Kyoto Sightseeing: Top 10+ Kyoto Attractions
Japan is a country of contrasts, and the tradition of Kyoto is the perfect balance to the modernity of Tokyo. While the ornate Kyoto temples are certainly a highlight of your Kyoto sightseeing, there’s plenty of fun things to do in Kyoto to keep you entertained beyond that. You’ll be equally captivated by the beautiful bamboo forests, traditional gardens, narrow alleyways with old wooden houses, local markets and the nightlife districts. Read on to discover what to do in Kyoto!
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What To Do In Kyoto – Temples & Castles
1. Kyoto Temples, Temples, Temples!
If you’re looking for cultural things to do in Kyoto, then you’re in luck. Temples are kinda like the McDonalds of Kyoto (i.e. there’s one on every corner) or the Churches of Europe. The first one is the most incredible piece of architecture you’ve ever seen, but you’re a bit fatigued by church / temple number ten and suddenly they all seem a bit ho-hum. That said, Kyoto has some of the best temples in all of Japan, so you really shouldn’t miss them as part of your Japan itinerary.
If you love temples, then go for your life and spend days wandering around and exploring them all. If you just want to get the general flavor, then pick a couple and integrate them into your Kyoto sightseeing along with other Kyoto attractions.
I loved how diverse in style the Kyoto temples and shrines are. If you want a taste of different temple styles while you explore the rest of Kyoto, then try a mix of Buddhist and Shinto temples in both Higashiyama (2 below) and broader Kyoto (3 below).
You can see several of the best temples in Kyoto plus other Kyoto highlights if you combine them into a Kyoto day tour.
2. Higashiyama Temples
Kiyomizu Dera Temple
The main area for temples in Kyoto is Higashiyama, which is dotted with temples, shrines and parks. Most temples are open from 9am to 4 or 5pm and have a small entry fee of around a few dollars.
The best way to explore Higashiyama is on foot or by bicycle, as the streets are pretty and many of the temples are close together. If you’re up for a lot of walking, you can tackle Higashiyama in one day. Alternatively, you can split up Southern Higashiyama and Northern Higashiyama and do a half day in each area.
In Higashiyama, some of the most beautiful temples are Nanzen-ji Temple, a traditional wooden temple in Northern Higashiyama, Kiyomizu-dera Temple, with its stunning hill top views of the city, and Eikando Zenrinji Temple with its beautiful gardens.
Personally, my favourite thing about Higashiyama was wandering around the streets and getting surprised by a lesser known temple that I hadn’t planned on visiting. There are some particularly beautiful wooden temples hidden throughout Higashiyama.
3. Temples Outside Higashiyama
Fushimi-Inari Shrine: Fushimi-Inari (above) is one of the most impressive Kyoto temples outside the Higashiyama area, with thousands of red tori gates winding up the mountain path. In fact, there’s around 10,000 tori gates and 12,000 steps! Allow 2-3 hours if you plan to do the full hike. You can also do a shorter loop around the bottom gates, although the further up you walk, the less crowded it becomes.
Kinkaku-ji Temple: Kinkaku-ji temple is another fan favourite, with its somewhat ostentatious Golden Pavilion (feature photo). The original temple was burnt down in 1950 by a novice monk who then attempted suicide, and was rebuilt in 1955. The temple is set over a serene reflecting pond, and is surrounded by pretty gardens.
Arashiyama Temples: If you’re not all ‘templed out’ by the time you visit Arashiyama, then it’s worth visiting Tenryu-ji Temple for its Zen temple and traditional gardens.
Traditional Gardens: Keen on traditional Japanese gardens? You should also check out the karesansui (dry landscape gardens) at popular Ryoan-ji Temple or the famous moss covered garden at Saiho-ji Temple (booking required).
4. Nijo-jo Castle Kyoto
Nijo-jo Castle is an impressive 17th century castle complex. It was originally a shogun residence, then later an imperial palace, and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The castle grounds have a couple of palaces and large gardens. The entire complex is surrounded by massive stone walls and medieval looking moats.
