Kyoto in One Day: How to See It All Without Rushing

The problem with Kyoto is not knowing where to go. It is that the sights are spread across different corners of the city, and one day is not enough for all of them. The plan below focuses on the eastern side, where the sights sit closest together, so you can walk from one to the next for most of the day without crossing the city back and forth.

A One-Day Plan for Eastern Kyoto

06:30 Fushimi Inari Shrine

Start here because it is the only place on the list that is open around the clock and free to enter. At half past six the tunnels of orange torii gates are still empty enough to photograph without anyone in the shot. Later in the morning they turn into a long, slow line of people.

You do not need to climb to the summit. Going up to the first rest point and back takes about an hour. Going to the top needs around two and a half hours, which would break the whole day’s plan.

08:30 Kiyomizu-dera Temple

This temple opens earlier than others in Kyoto, and at half past eight it is still comfortable to walk around. The wooden stage jutting out over the valley is the spot everyone comes to photograph. Take your pictures before ten, because after that the queue for the stage gets long.

09:45 Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka

Walk down from the temple along stone-paved slopes lined with shops. This is the best-preserved area of old wooden houses in Kyoto, and for anyone who enjoys snacking as they go, the most enjoyable part of the day. Take care, as the way is made of uneven stone steps, so wear comfortable walking shoes.

11:00 Yasaka Shrine and Maruyama Park

Right at the end of the same street. Yasaka Shrine has the vermilion gate seen in so many photos of Kyoto, and Maruyama Park behind it is a good place to rest your legs before lunch.

12:00 Lunch

There are two options nearby: Gion, a short walk on from Yasaka, where the restaurants are beautiful but expensive, or Nishiki Market, a ride of just over ten minutes, a long covered market where you can eat one thing at a time as you stroll.

13:30 Ginkaku-ji and the Philosopher’s Path

The Silver Pavilion lies north of Gion. Its rock garden and moss garden have a completely different mood from the morning’s temples. On the way back, walk the Philosopher’s Path, a canal-side path of about two kilometres that is shady and quieter than other areas.

16:00 Gion as the Lanterns Come On

Head back down to Gion in the late afternoon. Hanamikoji, lined with wooden houses on both sides, starts to light its lanterns, and it is the most beautiful time of day in this district.

Be aware that photography is prohibited in several of Gion’s narrow lanes. The signs are clear and the fines are real. Do not photograph geiko or maiko passing by without asking permission.

16:30 Finish in Pontocho

A narrow lane of restaurants along the Kamo River, just wide enough for two people to pass. It is the best place to end the day, as it is close to the station, within walking distance of many hotels, and has restaurants at every price level.

By now the light has just gone. If you still have energy, stroll along the Kamo River. If not, head straight back to your hotel.

This plan ends early because it gets dark early Most temples in Kyoto close around five in the evening and stop selling tickets half an hour before. In winter the sun sets around five, and the light is already fading by half past four.

In summer you gain almost two extra hours, since it stays light until nearly seven. You can easily use that time for Arashiyama in the evening or a longer walk along the Kamo River.

If You Also Want Arashiyama and Kinkaku-ji

These are the two places people ask about most, and they are not in the plan above. The reason is simple: they are on other sides of the city. Arashiyama is in the far west, Kinkaku-ji is in the north, and the plan above is entirely in the east. Fitting all three sides into one day means spending around two and a half to three hours in transit, leaving only about forty minutes at each place.

If you still want them, the least costly option is to drop Ginkaku-ji and the Philosopher’s Path in the afternoon and spend that time in Arashiyama instead. The bamboo grove and Tenryu-ji take about two hours, which fits well. Move Kinkaku-ji to the following morning if you have two days, because it closes in the late afternoon and you will not make it if you leave it until later.

Getting around the city Kyoto does not have a subway network covering the city the way Tokyo does. Many sights depend on buses, which are slow and very crowded in the busy season, especially the routes to Kinkaku-ji and Kiyomizu-dera.

If you can, group your plan by area and walk within each area. It is noticeably faster than riding back and forth across the city.

What to Bring for the Day

This is one of the longest walking days of any Kyoto trip, around eight to ten kilometres in total with plenty of stone steps, so your shoes matter more than anything else.

Most temples also charge admission in cash, and many do not accept cards, so carry a good amount of coins and small notes. Drinking water is easy to buy along the way from vending machines on almost every corner.

You can do this whole plan on foot, but a vehicle helps most at two points: getting to Fushimi Inari in the early morning before the first trains start running, and moving north to Ginkaku-ji in the afternoon. These are the two parts of the day where you would lose the most time waiting if you travelled on your own.