyomizo-Dera Temple:
The Kiyomizu-Dera temple is a beautiful Buddhist temple found in eastern Kyoto and was a stunning location for our first sunset in the city. Originally built in 780 (rebuilt in 1633), the temple is built in some wooded hills on Mount Otowa and is one of Japan’s most celebrated temples.
We were able to get a bus that took us close to the road that you walk up to reach the temple and from there, it was another 10-15 minute walk uphill. We walked up Matsubara-Dori Street which had a lot of shops offering snacks and souvenirs but there is a more direct road that will take you towards the temple if you prefer.
When we got there, we made our way to the large wooden stage near the main hall where others were gathered to take in the view. Seeing the sun setting over the maple trees and the city skyline was really breathtaking and to see it in such a spiritual place only added to it.
We also appreciated being able to take part in drinking from the fountains at the Otawa waterfall which can be found down the stairs at the back of the grounds. There are three streams that represent different fortunes (intelligence, longevity, and love).
If you make it to Kiyomizu-Dera temple we recommend setting an extra 10 minutes aside to take part in the “Enter into Darkness” which is a very unique and fun experience where you walk through a pitch-black hallway until you reach a stone illuminated by light. This was supposed to signify being “reborn”.
You should plan to arrive around 3pm and stay for the sunset. About 2 hours is a good amount of time to allot to visiting the temple.
Famous Pagoda Viewpoint
Only about a 10-minute walk from the Kiyomizo-dera temple is one of Kyoto’s most famous picture-taking spots. This view is normally packed with people during the day, but we went around 9 pm on a weekday and found it to be much more secluded. If you want to take pictures at this spot during the day, we recommend arriving before 8 am.
Highlights
- Experience Kyoto’s must-sees including Kiyomizu-Dera Temple, Arashiyama, and Fushimi Inari-Taisha Shrine on this highly-rated, one-day tour
- Over 3,000 5-star reviews on Viator
Day 2: Nara Park and Fushi-Inari Shrine
We got a later start on day 2 of Kyoto and arrived at Nara at around 11 am and then made our way to the famous Fushini-Inari Shrine for sunset. Nara is about an hour south of Kyoto by train and is known for Nara Park where deer bow upon receiving a treat as well as the Todai-ji Temple which houses the world’s largest bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana.
Next, we took the train to the famous Fushini Inari-Taishi Shrine which was a little packed at first, but the crowds died down shortly after sunset. Plus, being in the Fushini Inari-Tashi shrine after dark was a cool atmosphere.
Nara Park:
Deer Bowing: One of the main attractions at Nara Park is the wild deer that reside there. Upon arriving at Nara station, we made our way to the park which was just a couple of minutes to walk tok. We purchased some deer treats from a street vendor but none of the first deer we saw were interested (they must have filled up on other treats already).
As we made our way through the park and further away from the train station, we were finally able to feed the deer and have them famously bow to us which was really cool! Therefore, unless you arrive early in the morning, we recommend saving your treats and making your way further back towards the end of the park where there are fewer people if you want to interact with the deer. (The area pinned below was the more secluded area of the park that we went to)
Todai-Ji Temple: Todai-Ji Temple is a stunning temple located a short walk from Nara Park. It is home to a massive 50-foot, bronze Buddha along with several other statues. Until recently, this temple was the largest wooden structure in the world. Tickets for the temple only cost 600 yen per adult, but I would also recommend buying a combined ticket for the museum which costs just 400 yen more.
Nakatanidou (famous mochi shop): Before leaving Nara, we stopped by Nakatanidou, a mochi shop that has gone viral for their delicious mochi and mochi pounding demonstrations. By the time we had arrived, at around 3 pm, the line was ridiculously long, stretching down the street. This is still a cool place to check out to see the mochi-pounding demonstrations from the window.
Fushimi Inari-Taishi Shrine:
After about 4 hours in Nara, we made our way by train to the famous Fushimi Inari-taishi Shrine. This is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Kyoto, but for a good reason.
