I’m sharing my 5 days in Kyoto itinerary, which includes a day trip to Nara! We were able to spend 3 weeks in Japan in November 2018 and Kyoto was the third city on our trip. This post is part 4 of my multi-part series sharing How to Plan a 3 Week Trip to Japan.
Kyoto is a beautiful city known for its many preserved cultural sites, beautiful gardens, and standout temples. 5 days in Kyoto is plenty of time to visit the sites, eat delicious food, and use as a home base for visiting other cities. Here’s what we did in Kyoto for our first time visit.
Check out my other itineraries for Japan:
- How to Plan a 3 Week Trip to Japan
- 4 Days in Tokyo Itinerary for the First Time Visitor
- How to Spend One Day in Nikko, Japan
Planning your visit to Kyoto
We planned to spend 5 days in Kyoto before continuing to visit other cities in Japan. Check out my post on How to Plan a 3 Week Trip to Japan for tips on portable wi-fi options, how to find accommodations, how to get around Japan, and more.
What area to stay in Kyoto
In Kyoto, we stayed in the downtown area of Kawaramachi. This ended up because a great location for us because we were easily able to walk to restaurants and sites at all hours of the day, and we were near bus stops to get to other places in the city.
I searched for hotels using Agoda.com to find an option in our budget. I considered using AirBNB but wanted to have the safety net of a hotel front desk incase we had questions or needed help with something.
We stayed at Hotel Gran Ms Kyoto and enjoyed our stay. The hotel was much nicer with bigger rooms than our Tokyo stay, the front desk staff were friendly, and the entrance was on a side street which made for a quieter area.
How to get around in Kyoto
The public transportation in Kyoto makes it easy to get around without needing to rent a car. We used the bus to get around when it was too far to walk. There is also a subway system but we found the bus to be more convenient. I used Google Maps for bus directions and inside the bus will show the next bus stop. Signage is in Japanese and English, making it tourist friendly to figure out where to go.
Read these tips from the Kyoto City Bus on how to use the buses and info on the ticket types and prices. Consider an all day pass if you’ll be moving a lot on that day or pay as you go.
Purchase tickets and pocket wi-fi in advance
If there are certain places you want to visit or activities you want to do, consider checking if you need to buy a ticket in advance to visit. You can read about buying a Japan Rail Pass (JR Pass) and renting a pocket wi-fi in my previous post, 4 Days in Tokyo Itinerary for the First Time Visitor.
Tea ceremony and kimono experience tickets
In Kyoto, I wanted to experience a tea ceremony and have the opportunity to try on a traditional kimono. I booked tickets in advance at Kyoto MAIKOYA to secure our spot.
Kyoto Itinerary Day 1 – Arrival
Day 1 is mostly a travel day. We left Nikko on the shinkansen and did 5 hours of travel time to Kyoto, changing trains a few times. If you go to Kyoto from Tokyo, your travel time will be about 2.5 hours instead.
We arrived at Kyoto Station after 2pm. This station has plenty of food options and we decided to eat a late lunch at Sushi no Musashi to experience conveyor belt sushi. We took the bus to our hotel to check-in and do some laundry. Later, we got snacks at a 7Eleven for our dinner.
Kyoto Itinerary Day 2 – Nishiki Market and Gion
For our first full day in Kyoto itinerary, we wanted to explore and shop in the downtown area we were in and go to Gion, an area with traditional wooden buildings and cobblestone streets.
Second day in Kyoto highlights:
- Nishiki Market
We spent most of the morning at Nishiki Market to shop and eat through all of the vendor along 5 blocks. We bought chopsticks, kitchen trinkets, snacks, and gifts. - Tendon Makino Kyoto Teramachi
As we were walking back from Nishiki Market to our hotel, we saw a long line of people at this restaurant and put our name on the list. We waited an hour and then sat to eat delicious, light, crispy tempura and oysters. - Yasaka Shrine
In the evening, we went to see the Yasaka Shrine. Vendors were at the shrine, the lights were beautiful, and a wedding was going on, making the visit really memorable. - Tatsumi Bridge
After the shrine, walk towards the Tatsumi Bridge to take photos of this traditional area. It’s great to visit at day or night and you might even spot a geisha or maiko walking around. - Round One Kyoto Kawaramachi
This is an multi-level arcade with billards, karaoke, bowling, claw games, and more. It was probably the best arcade we experienced during our trip.
Kyoto Itinerary Day 3 – Tea Ceremony, Silver Pavillion, and a Local Bar
This day we had a pre-booked tea ceremony and plans to visit one of the popular temples in Kyoto. While browsing a yard sale, a local offered us a business card to visit his bar later that day which ended up being one of the best bar experiences. We also found a small sushi spot to try and ended up having a conversation with the chef through his translation device that he was super excited to use.
