3 Days in Kyoto

3-Day Kyoto Itinerary: How To Spend 3 Days In Kyoto

Welcome to the beautiful Kyoto! Looking for ideas and places to visit on your next trip to Kyoto? In this blog, I will share my 3-day Kyoto itinerary and the best way to spend 3 days in Kyoto. 

Planning a trip to Kyoto can be a bit more challenging than you think. When people think of Kyoto, they usually think of the old traditional Japanese neighborhoods, temples, shrines, and geishas. This can mislead you and make you believe that Kyoto is a small city. However, this can’t be further from the truth. Kyoto is a really big city, and many of the famous places are quite spread apart. But don’t worry! After reading my blog, you’ll have a fantastic 3-day itinerary in Kyoto. 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

KYOTO

Kyoto is, together with Tokyo and Osaka, one of the most important cities in Japan. It is also a beautiful city where old traditional Japan mixes perfectly with modern culture and way of living. In Kyoto, you can walk around the beautiful and traditional Gion neighborhood, exploring its beautiful temples and shrines, and just sometime later, be shopping in the most modern buildings and shops you can think of. 

If you’re planning on visiting Kyoto, here are some interesting facts to know about it.

  1. Kyoto was the capital of Japan for over 1000 years, more in particular between 794 and 1868 AD.
  2. There are more than 3000 temples and shrines in the city., which has given it the nickname  “city of ten thousand temples”. And speaking of this, one of the shrines in Kyoto is over 1300 years old.
  3. Kyoto University is one of the most prestigious universities in Japan. 19 Nobel Prize winners have attended this university. 
  4. It is the 8th most populated city in Japan with approximately 1,5 million inhabitants. 
Plan a trip to Japan

HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU NEED TO VISIT KYOTO?

The answer to this question is a difficult one. Kyoto is a really big city and no matter how much you spend here, there will always be other things and places to visit. I would recommend spending here a minimum of 3 days in Kyoto to get to see its most popular sights without having to rush.

Just look on the bright side of things! Not being able to see everything in Kyoto, gives you a fantastic reason to return! We stayed in Kyoto for a total of 5 days. Out of these 5 days, we used 3 to visit Kyoto and the other two remaining days to go on a couple of day trips. 

3 DAYS IN KYOTO - ITINERARY

This is everything I did during the 3 full days I spent in Kyoto. At the end of this blog, as usual, I have compiled a map with all these places as well as some other alternatives in case you want to change your itinerary. 

Kyoto Day 1: West & Northern Kyoto

On the first day in Kyoto, we visited the western and northern parts of Kyoto. We wanted to visit the famous Arashiyama area and several temples located in the north of Kyoto. It was an intense day!

Arashiyama Bamboo Groove

Our day began by visiting the famous and beautiful Arashiyama Bamboo Groove, also known as the Bamboo Forest. But don’t the name fool you, this is not a forest. The area is approximately a few hundred meters long with many bamboo trees at both sides.

I had read that this area gets really crowded during the day so we decided to get there early hoping to beat the crowds. And let me say, it was worth it. We were not alone there, but walking among the bamboo without thousands of people around you was quite pleasant. In addition, with some patience, we managed to get some nice photos of the area.

Practical information:

  • The Bamboo Forest is free to visit and is open all day.
  • Get there early! We arrived there at approximately 7:30 and it was still relatively “empty”. By 8:00 it was already too full of people to enjoy the area.
  • If you do decide to get here early and skip breakfast to do so. I would recommend bringing a snack with you. Most cafés in Arashiyama open around 10:00 so once you’re done visiting, you will still have to wait to get food. However, if you do bring food, please keep don’t make the area dirty.
3 Days in Kyoto
3 Days in Kyoto

Tenryu-ji Temple

Tenryu-ji Temple is one of Kyoto’s five biggest zen temples and belongs to the Rinzai Buddhism school. The temple was built in 1339 but the buildings we can see today have been destroyed and reconstructed a few times. The garden, its most impressive part is still as it was originally designed, and it’s a must-visit place during autumn to enjoy the Momiji. 

The temple is located at the entrance of the Bamboo Groove so it is the perfect place to visit as soon as the forest starts getting busy. Walking through this temple was so peaceful and relaxing after the crowds. The autumn colors were starting to show and it was one of my favorite parts of the day.

