YOUR FIRST KYOTO TRIP

5 places to fall in love with Kyoto

A flexible two-day plan for your first visit

Vermilion gates, a wooden temple above the city, a golden pavilion beside a pond and a path through bamboo. Start with these five places, then use the photos, maps and station information on each spot page to make the trip your own.

2 days · 5 places · public transport + walking

See the two-day plan ↓

Photo source & licence

Turn your wish list into a route

All time budgets below are our planning estimates, not official visit durations or guaranteed travel times. They exclude queues and meals unless stated. Check live directions, weather and opening times before leaving; allow more time if you walk slowly or travel with children.

Morning: Fushimi Inari Taisha. After a transfer and lunch: Kiyomizu-dera, then walk through Higashiyama toward Yasaka Shrine. Keep this a full sightseeing day, with time for breaks. The Fushimi stop covers the lower shrine and torii area, not a full mountain hike.

Fushimi Inari → Kiyomizu-dera: use the Keihan railway to Kiyomizu-Gojo, then the temple’s approximately 25-minute walking approach. Budget 60–90 minutes for the whole transfer. Kiyomizu-dera → Yasaka: walk through Higashiyama; reserve 45–60 minutes, more with photo stops. These transfer budgets are estimates.

Check this transfer: Fushimi Inari Taisha → Kiyomizu-dera ↗

Check this transfer: Kiyomizu-dera → Yasaka Shrine ↗

Day 2 · Gold and bamboo in western Kyoto

Kinkaku-ji · Golden Pavilion
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

Morning: Kinkaku-ji, which currently opens at 09:00. Afternoon: Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, with a separate lunch break. These are different areas: reserve 60–90 minutes for the transfer as a planning allowance and check the actual journey. Leave the rest of the afternoon for Arashiyama, or finish after the bamboo path.

For Kinkaku-ji from Kyoto Station, the city recommends the Karasuma subway to Kitaoji and bus 204 or 205 to Kinkakuji-michi. For the onward journey, check live transit directions; do not assume Kinkaku-ji and Arashiyama are within walking distance. JR Saga-Arashiyama is on the Sagano Line.

Check this transfer: Kinkaku-ji · Golden Pavilion → Arashiyama Bamboo Grove ↗

Only one day? Choose Day 1 or Day 2. If long walks are difficult, choose fewer stops and check the official accessibility information. Adding every place can leave little time to enjoy it.

Choose the places you want to see

01 · Day 1 · Torii gates and eastern Kyoto

Fushimi Inari Taisha

Begin beneath the vermilion torii

Make the Senbon Torii your first stop. Choose how far to walk before continuing to eastern Kyoto; the full mountain route needs a separate time budget.

Time to set aside: 60–90 minutes for the lower shrine and torii area; no summit hike
Getting there: JR Inari Station is beside the shrine. Keihan Fushimi-inari Station is approximately 5 minutes away on foot.

Photos & practical details → Open map ↗ Official information ↗

02 · Day 1 · Torii gates and eastern Kyoto

Kiyomizu-dera

A wooden stage above Kyoto

Look toward the Main Hall from Okuno-in for the temple stage and cityscape together. Afterwards, continue through Higashiyama toward Yasaka Shrine rather than adding another distant district.

Time to set aside: 90–120 minutes at the temple, excluding the approach
Getting there: Approximately 25 minutes on foot from Keihan Kiyomizu-Gojo Station, or approximately 10 minutes from Gojozaka bus stop. The approach involves uphill walking.

Photos & practical details → Open map ↗ Official information ↗

03 · