Kyoto

We spent five days in Kyoto during our 12-day Japan trip in May 2025. We flew into Japan via Hong Kong on a 4.5-hour flight, landing at Osaka's Kansai Airport. From there, we took the Haruka Express trains that run every 30 minutes and arrived in Kyoto in about 1.5 hours.

Overview

Kyoto is the most enjoyable Japanese city for sightseeing, but the locals felt the coldest to me. In Tokyo, Nara, and Hiroshima, the people we interacted with were much warmer. Kyoto is both more traditional and more tourist-fatigued, so people were generally more distant with foreigners.

Getting There

• From Osaka Airport, we bought a 1,800-yen ticket from the machine, but they charged an extra 1,200 yen for the express supplement on the train itself. This must be a common mistake because they didn't fine us at all, the ticket guy just took the money and moved on. Pay attention to compartments and seats on these trains. Since we bought tickets from the machine directly, it automatically put us in the unreserved section. We sat down without noticing and later had to switch compartments with our luggage, which was quite a struggle coming from the airport.
• For metro use in this region, you get an ICOCA card, 500 yen deposit plus 1,500 yen loaded automatically, available from machines.
• Although we estimated 1.5 hours for the journey, from airport exit to hotel check-in took a total of 3.5 hours.
• The Shinkansen trains are very comfortable and spacious. Just a bit pricey, but incredibly comfortable.

What to See

East Kyoto:

• Bukko-ji: Doesn't look like much from outside but it's quite beautiful and worth seeing.
• Kennin-ji Temple: A nice temple with wild boar motifs, worth a stop if you're passing by.
• Kiyomizu-dera: The streets are empty one moment, then suddenly insanely crowded as you approach this temple. Walking in through the main entrance and exploring the entire complex takes about 2 hours. No queue at the entrance, no advance tickets needed. The atmosphere is phenomenal, gorgeous greenery and stunning temples. The main temple was built entirely with wooden joinery, not a single nail used. It means "pure water." The ritual of pouring sacred water over the statues inside is a delightful experience.
• Sanenzaka: Incredibly crowded. If only it were closed to car traffic. Nice shops but spending time here in the crowds is tough. Best to pass through on your way to Kiyomizu-dera and just catch a glimpse.
• Ninenzaka: More pleasant to explore than Sanenzaka, less crowded, good cafes.
• Starbucks Kyoto Ninenzaka Yasaka Chaya: The ambiance is amazing, beautifully designed to fit the traditional surroundings, but incredibly crowded and hard to get in.
• Hokan-ji Temple (Yasaka Pagoda): Google Maps says it closes at 3 PM but there isn't much to enter, seeing it from outside is sufficient. Quite a majestic structure.
• Ryozen Kannon Temple: The large Buddha is quite beautiful, and the ceremony is enjoyable. Definitely worth visiting. Great atmosphere.
• Maruyama Park: The fish in the pond are enormous and constantly jumping. Must be even more impressive during cherry blossom season, but enjoyable even now.
• Yasaka Shrine: The most impressive temple we saw on our first day after Keizo. This one is much more actively used for religious ceremonies, with photography banned in some areas. We loved it.
• Higashiyama: Geishas come out in the evening apparently. Pleasant to see during the day, but evenings must be far better.
• Kashiwayacho: We passed through here while heading to dinner, a long, narrow, beautiful street that doesn't show up in travel blogs. A genuine surprise find for us.
• Kyoto Shinkyogoku Shopping Street: Also absent from travel blogs, we wandered in randomly but it's a great area with everything you'd want. Fun too.

West Kyoto:

• Finding breakfast in the Arashiyama area is very difficult. Better to eat breakfast elsewhere and then come here.
• Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama: Exploring the area takes about 2 hours. The initial climb is quite steep, everyone leaves their strollers at the entrance. The monkeys live in a natural habitat, not zoo-style. Feeding them is banned except through a controlled cage where humans go inside and feed outward. Tourist numbers far exceed the monkey count, maybe 50-60 monkeys total. Worth it for the panoramic Kyoto views from the hilltop, seeing Japanese macaques, and walking through a beautiful forest.
• Tenryu-ji: Three different ticket types for entry. Absolutely no need to buy the temple ticket, you can see the temple perfectly with just the garden ticket. The only advantage of the temple ticket would be taking photos inside, which really isn't necessary. Much smarter to come here before the bamboo forest and exit through the gate directly into it. Can be skipped entirely if time is tight, other Kyoto temples are better, and the bamboo forest is more important.
• Arashiyama Bamboo Forest: The best place we saw in Kyoto. Absolutely otherworldly. After reaching the end, continue to the right to see the lotus pond (Ogura Pond) and wander through the local houses of the Arashiyama area, a wonderful experience.