The complex is made up of thousands of red tori gates. These gates, which are dedicated to the Shinto god of rice, trail up the side of the Inari Mountain.
At the beginning, we found it to be very crowded, but as you continue to walk for about 15-20 minutes, the crowds begin to thin out and you can capture the classic photo of the red gates.
The full walk to the top of the hill will take you about an hour, but we went about halfway before turning back.
Day 3: Temples and Bamboo Forests
The third day of our Kyoto itinerary was our busiest day full of temple hopping, visiting monkeys, and the famous Arashiyama Bamboo forest. This was one of my favorite days because I loved visiting and learning about the unique aspects of each of the temples dotted around the city.
Kinka-Ku Ji (Golden) Temple:
Info: 500 yen entry fee, Opening Hours: 9am-5pm
The Kinkaku-ji temple, known also as the Golden Pavillion, was one of the most beautiful sights we saw in Japan. Situated behind a beautiful reflective pond, the golden temple (which is coated in gold leaf) stands out amongst the greenery surrounding it. You are not allowed inside the temple, but there are paths that wind around the temple for endless photo opportunities.
Being one of Kyoto’s most famous temples, it can get quite crowded so we arrived at the opening hour of 9 am to have a peaceful stroll around the temple grounds.
After the temple, the paths will take you through a beautiful garden area, and you will finish at a shrine. Here, you can buy souvenirs, prayer candles and incense, and get a temple stamp in your goishun book.
The walk around the temple grounds is short and takes at most 30 minutes, but we would recommend allotting an hour here for photo taking and appreciating the beautiful grounds.
From the Golden Temple, you can walk 15-20 minutes (or take the bus) to our next destination: Ryoan-Ji Temple.
Ryoan-Ji Temple:
Info: 500 yen entry fee, Opening Hours: 8am-5pm
This was a last-minute addition to our itinerary, but ended up being one of our favorites from the day! Not only is the Ryoan-Ji Temple home to one of Japan’s most famous rock gardens, but the grounds are beautiful to walk through featuring a beautiful lake and surrounding gardens.
Upon entering the temple, you will have to remove your shoes before taking a moment of zen at the rock garden.
After enjoying a moment of zen at the rock garden, It’s a peaceful and enjoyable walk.
You should allot about 1 and 1/2 – 2 hours to explore Ryaon-Ji temple. There is a restaurant inside the temple grounds (cash only), but we would recommend their highly-rated restaurant just before the entrance which is perfect for a quick lunch.
There is a taxi stand located just outside the Ryoan-Ji Temple where you can take a taxi to our next destination: Otago Nenbutsuji Temple (you can also take the bus, but it will take you about 30 minutes longer). Alternatively, if you’d like to skip this temple, you can take a 30-minute bus ride to Arashiyama Monkey Park.
Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple:
Info: 300 yen entrance fee, Opening Hours: 8am-5pm
While the Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple is a little bit out of the way up in the hills in Arashiyama, it’s a hidden gem in Kyoto and one that we think is definitely worthwhile.
One of our favorite parts about this visit is that it was much less crowded than most temples we had visited.
It features over 1,000 Rakan statues all of which are unique with different facial expressions and belongings.
While this temple is small, we spent well over an hour here wandering around the beautiful grounds and spotting different facial expressions in the statues.
We took the bus to our next stop: Arashiyama Monkey Park. Be sure to check the bus schedule as busses from nearby the temple run infrequently.
Arashiyama Monkey Park:
Info: 600 yen entrance fee, Opening Hours: 9am-4pm
Some of our favorite spots in Kyoto were last-minute additions to our itinerary and this is another one that tops that list. Arashiyama Monkey Park features panoramic views of Kyoto and about 130 monkeys roaming freely.
It takes about 20 minutes of uphill walking to reach the park so make sure you wear comfortable footwear. The majority of negative reviews online were from people who were unaware of the short hike to the park so be prepared and bring water.
Once we reached the top, there were monkeys everywhere, including many baby monkeys. This was such a cool opportunity to see the wild monkeys up close. You can even purchase small bags of food to feed them inside the cabin. There are handlers walking around and making sure people respect the rules.
