What to do in Kyoto
What activities to do in Kyoto and what did we do in the city?
Be prepared that Kyoto is a large city with an extraordinary concentration of sights, and to see only the most famous ones, set aside at least 3-4 full days to visit.
If you have limited time in Kyoto, these experiences are among the most popular:
- Meeting a geisha or maiko in the historic Gion district
- a scenic train ride in the Arashiyama area
- boat cruise on the Hozugawa River
- traditional tea ceremony in a Japanese house
Plan your stay in Kyoto according to my tips:
But many experiences need to be booked in advance - especially during the sakura and autumn foliage season.
Book the best experiences at getyourguide.com
Visit famous temples and shrines
Kyoto was Japan's capital for more than 1,000 years and is still one of the most treasured historic cities in Asia.
A total of 17 sites in Kyoto are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Among the most famous are:
All of the sights we visited in Kyoto are detailed in the What to See in Kyoto map section .
Traditional Japanese culture in Kyoto
If you want to take away more than just photos of temples from Kyoto, these are the three most rewarding "cultural" experiences.
They work best in combination with the Gion and Higashiyama areas (in the evening), or around Kiyomizu-dera (during the day).
Geisha experience
A geisha is a highly professional, intelligent, and trained companion whose main goal is to entertain a closed society by dancing, singing, conversing, playing musical instruments, or other arts.
Many tourists think that geishas also practice prostitution, but this is a big mistake and an insult to this esteemed craft.
This profession is inherently one of the symbols of Japan and the city of Kyoto is one of the main centres of geisha art.
In Kyoto, geisha are called geiko.
Where to meet a geisha in Kyoto?
The main centre where geisha live and learn their craft is the historic Gion district in the east of the city.
This is where you are most likely to see an authentic geisha on the street, especially on a Friday or Saturday in the early evening. Remember that it is highly inappropriate and even forbidden to take photos of geisha.
If you'd like to experience an evening with a geisha, you can book this experience, for example, through the popular website Klook.
There are two designated geisha in Kyoto - a geiko is an experienced geisha after several years of rigorous training, while a maiko is a novice geisha.
| Price from | Length | Booking | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maiko Experience | 5 500 jpy | 1.5 hours | Book here |
| Dinner with Maiko | 44 000 jpy | 2.5 hrs | Book here |
| Maiko or Geiko Machiya Tour | 35 000 jpy | 1.5 hrs | Book here |
| Tea Ceremony with Geiko | 12 000 jpy | 45 min | Book here |
Organised performances featuring various geisha arts take place at the Gion Corner Theatre every day at 6pm and 7pm, and tickets cost from 5 500 jpy. You must always book online at kyoto-gioncorner.com.
Kimono rental
The kimono is the "easiest" cultural experience in Kyoto, and it makes a huge difference in photos - and most importantly, it only makes sense in certain neighborhoods.
Where it makes the most sense:
- Higashiyama (Sannenzaka/Ninenzaka and Kiyomizu-dera neighborhood)
- Gion (evening alleys and Shirakawa)
How it works in practice:
- Online reservations (especially in high season)
- on the spot: choosing a kimono → getting dressed → getting a haircut if necessary → getting a bag for your belongings
- keep an eye on the "return time" (often late afternoon)
The cost tends to start at around 3 500 jpy for 60 minutes.
As an example of the hugely widespread rental network: the Kimono Okamoto has branches right in the best tourist spots (Kiyomizu, Gion, Yasaka, etc).
Tea ceremony
The Tea Ceremony is a super "compact" experience that can be fit into your schedule even on days when you can't make it to the next big temple.
Practical:
- Typical length: about 45-90 minutes (some options are longer when a kimono or extended program is included)
- Best locations: Gion and Higashiyama (best to follow up with a walk)
- what to expect: explanation of the ritual, matcha preparation, sweets, sometimes the opportunity to try part of the ceremony
Prices start at 7 700 jpy for a 1.5 hour tea ceremony.
Take a ride on the Scenic Railway
Between the tourist district of Arashiyama/Sagano and the town of Kameoka, a historic railway weaves through deep forests and the winding valley of the Hozugawa River Sagano Romantic Train.
Today, the modern railway runs through tunnels and over bridges, but the old line along the river remains and daily cruise trains run along it.
Trains usually run every day except Wednesday, but in the peak season of autumn-tinted leaves (November), for example, they run daily.
