Attractions · Kyoto
Things to do in Kyoto.
Temples and shrines are free or nearly so; what sells here is the kimono rental, the tea ceremony and the little train in Arashiyama.
Fushimi Inari Taisha
Ten thousand vermillion gates climbing the mountain, free and open around the clock. The full summit loop takes two to three hours.
How to book: Free, no ticket. Dawn and evening are the quiet times; the crowds thin above the first lookout.
Arashiyama and the bamboo grove
The bamboo grove, Tenryuji's garden and the river at the foot of the mountains, Kyoto's classic half day.
How to book: The grove is free and public, and best before 9 in the morning. The Sagano Scenic Railway along the gorge is the paid extra, booked ahead.
Sagano Romantic Train
The slow open-carriage train along the Hozugawa gorge from Saga to Kameoka: twenty-five minutes of river and maples.
How to book: Reserved seats, booked ahead in season; closed Wednesdays and for winter maintenance.
Book ticketsvia Klook · affiliate linkKiyomizu-dera Temple
The great wooden stage above the eastern hills, and the preserved lanes of Sannenzaka running below it.
How to book: Tickets at the gate. Go at opening time for the temple in something like peace.
Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion
The gold-leaf pavilion mirrored in its pond, Kyoto's most reproduced image, in the north west of the city.
How to book: Tickets at the gate; mornings catch the best reflection.
Gion
The geisha district around Hanamikoji street: teahouses, lanterns and, at dusk, geiko on their way to appointments.
How to book: Free to walk. Photography is restricted on the private lanes; the main street is the viewpoint.
Kimono rental in Gion
Rent a kimono for the day and walk the preserved lanes of Gion and Higashiyama dressed for them. Shops cluster around Kiyomizu and Yasaka.
How to book: Booked online by the day; most include a hair set. Return by early evening.
Tea ceremony
A seated ceremony in a machiya townhouse, explained in English: the bowl, the sweet, the whisking, and what to do with your hands.
How to book: Small groups of an hour or so; book a day or two ahead.
Nishiki Market
Four hundred metres of food stalls in the city centre: Kyoto's kitchen, eaten standing up as you go.
How to book: Free to browse; most stalls close by early evening.
Nijo Castle
The shogun's Kyoto palace, with nightingale floors that chirp underfoot and the finest surviving palace interiors in Japan.
How to book: Tickets at the gate or online; last entry is mid afternoon.
Sanzen-in Temple, Ohara
The moss-garden temple in the village of Ohara, an hour north: Kyoto's escape valve in maple season.
How to book: Tickets at the gate; buses run from the city centre.
Kyoto Tower
The candle-shaped tower opposite the station, 131 metres: the orientation view on arrival day.
How to book: Tickets online or at the door.
Book ticketsvia Klook · affiliate linkKyoto Railway Museum
One of the great railway museums: steam engines to shinkansen, a short walk from the station.
How to book: Tickets at the door or online; closed Wednesdays.
Toei Kyoto Studio Park
A working film studio's open set: an Edo-period street where samurai dramas are still shot, with stunt shows.
How to book: Tickets online or at the door.
Planning the stay itself: the city guides cover what is on, and the hotels page covers where to sleep near it.