Practical information

  • The temple is open between 8:30 and 17:00. Always check the official website for updated information.
  • To visit the garden, you have to pay 500 yen and if you want to visit inside the buildings, it is an additional 300 yen
3 days in kyoto

Breakfast at Bread & Espresso

After Tenryu-ji Temple, it was time to get some breakfast and Bread, Espresso & Arashiyama Garden. When we got there, the café was not yet open but the bakery was, so we took some delicious bread and coffee and ate them with views of Katsura River. It was one of the most delicious bakes we ate in Japan, so if you’re in the area and looking for somewhere to have breakfast, I definitely recommend it.

Arashiyama Park Observation Deck and Katsura River

Our next stop was to admire the beautiful Katsura River. During the peak of Momiji, this place is very famous for watching the autumn colors. When we visited, the autumn foliage was not yet at its peak but it was still beautiful. We first visited the Arashiyama Park Observation Deck to get an elevated view over the river. It was very beautiful watching the boats sail along the river.

3 Days in Kyoto

Afterwards, we went next to the river shore and relaxed a bit more next to the river. It was a beautiful morning and the sun was shining. It’s the perfect spot to have a picnic!

If you have some extra time, you can take a boat tour along the river and enjoy the beauty of the area. Since we had a limited time in Kyoto, we decided to skip it but I would have loved to do this.

3 days in Kyoto

Togetsukyo Bridge

Once we were done relaxing, we crossed the Katsura River. To do so, we crossed the Togetsukyo Bridge, which translates into English as “bridge who crosses the moon”. 

The bridge is a wooden bridge, which was rebuilt to resemble the Heian style of architecture. From this bridge, you get to have impressive views of the Arashiyama area, with the river and the mountains in the background. 

3 Days in Kyoto

Arashiyama Monkey Park

Across the river, we visited Arashiyama Monkey Park. This park has almost 120 Japanese monkeys living freely in nature. It is a beautiful park, where you can enjoy the seasonal colors, observe the monkeys in their habitat, and get beautiful views of Kyoto.

At first, I was a bit scared of visiting the park since I know monkeys can be a bit aggressive. However, I have to admit the park felt very safe. Upon arriving, you get informed of some basic rules to follow while in the park and if you follow them, everything should be ok. 

Practical information

  • The park is open daily between 9:00 and 16:00.
  • Admission is 600 yen per person. 
  • To reach the monkey park, you will have to hike uphill for approximately 20 minutes.
  • It is not allowed to bring food inside the park for safety reasons.

Arashiyama Kimon Forest

The Kimono Forest is an exhibition located next to the Arashiyama Randem Tram Station. The exhibition consists of 32 cylinders where traditional kimono textiles. The exhibition was created in 2013 and it is a very nice spot to take photos. 

Kinkaku-ji Temple

In the afternoon, we visited Kinkaku-ji Temple, also known as the “Golden Pavilion” which is located on the northern part of Kyoto. The temple gets this name because the first and second floors of the main building are covered with gold leaf. This building is located next to a pond creating a beautiful image with its reflection on the clear waters.

A visit to Kinkaku-ji will let you walk around the pond allowing you to admire the beautiful temple from different perspectives. Unfortunately, it is not possible to visit inside the main building but the view from outside is dreamy enough. 

Fun fact: The entrance ticket to visit Kinkaku-ji is also a protection amulet so don’t throw it away after your visit! It will make for a nice souvenir from Kyoto. 

Before visiting this temple, I wasn’t sure what to expect from it. I had read online reviews where it said the visit was too short and so full of tourists that it wasn’t worth it. However, after my visit, I’m happy that I didn’t get influenced by them and visited the temple anyway. Yes, there were a lot of people there but the visit was still beautiful.

Practical information:

  • The temple is open daily between 9:00 and 17:00.
  • Entry ticket is 500 yen per person.
  • Always check Kinkaku-ji’s official website for the latest updated information on opening hours and prices.
3 days in Kyoto

Ryoan-ji Temple

Our last stop of the day was Ryoan-ji Temple, located approximately 20 minutes walk from Kinkaku-ji. Ryoan-ji is famous for its zen rock garden. The garden consists of a pebbled rectangular lot with 15 rocks specifically located to bring relaxation and serenity. The garden is beautifully designed in a way that no matter where you stand, it is never possible to see the 15 rocks at the same time.

On top of the rock garden, when visiting Ryoan-ji you will also enjoy its peaceful pond, the gardens, and the temple’s main hall with its beautifully painted sliding doors.