Despite the fact that the train runs from about 9:00 am to 7:00 pm every hour, it is necessary to book tickets in advance online. Trains tend to sell out especially in November and in spring (March, April) even several days in advance.
- One-way ticket - 880 jpy
- Ticket booking - klook.com
- Official website - sagano-kanko.co.jp
You can easily reach the starting station "Saga Arashiyama" near Bamboo Forest from central Kyoto by JR trains or buses 11, 92 and 93.
You can get back from Kameoka either by JR trains or a sightseeing cruise, see below.
Boat cruise on the Hozugawa River
Take a scenic train ride from Arashiyama to Kameoka Town and sail back by boat!
You'll float down the river in traditional flat-bottomed boats steered by boatmen with oars and bamboo poles.
In places, the cruise can be a little more adrenaline-fuelled, but you won't be navigating any large rapids or weirs along the way and even a life jacket is not compulsory.
- Cruises daily from about 9:00 am to 3:30 pm (only 10:00 am to 2:30 pm in winter)
- Price - 6 000 jpy
- Online booking - klook.com
- 👉 My experience of the train ride and the boat ride back
You can also buy your ticket on the spot, but during high season (autumn when the leaves are colourful and spring when the sakura are in bloom) we definitely recommend booking online.
The dock is at Sanga Stadium about a 5 minute walk from the Kameoka modern JR train station.
The "Torkko Kameoka" scenic railway station is about 1.5 km away and can be reached by local bus for 350 jpy.
Gastronomy and food tours
Kyoto has its own gastronomic tradition known as kyō-ryōri, which is characterised by seasonal ingredients and very elegant presentation of food.
Organised food tours that take you through the old streets and small restaurants are very popular.
They often include, for example, a visit to a market:
- Nishiki Market
- Traditional izakaya in Pontocho Alley
Day trips from Kyoto
If you have more time and Kyoto is your main base in this part of Japan, there are some great day trips to take:
- Nara - the famous deer park and Todai-ji Temple
- 👉 train journey about 45 minutes
- The perfect day trip
- Uji - matcha tea production centre
- train journey approx. 35 minutes
- 👉 ideal half to one day trip
- Osaka - the modern gastronomic centre of Japan
- train journey approx. 40 minutes
- I would personally recommend going to Osaka for more days
- Kobe - my favourite Japanese city with its seaside promenade and beautiful mountains
- train journey about 65 minutes
- 👉 personally I would recommend going to Kobe for more days
Go hiking
Beautiful forests thickly covered with hills surround Kyoto on three sides and beckon for hiking.
There are two main hiking areas around Kyoto.
View the 10 best hotels in Kyoto
Climb Mount Inariyama
The most popular hiking trail is the hike up among the thousands of red torii gates to Fushimi Inari Shrine.
The entire circuit over Mount Inari takes approximately 2-3 hours.
Kyoto Trail
This monumental 80km trail through mountains and valleys with rivers and waterfalls follows the northern and eastern ring of hills around Kyoto.
The Kyoto Trail can be divided into many arbitrarily long sections. Parts of this trail can be used for just a short one-hour hike, or you can take a day trip.
Remember that the eastern part (Higashiyama) in particular is very hilly and you can expect considerable elevation changes.
The trail goes all the way out of town through deep forests, but there are often beautiful views. The Kyoto Trail can be reached by public transport to several places:
- Eizan Railway + Eizan cable car to Mount Hiei
- Total 1 180 jpy for the train and two cable cars (neither the JR Pass nor the Kansai Railway Pass apply here
- Trains run from Demachiyanagi Station, which can be reached by buses on lines 3, 7, 102, 201, 203 or Keihan Railway trains
- Eizan Railway to NinoseStation
- Total 410 jpy (neither the JR Pass nor the Kansai Railway Pass apply here
- Trains run from Demachiyanagi Station, which can be reached by buses of lines 3, 7, 102, 201, 203 or Keihan Railway trains
- Metro Red Line to Keage Station
- Buses and trains to Fushimi Inari-Taisha Shrine
Kiyotaki River Trail
A shorter trail through the picturesque Kiyotaki River valley in the west of Kyoto.
Although it is formally part of the Kyoto Trail, it is not directly connected to the main part of the trail.
Both ends of the trail are easily accessible by bus lines, on which a full-day bus + subway ticket is valid.
- North end (Toganoo) - Line 8 (towards both the red and green subway lines) or the West JR Bus line "Kyoto Station - Toganoo"
- South end (Kiyotaki) - lines 92 and 94 from Arashiyama area
Any questions left?
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