What to Do in Kyoto: 18 Things Worth Your Time

Kyoto rewards restraint. The city is packed with temples, old lanes and good food, and the quickest way to spoil a visit is to treat it as a checklist. Here are 18 things worth your time, with enough detail to plan a day.

Temples and shrines

1. Fushimi Inari at dawn. The tunnels of torii gates are at their best before 8 a.m., and the shrine is open around the clock. Start at the bottom, climb as far as you like, and head down before the tour groups arrive. Read our temple and shrine etiquette guide first.

2. Kiyomizu-dera early, then Sannenzaka. See the temple's wooden stage and the view over the city, then walk down the stone lanes toward Gion while the shops are still opening. At midday these streets are jammed.

3. Kinkaku-ji, if you accept the crowds. The Golden Pavilion is beautiful and the visit is short. Go at opening time, or skip it on a two-day trip if you dislike queues.

4. The Philosopher's Path on a quiet morning. A canal-side walk past small temples, best taken slowly. In cherry blossom season and in autumn it becomes one of the busiest walks in the city; see Kyoto autumn foliage.

5. One quieter temple instead of a fourth famous one. Kodai-ji, Nanzen-ji or a neighborhood shrine near your hotel is often more rewarding than another crowded landmark.

Neighborhoods

6. Gion in the evening, with manners. Walk the lanes, have dinner nearby, and photograph the buildings rather than the people. Never block or follow geiko and maiko for photos, and keep out of the private lanes that have been closed to tourists since April 2024. See our etiquette guide.

7. Nishiki Market for grazing. Pickles, tofu, skewers and knife shops in a covered street. Come hungry, keep moving with the crowd, and eat at the stalls rather than walking with food.

8. The Arashiyama bamboo grove, early. The grove is always open, so go around sunrise, before the crowds. Add Tenryu-ji's garden afterwards. The monkey park on the hill across the river involves a steep climb.

9. An evening in Pontocho and Kawaramachi. Riverside lanes and restaurants, and a calmer Kyoto after a day of temples.

10. Kyoto Station as a base. Convenient for luggage and day trips, and the building itself is worth a look once.

Food and drink

11. One serious meal. A kaiseki dinner or a counter restaurant, booked ahead. Noodles and market snacks are fine as walk-ins.

12. Matcha in Uji. A short train ride south, with tea shops and Byodo-in, the temple on the ¥10 coin. It makes a good half day; don't squeeze it into a day already full of temples.

13. Lunch where the day takes you. Eat near Nishiki or wherever you are, rather than crossing the city for a famous shop. See our Japanese food guide.

14. A tea ceremony. Better booked than improvised; our tea ceremony guide explains what happens.

Worth a slot

15. The Kyoto Imperial Palace or Nijo Castle. The Imperial Palace grounds and buildings are free to visit without a reservation, and Nijo Castle has the shogun's painted rooms and "nightingale floors" that squeak underfoot.

16. A day trip to Nara. Deer, Todai-ji's Great Buddha, and a slower pace than central Kyoto. Give it a full day; see our Nara day trip guide.

17. The Fushimi sake district. Breweries and tastings south of the city, easy to pair with Fushimi Inari. See our Fushimi sake guide.

18. A drink with a view. Kyoto's skyline is low, so a terrace gives a wide view of the hills at sunset. See Kyoto rooftop bars.

Building your days

East Kyoto: Kiyomizu-dera (#2), Sannenzaka, a quieter temple (#5), then Gion in the evening (#6).

West Kyoto, half a day: Arashiyama early (#8), then back downtown for Nishiki (#7) and dinner (#9).

South Kyoto: Fushimi Inari at dawn (#1), then the sake district (#17).

For a day-by-day plan, see our Kyoto 3-day itinerary. For the wider picture, see the Kyoto travel guide, and for choosing between cities, Kyoto vs Tokyo.

What to skip

Trying to see every World Heritage site. You will remember the three places you walked slowly, not the twelve you photographed from the gate.

The bamboo grove at midday. Same grove, much worse experience. Set an earlier alarm.

Chasing geiko and maiko for photos. It is rude, and in parts of Gion it is now banned.

FAQ

What should I do first in Kyoto? An early morning at Fushimi Inari or Kiyomizu-dera, before the crowds and the heat build.

How many days do you need in Kyoto? Two full days make a good first visit, and three is comfortable. One day covers only the highlights.

Is Kyoto walkable? The neighborhoods are. Between them, use buses, the subway or a short taxi ride, and an IC card rather than a JR Pass.

Do I need a guided tour? No. A guide can add context in Gion or at a big temple, but everything on this list is easy to do on your own.

Is Gion worth it at night? Yes, for a walk and dinner. Not as a place to photograph performers.