Ryoan-ji surprised me in a very positive way. The temple was so peaceful and calm, it was the perfect place to just relax and enjoy the moment without any other worry.

Practical information:

  • The temple is open daily between 8:30 and 16:30 from December to February and between 8:00 and 17:00 from March and November.
  • The entrance ticket is 600 yen per person.
  • Always check Ryoan-ji’s official website for updated information about opening hours and prices.
3 days in Kyoto

Kyoto Tower

On our way back to our hotel, located next to Kyoto Station, we saw Kyoto Tower. This tower is not as iconic as the Tokyo one but still pretty to see, especially at night when it gets lit up. 

It is also possible to go to its observation deck and get 360-degree views of Kyoto. The tower is open daily between 10:00 and 21:00 and entry tickets cost 900 yen per person. We just admired it from the street, but if you want, you can book your tickets here.

Other places to visit in Arashiyama and Northern Kyoto

By the time we finished visiting Ryoan-ji, it was already 17:00 and the sun was starting to set. We decided to return to our hotel and rest before getting dinner.

If you have some extra time in the area, here is a list of other activities or places we would have liked to visit but couldn’t due to lack of time.

Arashiyama Area

  • Kogen-ji Temple
  • Jisai-in Temple
  • Shogan-ji Temple
  • Sagano Bamboo Groove
  • Go on a Katsura River boat ride
Northern Kyoto

  • Ninna-ji Temple

Kyoto Day 2: South-East Kyoto

Our second day in Kyoto was also quite packed with activities in the southern and eastern parts of Kyoto. Our target for the day was to visit some of the most famous sites in the city, so we were a bit worried about the amount of people we would find. Some of them were quite ok but we were a bit disappointed for others.

Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine

The first thing we visited was the iconic Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine. This name might not mean anything to you, but I am certain that you have already seen many photos of it. Fushimi Inari is famous for its thousands of vermilion torii gates that make several trails up and down Mount Inari. The shrine is dedicated to Inari, the Shinto rice god and business patron. In fact, the famous torii gates of this shrine are all installed after a donation from different businesses. On top of the torii gates, along the shrine, you will also see many fox statues which are supposed to be the messengers of Inari.

The most popular activity is Fushimi Inari is hiking the different torii gate trails that go through the forests of Mount Inari. Most people only do the first part until the Yotsutsuji intersection, where you can get nice views of Kyoto. However, if you have the time and energy, I recommend you do the complete trail since you’ll find fewer crowds after this intersection. 

Fushimi Inari was another place that had been on my Japan bucket list for many years and it didn’t disappoint. It was just as I imagined it to be. Since we love hiking, we went for the whole trail and enjoyed it very much. The crowds concentrate mostly in the first 10 to 15 minutes of the hike and after that, we could enjoy the endless torii gates with just a few people around us. 

Practical information

  • Fushimi Inari is open daily all day, so you can visit whenever you want.
  • It is also free to visit.
  • Bring comfortable shoes if you intend to do the complete trail.
3 days in Kyoto

Gion

After we were done exploring Fushimi Inari, we took the metro to Gion-Shijo Station to explore the famous neighborhood of Gion. This is Kyoto’s most famous geisha district, located between Yasaka Shrine and the Kamo River. The whole area is filled with shops, restaurants, and teahouses (ochaya in Japanese) where the geishas entertain their customers.

The best thing to do in Gion is to walk around and get lost in its charming and scenic streets, do some shopping in their many shops, and get some food or tea.

We first visited the beautiful area of Shirakawa, which runs along the Shirakawa Canal. The canal is lined by willow trees, restaurants, and teahouses. We really enjoyed exploring these streets since there were barely any people. 

3 days in Kyoto

Afterwards, we walked towards Hanamikoji Street and its charming side alleys, which are also full of traditional geisha houses (machiya in Japanese) and restaurants. When visiting this area, you will see that many streets have no photo signs, so please be respectful of the area. 

While walking through one of these alleys, we were very lucky to see a geisha! It is more common to see them during the evening. We kept our distance so as to not bother her, but I couldn’t help myself and took a quick photo

Yasaka Shrine

After our encounter with a geisha and buying some beautiful tea cups in a second-hand shop, we visited Yasaka Shrine. This shrine is one of the most popular shrines in Kyoto and where the Matsuri festival is celebrated in July. 