From here, we walked about 15 minutes to our next stop, the famous Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. The walk takes you through the town of Arashiyama if you want to grab food or do some souvenir shopping.
Arashiyama Bamboo Forest:
Info: no entrance fee, open to the public 24/7
The Arashiyama Bamboo Forest is another famous Kyoto site with bamboo trees intertwined with a few different pathways to walk along and enjoy the scenery.
We felt like we were in another world walking between staggeringly tall bamboo trees as we saw the golden sunlight leak between them. The forest is pretty large and is bustling with both locals and tourists alike.
We spent only around 30 minutes in the Arashiyama Bamboo Forrest before making our way by train back to our hotel after a packed day.
Day 4: Souvenir Shopping, Tea Ceremony, and Walking Tour
After a busy 3 days in Kyoto, we spent the morning enjoying a traditional tea ceremony before shopping for some gifts for ourselves as well as friends and family. We finished our final day in Kyoto with a walking tour which gave us some great local insight about the city and its unique traditions.
Tea Ceremony:
Highlights
- Experience a traditional Japanese tea ceremony while wearing kimonos
- Learn about the history of Japanese tea as you sample different matcha teas
- Amazing reviews on viator
Attending a tea ceremony was a great activity that we took part in which allowed us to fully immerse ourselves in Japanese culture during our visit. Upon arrival, we were each given a traditional Japanese dress called a kimono as well as a pair of slippers.
Inspired by Buddhism, the preparation and presentation of matcha green tea took place in a specially constructed room with tatami mats on the floor. The host served the tea in front of us using the traditional utensils associated with powdered matcha and the tea was served with a few Japanese snacks.
The ceremony lasted just over an hour and instilled a genuine feeling of zen in us throughout and was a true Japanese experience we highly recommend.
Shopping:
The tea ceremony put us in the perfect location in Kyoto city center where we shopped around for souvenirs for friends and family. The location of our tea ceremony was just a 5-minute walk from some of the shops that we had in mind. We purchased a few different things like Japanese candies and t-shirts, but two of our favorite souvenirs that we took home from our trip were chopsticks engraved with our names and ceremonial matcha powder.
Hashi (Chopsticks) Gallery Mon: This is one of the highest-rated chopsticks shops in Kyoto. Many of the chopsticks can be engraved with your name in both Japanese and English. The customer service here is amazing. The woman working there was very helpful and patient when I was picking out chopsticks. If you do choose to get them engraved, just be aware that it will be about a 30-45 minute wait until they are ready. So while I was waiting, I walked about 5 minutes down the street to buy some Matcha from Horaido Tea Stall.
Horaido Tea Stall: The Horaido Tea Stall is an authentic tea shop that has been around This is a must-visit for anyone wanting to buy high-quality teas or ceremonial matcha. Their prices are very reasonable and from what I have read online, they are a lot less expensive than larger tea shops in the area. I purchased a few different ceremonial matchas to give to friends and family as well as a matcha whisk.
Walking Tour With Kyoto Localized:
We signed up for a “free” walking tour after sunset through Kyoto Localized and found this to be the perfect way to wrap up our time in the city.
We chose the evening tour option. A local guided us across a number of different areas of Kyoto and we were able to get an intimate look at some of the famous tea houses where the world-renowned Geisha entertain their guests.
The group consisted of about 15-20 others as the guide taught us all about the history of the tea houses and the steps needed to become a Geisha in Kyoto. The guide was even able to take us to a street where we were lucky enough to see a few Geishas and apprentice Geishas with their unique make-up and hairstyles and also wearing their beautiful, elaborate dresses (known as kimono).
It is vital to be respectful to the Geishas if you see any and make sure not to crowd them or take photos of them as this is punishable with a 1000-yen fine! The tour lasted 2 hours but it flew by very quickly due to how much ground we covered and how much we learned in the short space of time.
While this is called a “free walking tour”, be sure to tip your guide the amount you feel the tour was worth. 2,000-4000 yen (about $13-26) is a good range to consider giving.
