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

6 m (0 mi)

2

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

5 m (0 mi)

3

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

10 m (0 mi)

4

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

65 m (0 mi)

5

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

534 m (0.3 mi)

2 min

6

Hōnen-in Temple
Hōnen-in Temple
Peaceful and quiet Temple
Category
Sightseeing

539 m (0.3 mi)

2 min

7

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

1.3 km (0.8 mi)

4 min

8

Ōtoyo Shrine
Ōtoyo Shrine
The cutest Shrine in Kyoto
Category
Culture

846 m (0.5 mi)

4 min

9

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

598 m (0.4 mi)

2 min

10

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

496 m (0.3 mi)

2 min

11

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

127 m (0.1 mi)

12

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

379 m (0.2 mi)

1 min

13

Nanzen-ji Hatto
Nanzen-ji Hatto
Grand Hall
Category
Sightseeing
14

Nanzen-ji Temple
Nanzen-ji Temple
Must-visit Temple with Matcha experience
Category
Culture
Est. Price
¥600
15

Suirokaku
Suirokaku
Unusual sight in Kyoto
Category
Sightseeing

1.4 km (0.9 mi)

6 min

16

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

200 m (0.1 mi)

2 min

17

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

236 m (0.1 mi)

1 min

18

Keage Incline
Keage Incline
Beautiful Sakura spot
Category
Sightseeing

2.5 km (1.5 mi)

9 min

19

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

Pontocho
Pontocho
Lively Japanese dining district
Category
Sightseeing
21

Kamogawa riverside
Kamogawa riverside
Beautiful riverside walk
Category
Sightseeing

1.5 km (0.9 mi)

6 min

22

Yasaka-jinja Shrine
Yasaka-jinja Shrine
Spiritual Kyoto Gem
Category
Culture

1.1 km (0.7 mi)

5 min

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

This one is optional

Gion Sushi Tadayasu
Gion Sushi Tadayasu
Favorite Sushi restaurant
Category
Restaurant
Est. Price
¥20,000
MoriMori Sushi Shijo Kawaramachi Branch
MoriMori Sushi Shijo Kawaramachi Branch
Kaiten Sushi restaurant
Category
Restaurant
Est. Price
$$
Restaurant Type
Sushi
Din Tai Fung Takashimaya Kyoto Restaurant
Din Tai Fung Takashimaya Kyoto Restaurant
Famous Taiwanese dumplings
Category
Restaurant
Est. Price
¥2,500
Ichibakoji
Ichibakoji
Delicious Yakiniku restaurant
Category
Restaurant
Est. Price
¥5,000
Gion Karoku
Gion Karoku
Top Yakiniku restaurant in Kyoto
Category
Restaurant
Est. Price
¥13,000
The SODOH
The SODOH
Top fusion restaurant in Kyoto
Category
Restaurant
Est. Price
¥6,000

1.5 km (1 mi)

8 min

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

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