While the architecture makes for a nice change from the temples, I was a bit templed-out so didn’t go inside the main palace. I instead spent my time roaming around the lovely gardens with open lawns and multi-coloured trees.
Kyoto Attractions – Kyoto Neighbourhoodsd
5. The Philosopher’s Path
Missed cherry blossom season by a week, but Philosopher’s Path still super pretty
If you love a good meander and a bit of a nature, then don’t miss the Philosopher’s Path. This is a scenic path along a cherry tree lined canal with traditional houses and the odd temple.
The Philosopher’s Path is easily combined with Northern Higashiyama. Get the Tozai Line to Keage Station, take a short walk to the beautiful Nanzen-ji temple with its huge wooden gate, and then follow the signs to the Philosopher’s Path.
Allow 30 minutes for the walk if you’re charging along, an hour if you’re on a Sunday stroll, or longer if you want to stop at the temples along the way (try Heian Shrine) or for a snack at one of the roadside cafes.
6. Explore Gion + Pontocho
Gion and Pontocho are charming historic Kyoto neighborhoods with winding alleyways lined with wooden shops, canals and cherry blossoms.
Gion and Pontocho come alive in the evening, when they become equal parts beautifully atmospheric and frustratingly busy. Try to duck down the side streets to avoid the crowds.
Gion and Pontocho are also well known as the traditional Geisha areas in Kyoto. Geishas are pretty elusive, but you may be lucky enough to spot one around 5-6pm in the evening. At this time, they make their way to the exclusive establishments where they entertain cashed up guests. (If you do, please be respectful and not a dick who chases after Geishas for photos.)
7. Arashiyama
A rather moody day when I visited Arashiyama!
Arashiyama is a lovely (if touristy!) historic neighborhood west of the city. Aim to spend half a day here. Explore the famous bamboo grove (photo at 10 below), walk across the landmark Togetsu-kyo Bridge (above) and get your Zen on at the Tenryu-ji Temple. If it’s your thang, you can also visit the Iwatayama Monkey Park and many other temples.
In Arashiyama, you’ll be treated to picturesque streets lined with traditional wooden houses if you divert off the hectic main road. Take your time to get lost in the backstreets behind Tenryu-ji Temple and the bamboo grove. You’ll be well rewarded if you wander all the way back to Saga Torimoto Preserved Street.
8. Nishiki Market + Local Foods
Tasty Takoyaki … not entirely sure what this meal consisted of
Nishiki Market is a narrow multi-block market where the highlight is the small vendors selling all sorts of local culinary delights. Typical of Japan, many of the stalls specialize in just one type of food, and are teeny-tiny with barely enough space to squeeze in and sample the food.
Sure, you won’t have a clue what you’re eating at times, but that’s half the fun! (Except for the part where I thought I accidentally ate shellfish which I’m allergic to. False alarm! I realized later that the nauseous feeling was due to excessive consumption of deep fried treats. That was not fun.)
I sampled a few random dishes, including the famous Kyoto-style Takoyaki at Karikari Hakase (photo above). I’m still a leeeeetle hazy on exactly what Takoyaki is, but it appears to be some kind of deep-fried ball-shaped snacks filled with mush-like ingredients, herbs and often octopus. Delish! In true Japanese style, you order and pay for your Takoyaki from the vending machine. Take a ticket and wait in line for the finished product. A bargain at a few dollars for 6 balls!
I feel like a bit of a broken record here, but Nishiki Market is also very busy and maybe best avoided if you hate crowds. I enjoyed a short whip around and some tasty treats before letting my sore stomach digest on the 30 minute walk to Nijo-jo Castle.