Central and South Kyoto:

• Nijo Castle: Not bad, but probably the most expensive entry fee. Extra charges to enter inner areas. Feels a bit dull compared to other sites, but worth visiting if you have time.
• Fushimi Inari Temple: One of the most beautiful places we saw in Kyoto. A full circuit could take an entire day; if you just explore the first sections and turn back, half a day suffices. The full tour is absolutely worth it, both the atmosphere and the site are extraordinary. Just be prepared for serious stair and uphill climbing for the full circuit. Can be combined with a Nara day trip for a quicker version, but if time allows, doing them on separate days is much better.

Food & Drink

• To.: A chef-run breakfast spot that requires reservations even for breakfast. Couldn't get in.
• Honke Owariya Main Branch: Looked open but turned out to be closed on Wednesdays, last-minute itinerary change. We missed the area's most famous soba restaurant.
• Onimaru Yaki-Musubi: Think of it as a large sushi sandwich. Excellent, absolutely must try. The shrimp and salmon-avocado ones were superb. There's seating upstairs, which stays quite empty since most people grab and go.
• BnA Alter Museum Cafe/Lounge: Good breakfast, baby-friendly with an elevator, eggs and such available. Worth visiting if you're craving a Western-style breakfast.
• Ron's: The creme brulee donut was really good.
• Maccha House: Quality spot, though matcha is very hard to eat and drink. The uji matcha wasn't bad.
• Kyomachiya Obanzai Kohaku: The dishes are quite unusual for foreign visitors, hard to guess what you're eating even while chewing. Great ambiance overall, but the food can be challenging for tourists. The kamo eggplant and crispy potatoes were excellent.
• Kyocafe Chacha: One of the rare breakfast options in the Arashiyama area. Child-friendly, with a dedicated kids' eating area and a diaper-changing station. Staff are very attentive.
• Musubi-an: A pleasant spot with gluten-free and vegan snacks that aren't overly sweet.
• Kobe Beef Kisshokichi Kyoto Main Store: Quite pricey, but that's Kobe beef for you. The concept is great, they cook right in front of you. The waiters struggle terribly with English, which is baffling for such a tourist-heavy venue. Prices are expensive but seem normal for Kobe beef. The red wine list was terrible, completely unbefitting a restaurant focused entirely on meat.
• Libero: Mostly American wines, small venue, six glasses available, Coravin open, and the owner is very attentive. Great spot for wine tastings.
• Annee: The best breakfast we had in all of East Asia. The madame croque and quiche were superb. For takeaway, the shrimp tartine and quiche were again excellent.
• Kyoto Sushi Restaurant East End Gion: A tiny, charming neighborhood sushi spot with just six seats. We thoroughly enjoyed everything we ate. All the sushi was great, especially the shrimp tempura sushi, our favorite. We found the classic style here that we couldn't find elsewhere.
• Yamaya Karasuma-Oike: A nice liquor shop (franchise with other locations), particularly great and reasonably priced gift sakes.
• Kyoto Yaoichi Honkan: Like an upscale specialty market, full of high-quality niche products.
• Komeda's Coffee: The smoking room odor leaks out, disgusting. Coffee is okay, sweets are mediocre, standard place. No alternative milks.
• Wine Bar Pecora: Allows smoking inside, so we never managed to visit.
• Karasuma Due: Fully booked, needs reservations. Couldn't get in.

Tips & Advice

• Nara is about 1.5 hours from Kyoto. ICOCA cards work for the journey.
• Via Shinkansen: Hiroshima is about 1 hour 40 minutes, Tokyo about 2 hours 10 minutes.

Overall, a city whose specific tourist spots were genuinely delightful to explore, though I'm not sure I'd stop here again on my next Japan visit. I think I'd choose Tokyo over Kyoto. Still, it's a place every human being should visit at least once.