Behind the shrine, we found Maruyama Park where we had a little picnic for lunch. It was a beautiful autumn day, and the park was full of people dressed in kimono taking photos with the Momiji. I was tempted to go to one of the many kimono rentals that were nearby and join them. Maybe for the next trip to Japan.

Practical information

  • The shrine is open daily and it is free to visit.

3 days in Kyoto

Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka Streets

From Maruyama Park, we slowly walked towards the famous Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka Streets. These are two small streets on a hill, very close to Kiyomizudera Temple. They have an old-time ambiance that will make you think you have traveled back in time to the Edo period in Japan. They are full of little souvenir shops, ceramic shops, snacks, and teahouses and they are quite an experience. 

These streets are quite an experience except for one little factor, they are overcrowded with people. Everybody has seen the beautiful photos you can take here and of course, every person coming to Kyoto will be here. This was one of our biggest disappointments in Japan if I am being honest. The streets looked like they could be very beautiful but it was impossible to enjoy them.

If you want to enjoy these streets, I would go at sunrise or sunset. You will not be alone but you will at least be able to enjoy the area. 

The only inconvenience is that, at sunrise or sunset, all shops will be closed.

Photo from Roméo A. in Unsplash

Kiyomizudera Temple

At the end of Sannenzaka Street, you will arrive at another very famous landmark in Kyoto, Kiyomizuder Temple. This temple was built in the year 778, on the side of a hill where Otowa waterfall is. The name was named after it since Kiyomizudera translates into English as “Pure Water Temple”.

The temple’s most famous feature is the wooden terrace of the main hall, which is built over pillars that give amazing views over the trees and the city of Kyoto.

Kiyomizudera was also a bit of a disappointment. Pretty much for the same reasons as Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka streets, it was so crowded… The initial part of the temple with the pagoda and entry gates was relatively ok. However, the main hall terrace and viewpoints were so full of people that it was uncomfortable to stay there. 

Our initial idea was to stay and enjoy the sunset but the amount of people there made us change our mind. I just managed to quickly get a couple of photos in between the thousands of heads and left. However, looking at the photos, I can understand why everyone was there. The temple is breathtaking.

Practical information

  • Kiyomizudera Temple is open daily. The opening hour is always 6:00 but the closing hour varies between 18:00 and 18:30 depending on the time of the year. In Spring and Autumn, there are special night openings to admire the cherry blossom season and the autumn colors. Always check Kiyomizudera’s official site, to get the latest information.
  • The entry ticket to Kiyomizuder is 400 yen per person.
  • If you want to visit the temple with fewer people, I would recommend going there at opening time.

Pontocho Alley

To finish our day we visited Pontocho Alley, Kyoto’s most lively area for dining. Pontocho is a narrow alley west of Kamo River, packed with restaurants of all types of cuisine and budgets. 

Here, we ate at Sushitetsu, where we had the best sushi of our whole trip. If you are in the area at lunch or dinner time, definitely recommend you check out this place.

Other places to visit in Eastern Kyoto

If you have some extra time in the area, here is a list of other activities or places we would have liked to visit but couldn’t due to lack of time.

  • Nishiki Market
  • Kodai-ji Temple
  • Ryozen Kannon Temple
  • Rent a kimono for the day

Kyoto Day 3: North East & Central Kyoto

We visited the North-East and Central parts of Kyoto on our third and last day in Kyoto. We spent most of the day exploring the Philosopher’s Path and the many temples and shrines around it, which is one of the prettiest areas in Kyoto.

Ginkaku-ji Temple

Our first stop of the day was Ginkaku-ji Temple, also known as the Silver Pavilion. This beautiful and peaceful Zen temple is located on the hills of Higashiyama. It was built in 1474, trying to imitate the magnificence of Kinkaku-ji by covering its walls with silver. Even though this was never done, the temple still maintained the reference to silver in its name.

Walking along the temple’s grounds, you will see 6 buildings, including its main hall, a moss garden, and a very unique dry sand garden known as the “Silver Sand Sea”. 

Even though it was a rainy morning, I really enjoyed visiting this temple. The rain discouraged many visitors and we explored its grounds almost alone. The temple buildings were set in perfect harmony with the natural elements bringing you into a state of peace. In addition, from the top part of the temple, you get nice views of Kyoto.