Kyoto Sightseeing – Kyoto Tours
9. Kyoto Bike Tour
Bike tours are my favorite way to explore a new place. You can cover a lot of ground, get a local experience, and see much more than from the confines of a car. I was travelling solo in Kyoto and joined the Cycle Kyoto full circuit tour. My Kyoto bike tour was a highlight of my weekend in Kyoto!
The tour was the perfect mix of cycling and sightseeing, Kyoto tourist attractions and local hidden gems, and temples and other Kyoto activities (for those who get templed-out!). The cycling was fairly short and easy. As a bonus, the guide was excellent with lots of interesting local and historical knowledge.
The Cycle Kyoto tour was a good complement to the rest of my Kyoto sightseeing which focused on Higashiyama and Arashiyama. It covered different ground and included my favorite non-Higashiyama temples – Kinkaku-ju and Fushimi Inari.
If you’re short on time, Cycle Kyoto also runs a shorter 3-4 hour tour of South Kyoto or 5 hour tour of North Kyoto.
10. Ebisuya Rickshaw
Kween Klaire. That is all.
While in Arashiyama, I jumped on an traditional rickshaw to kill two birds with one stone – the bamboo grove and the historic backstreets of Arashiyama in less than an hour.
Sure, it’s pretty touristy and I felt a little guilty (slash totally Kween-like!) getting literally hand carted around on top my chariot. But, hey, the drivers are fitter than I’ll ever be.
The best thing about this Arashiyama rickshaw tour was that the rickshaws have access to some private paths in the very busy bamboo grove. For me, this made it worth the rather exxy price tag.
You can book the Ebisuya Rickshaw online or simply rock-up outside the stand near the Togetsu-kyo Brige. They also offer tours around Higashiyama and in other parts of Japan.
Day Trips from Kyoto
If you are spending more than a few days in Kyoto, then Kyoto is a great base to explore nearby towns and cities by train without having to lug your luggage around.
Research the price of a JR Rail Pass or a JR Area Pass if you’re taking a few train trips. The individual tickets for the high speed trains (Skinkansen) are pretty pricey. Buying individual tickets can easily exceed the price of a JR Rail Price after a return trip between Tokyo and Kyoto or Osaka.
11. Day Trip from Kyoto to Hiroshima
Up for some somber history? Take a day trip from Kyoto to Hiroshima (95 minutes by high speed train) where the first atomic bomb was dropped in World War II.
Understandably, the experience of visiting Hiroshima can be an intense and emotional experience. As well as visiting Hiroshima Peace Park, balance your trip by exploring Hiroshima Castle and Shukkeien Gardens.
12. Day Trip from Kyoto to Nara
After something lighter? Why not take a day trip to Nara! Nara is only 35 minutes from Kyoto by high speed train or up to an hour by regular train.
Nara is a small historic city filled with traditional treasures and similar sites to Kyoto including ancient temples and traditional gardens. But Nara has one thing that Kyoto does not … the cute factor, with Nara Park being home to hundreds of free roaming deer!
The deer are pretty comfortable around humans, and will snatch your food if you’re not careful. Make sure you only feed them deer biscuits from the street side vendors and take all your food and rubbish with you.
Read More: Check out my Nara walking tour for all the highlights of Nara.
13. Night Out in Osaka
You can take a day trip from Kyoto to Osaka (Japan’s second largest city) in an incredible 12 minutes on the high speed Shinkansen train or 30+ minutes on various regular trains.
While there’s plenty to do in Osaka during the day, Osaka is primarily known for its food and nightlife.
By all means get your culture on at Osaka Castle, but make sure you leave plenty of time to fill your belly. Sample the local sashimi, Kobe beef, ramen noodles and all sorts of weird and wonderful sweets. Also be sure to try the famous Osaka street foods, including kushikatsu (deep fried meat and vegetable skewers), takoyaki (see 4 above) and okonomiyaki (savory pancakes) … my mouth is watering just writing this.
I hope this list of the best things to do in Kyoto helps you make the most out of your Kyoto sightseeing!
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