Third day in Kyoto highlights:
- Kyoto Maikoya
We picked out kimonos to wear and participated in a traditional tea ceremony. We were the only people in the ceremony and enjoyed the intimate experience. - Ginkaku-ji Temple (Silver Pavillion)
Also officially known as Jisho-Ji, this temple is beautiful to walk around. The intricate zen gardens are pristine and the temple offers great views. - Philsopher’s Path
This pathway is along a stream lined with trees. We walked part of the way and veered off to visit shops along the way. - Hatsune Sushi
Hunger was setting in and we found this sushi spot using Google Maps. We were the only patrons and no English menus were available, but the chef was so kind and we used a lot of hand gestures and his translation device to communicate. It was a great memorable meal! - Miltons Kyoto
We ran into the owner earlier in the day who told us to visit his bar and we’re so glad we did! This bar is super small but full of personality from Milton the owner’s artwork and hand drawn labels. The area of this bar was also great to walk around and get a bowl of ramen afterwards.
Kyoto Itinerary Day 4 – Fushimi Inara and day trip to Nara
We took the train out to the town of Nara, famous for the deer that are seen lounging all over the city. On the way to Nara, we stopped to visit Fushimi Inara before continuing our 45 minute journey to Nara.
Fourth day in Kyoto and Nara highlights:
- Fushimi Inara
This shrine was built in 711AD and famously features rows of orange torii gates with fox statues all around the grounds. It’s highly recommended to arrive early to beat the crowds of people. You can hike around the area but we only went up part way to save time to get to Nara. There are vendors around the area where we grabbed a snack. - Floresta Donuts Nara
When we arrived to Nara, we stopped by Floresta Donuts, a cute small shop with delicious flavors. - Kofuku-ji Temple
This Buddhist temple is one of the oldest in Japan. Walk the grounds and see the 5-story tall pagoda, a 3-story tall pagoda, and several buildings. There is a small entrance fee but we decided to just look at the pagoda before continuing to walk around. - Todai-ji Temple
This is one of the largest and significant Buddhist temples in Japan and has historical significance. It features one of the largest bronze statues of Buddha. - Nara Park
Nara Park is a vast park known for the iconic deer population that roams freely. Deer are considered sacred in Shinto religion, they’re protected creatures. Purchase deer crackers from vendors around the park to feed the deer. But be careful, the deer will rush to you to eat! One deer ate my map while I was giving them a cracker. - Katsukara Tonkatsu
We went back to Kyoto after our Nara day trip and had dinner at Katsukara Tonkatsu because it looked pretty from the outside. We had a delicious pork tonkatsu dinner served with excellent presentation.
Kyoto Itinerary Day 5 – Arashiyama Bamboo Grove and Higashiyama District
For our last full day in Kyoto itinerary, we wanted to continue to check off must-see places in Kyoto like a large bamboo forest, the Gold Pavilion, and a historic area to see an iconic photo taking spot of Kyoto before packing for our next city.
Fifth day in Kyoto highlights:
- Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
A visit to this forest of sprawling tall bamboo is a must-do. Go early to beat the waves of people fighting to get a good Instagram pic. Even with the crowds, it’s a great experience. - Tenryuji Temple
This temple is located near the Bamboo Grove. If you have time, it’s a beautiful site to visit with meticulously maintained grounds. - Kinkaku-ji Temple (Gold Pavilion)
This Zen Buddhist temple is best known for it’s vivid gold leaf covered temple. It’s radiant, distinct, and amazing to see in person. - Higashiyama District
This Higashiyama district is an area in Kyoto known for its historic and picturesque traditional feel of the city. The streets are preserved and lined with traditional wooden houses, making it feel like you’ve stepped back in time. Explore the streets, look for the Yasaka Pagoda, and go at sunset for great pictures. - Tiger Gyoza
We tried Tiger Gyoza for dinner, a casual restaurant that serves literal banana-sized gyoza. Made with fresh dough, these gyoza were filling and fun to eat. - Sake Bar Asakura
We found this small sake bar to sample flights of sake. The bartender was friendly and helpful, spoke English, and we had a great conversation!
What I’ll do next time I visit Kyoto
We did so much in our 5 days in Kyoto itinerary. Even with 5 days, there are also plenty of things we didn’t get to do. If I get to visit Kyoto again, here are some things I want to do.
Shopping
- Shigeharu: Japanese and German knives are my favorite knives to buy and this store is known for their excellent quality.
- Ichihara Heibei Shōten: This is another knife store that I wanted to peruse, I would visit all the shops and decide at the end where I want to purchase.
Things to do
- ONCHI Kyoto Miniature: Sign up in advance to take a class on making miniature food figures in a small intimate setting.
- Kyoto Imperial Palace: I love visiting palaces and castles, this palace looks to be on large garden grounds.
Must Visit Spots for your Kyoto Itinerary
My Kyoto itinerary has my list of how I spent 5 days in Kyoto. I know not everyone can spend 5 days in Kyoto, but I’d recommended at minimum 2 days in Kyoto. Here are the must-visit spots I recommend including in your trip.
- Nishiki Market
- Ginkaku-ji Temple (Silver Pavillion)
- Fushimi Inara
- Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
- Kinkaku-ji Temple (Gold Pavilion)
Visiting Japan with 5 days in Kyoto Itinerary
I loved our 5 days in Kyoto itinerary. It felt like the perfect amount of time to see the sights in a relaxed timeline, wander around, and a great base to do a day trip to Nara. The smaller city was a nice change from Tokyo. The shops, the tea ceremony, and walking around the preserved districts were my favorite parts!
What places in Kyoto did I miss? Let me know in the comments!