Practical information:

  • The temple is open daily between 8:30 and 17:00 from March to November and between 9:00 and 16:30 from December to February.
  • Entry ticket is 500 yen per person
  • Always check Ginkaku-ji’s official website to get the latest information for opening hours and prices.
3 days in Kyoto
3 days in Kyoto

The Philosopher's Path

The Philosopher’s Path is a charming little walk along a canal in the Higashiyama area in Kyoto. This path will take you from Ginkaku-ji temple to Eikan-do temple.  

Here, you will be able to enjoy one of the most beautiful areas of the city. It is particularly popular in early spring during the cherry blossom season. But of course, it is worth visiting and maybe even more peaceful all year round. 

The path is named after the philosopher Nishida Kitaro, who used to love walking in this area while deep in his thoughts.  

3 days in Kyoto

Honen-in Temple

After walking for approximately 10 minutes on the Philosopher’s Path, we encountered Honen-in Temple. This is a simple but charming temple. 

The main highlights of this temple are its main gate and its gardens, in which you can find several tributes to modern art that blend in with the usual Buddhist symbols. There was even a beautiful temporary art exhibition in one of its halls. 

Practical information

  • The temple is open daily between 6:00 and 16:00.
  • The temple is free to visit.
Next to Honen-In Temple, there are two additional temples, Anraku-ji and Reykan-ji. However, these are only open to the public at very specific times of the year. If you manage to find them open during your visit to Kyoto, you can include them in your itinerary.

Eikan-do Temple

At the end of the Philosopher’s Path, we found Eikan-do Temple, which was absolutely fantastic to visit. This temple is famous among Kyoto citizens for enjoying the Momiji and I can understand why. During our visit, the Momiji was at its peak and it was quite impressive to see.

However, Eikan-do is more than just its gardens. The different buildings that are part of the temple, including a small pagoda on top of a hill are worth visiting too. 

Practical information:

  • The temple is open daily between 9:00 and 16:00.
  • Entrance ticket is 600 yen per person, except during autumn Momiji which costs 1000 yen per person.
  • You can find updated information about prices and opening hours on Eikan-do’s website.
  • To access the pagoda you will have to go up quite a few stairs. If you have mobility issues, will not be able to reach it.
3 days in Kyoto
3 days in Kyoto

Nanzen-ji Temple

We kept walking south and arrived at Nanzen-ji Temple. Nanzen-ji is another important Buddhist Zen temple of the Rinzai sect in Kyoto. This temple, made of several sub-temples, is famous for its huge entry gate, Sanmon Gate, and for having a red brick aqueduct inside its garden.

Nanzen-ji surprised us in a really good way. After seeing so many temples throughout our trip, they all start to look pretty much the same but Nanzen-ji has something different to it. 

One of Nanzen-ji’s sub-temples, Tenjuan Temple, has a zen rock garden in which you can sit, relax and meditate while you contemplate the beauty of this place.

Practical information:

  • The temple is open daily between 8:30 and 17:00 from March until November and between 8:30 and 16:30 from December until February.
  • The temple’s gardens are free to visit. However, you will have to pay an entry fee if you want to visit Sanmon Gate (600 yen), Nanzen-in (400 yen), or Tenjuan’s Rock Garden (600 yen).
  • Updated opening hours and price information is available on the Temple’s website.
3 Days in Kyoto

Keage Incline

Keage Incline was a beautiful spot that we discovered by chance on our way to our next spot. 

This is a former railway that was converted into a pedestrian trail lined with cherry trees (sakura). The trail links Lake Biwa Canal and Kamo River. The area becomes very crowded during cherry blossom season.

We visited during autumn so the area was quite peaceful and still very pretty. It was full of couples taking cute photos in their kimono’s. 

Chion-in Temple

After lunch, it was time for one last temple in Kyoto, Chion-in Temple. Chion-in is impressive due to the size of its entry gate (Sanmon Gate) and its main hall. 

Two beautiful gardens can be visited, the Hojo Garden which is a traditional Japanese garden, and the Yuzen Garden which is more modern.

The temple was quite beautiful. However, at this point in the day, we were a bit saturated with temples, so we did not appreciate it as much as we should have. 

Practical information:

  • The temple is open daily between 9:00 and 16:30.
  • The temple grounds are free to visit, but if you want to visit both gardens you will have to pay an admission fee of 300 yen for each garden or a combined ticket for 500 yen.

