Kyoto for first timers + Nara

Empty Japan - (Empty.Japan)
Itinerary created by
Empty Japan
What you’ll do

This itinerary includes absolutely stunning and beautiful locations (including tips and tricks on how to experience them in the best way possible) that I think absolutely everyone has to see.

Perfect itinerary for those who plan to visit Kyoto for their first time or if you've been already but only for a short period of time and visited only the most famous spots such as such as Golden Temple, Fushimi Inari, Kiyomizu-dera which by the way I did not include in this itinerary, because almost everyone knows about them.

And of course if you've been following my Instagram for long enough, you know that these itineraries include absolutely delicious restaurants and cafes where you can try out some of the best dishes of local cuisine.

Travel time (from Kyoto Station):

Day 1 - 40 min (subway + bus) or 30 min by car

Day 2 - 30 min (train) or 30 min by car

Day 3 - 35 min (train) or 35 min by car

Day 4 - 40 min (train) or 50 min by car

  • All of the locations are accessible by public transport.

  • Mentioned travel time is approximate and may vary depending on your departure time and traffic conditions.

  • If you plan to spend less than 4 days in Kyoto, choose those day trips that you are interested in the most.

  • These day trips are not interconnected and may be experienced in any order

1

About this day trip (Higashiyama)
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About this day trip
Category
Sightseeing
Direction

6 m (0 mi)

2

How to get there (Higashiyama)
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How to get there
Category
Public Transport
Est. Price
$
Transport Type
other
Direction

5 m (0 mi)

3

Higashiyama Jisho-ji / Silver Temple
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Iconic Temple
Category
Culture
Est. Price
¥500
Direction

10 m (0 mi)

4

Hi kaki hi Matsubaya
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Ultra delicious creampuffs
Category
Café
Est. Price
¥400
Direction

65 m (0 mi)

5

Miyoneshi Fumiya
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Top Handmade Onigiri restaurant
Category
Restaurant
Est. Price
¥500
Direction

534 m (0.3 mi)

2 min

6

Hōnen-in Temple
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Peaceful and quiet Temple
Category
Sightseeing
Direction

539 m (0.3 mi)

2 min

7

Philosopher's Path
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Beautiful iconic Alley of Kyoto
Category
Sightseeing
Direction

1.3 km (0.8 mi)

4 min

8

Ōtoyo Shrine
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The cutest Shrine in Kyoto
Category
Culture
Direction

846 m (0.5 mi)

4 min

9

BREIZH Café Crêperie Kyoto
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French-style crepes in Kyoto
Category
Restaurant
Est. Price
¥1,500
Direction

598 m (0.4 mi)

2 min

10

Eikan-dō (Zenrin-ji) Temple
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Impressive Buddhist Temple
Category
Culture
Est. Price
¥600
Direction

496 m (0.3 mi)

2 min

11

大力邸 / Tairikitei
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Traditional Dining retreat (Wagyu)
Category
Restaurant
Est. Price
¥2,000
Direction

127 m (0.1 mi)

12

Nanzen-ji Sanmon Gate
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Majestic Sanmon Gate
Category
Sightseeing
Est. Price
¥500
Direction

379 m (0.2 mi)

1 min

13

Nanzen-ji Hatto
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Grand Hall
Category
Sightseeing
Direction
14

Nanzen-ji Temple
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Must-visit Temple with Matcha experience
Category
Culture
Est. Price
$
Direction
15

Suirokaku
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Unusual sight in Kyoto
Category
Sightseeing
Direction

1.4 km (0.9 mi)

6 min

16

Nanzen-ji Tenju-an
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Garden Masterpiece
Category
Sightseeing
Est. Price
¥500
Direction

200 m (0.1 mi)

2 min

17

Blue Bottle Coffee
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Delicious coffee
Category
Café
Est. Price
¥600
Direction

236 m (0.1 mi)

1 min

18

Keage Incline
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Beautiful Sakura spot
Category
Sightseeing
Direction

2.5 km (1.5 mi)

9 min

19

Notes for the evening in Kyoto
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Kyoto evening
Category
Sightseeing
Direction
20

Pontocho
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Lively Japanese dining district
Category
Sightseeing
Direction
21

Kamogawa riverside
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Beautiful riverside walk
Category
Sightseeing
Direction

1.5 km (0.9 mi)

6 min

22

Yasaka-jinja Shrine
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Spiritual Kyoto Gem
Category
Culture
Direction

Next one is the list of my favorite restaurants (that could I could not fit in the main route), so that you could have a wider choice of foodies.

23

Choose the option that fits you the best

Gion Sushi Tadayasu
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Favorite Sushi restaurant
Category
Restaurant
Est. Price
¥20,000
Direction

For this day trip, I recommend staying in one of the hotels in Kyoto where I personally enjoyed my stay the most. These hotels are listed as the next locations on this itinerary (three of them are listed here). If, for any reason, you are unable to book any of these three hotels, you can find my other hotel recommendations (which are equally great) on my map or under the "things to do" list by selecting the option to show only hotels. All of my recommended hotels cater to a wide variety of preferences for every type of traveler, including different budget ranges, modern or traditional options, and more. They are especially perfect, considering their location right in the heart of Kyoto and their convenience for one-day trips (due to their 5-minute walking distance to either Subway or JR stations).

24

This one is optional

Mitsui Garden Hotel Kyoto Kawaramachi Jokyoji
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Modern hotel in the heart of Kyoto
Category
Hotel
Direction

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