Nijo Castle

Our last stop of the day, and the last thing we visited in Kyoto was Nijo Castle. The castle was built in 1603 as the Kyoto residence of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Edo Period and after the shogunate fell, it became the imperial palace. In 1994, the castle was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

During your visit to the castle, you will be able to explore the Honmaru (the first circle of defense) and the Ninomaru (the second circle of defense) with the Ninomaru Palace and its gardens. 

After a complete day of visiting temples, the visit to the castle was quite interesting. Inside the Ninomaru Palace, we got to learn about the shogunate way of living. 

Practical information:

  • The castle is open between 9:00 and 17:00.
  • The admission ticket costs 1300 yen per person and will grant you access to the Ninomaru Palace and Nijo-jo Castle.
3 days in Kyoto

Other things to do in North-East & Central Kyoto

If you have some extra time in the area or feel that you want to modify our itinerary, here is a list of other activities or places we would have liked to visit.

 North-East Kyoto

  • Anraku-ji Temple 
  • Reykan-ji Temple
Central Kyoto
 
  •  Nishi Hongan-ji Temple
  • Higashi Hongan-ji Temple
  • Imperial Palace of Kyoto
  • Kyoto Goyen National Garden

DAY TRIPS FROM KYOTO

Are you staying in Kyoto for more than three days? Of course, there are still plenty of things you can do and places to visit in Kyoto. However, if you feel you want to get out of the city and explore some other areas of Japan, here are some day trip ideas from Kyoto.

Nara

This is, without a doubt, the most popular day trip from Kyoto and a beautiful place to visit. Nara Park with its more than 1200 deer walking freely in it is a must-visit place. In addition, you can also visit Todai-ji Temple with one of the biggest Buddha statues in Japan.

A day trip to Nara

Osaka

Another very popular day-trip destination is Osaka. If you’re just planning on doing some sightseeing, a day is more than enough to get to see its main sights. 

Himeji

Many people visit Himeji as a place to stop between Kyoto and Hiroshima. However, if you are not planning on going to that part of Japan during your trip, then Himeji and its beautiful white castle from the feudal era is a beautiful option for a day trip. 

Day Trip to Himeji

Kobe

Looking for a less visited place in Japan? Then Kobe might be just the place for you. This city, approximately 30 minutes by train south of Kyoto and Osaka, will surprise you. In addition, you will be able to taste the delicious Kobe Beef in the city that gives it its name. 

EATING IN KYOTO

The options are endless. Kyoto is a huge city and because of this, no matter where you are you will find many options for eating. It will just depend on how much time you want to wait to get seated.

Some restaurants are more popular or exclusive than others so whenever possible, I recommend you book in advance. When this is not possible, you will have to write your name on a waiting list and wait. 

Here are the places we tried during our stay, but like I said there are thousands of places. All the places I mention here are pinned on the map at the end of this blog.

  • Burger Revolution. We were in the mood for a burger after a lot of days eating Japanese food and this place was just amazing with the wagyu beef paddies. 
  • Bread, Espresso and Gardens. This is the best breakfast place we tried in Japan. It was delicious and everything was freshly baked.
  • Sushitetsu. A must-try sushi with a chef preparing it directly in front of you.
  • Ichiran Ramen. This is a very popular ramen chain that you can find in every big city in Japan but the food was delicious-

ACCOMMODATION IN KYOTO

Accommodation is also endless in Kyoto. You will be able to find hotels for all tastes and budgets. From hostels and capsule hotels to traditional Japanese hotels or business hotels. All you will have to do is choose your budget and the area of Kyoto in which you want to stay.

In our case, we decided to book a hotel close to Kyoto Station since we were planning on going for a few day trips as well as visiting Kyoto. We stayed at Ala Hotel Kyoto and we were really happy with our choice. The hotel was a regular business hotel but was surprisingly quite spacious for Japanese standards. 

MOVING AROUND KYOTO

Kyoto is quite a big city so the best way to move around it is by using its public transport. Just hop on its metro or bus and use your IC card to pay for your rides. It is as simple as taping it when you enter and leave the public transport and the correct amount will be deducted from your card.

MAP WITH ALL LOCATIONS

And that’s it for this week’s blog. I hope you liked it and found it useful. Let me know what you think in the comments! 

DISCLAIMER: Did you know? This blog uses affiliate partnerships. When you click and book or make a purchase through one of my blog posts, I may receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you). Thank you for supporting The Travelling Hiker!

OTHER ARTICLES ABOUT JAPAN
ENJOYED THIS GUIDE? PIN IT FOR LATER!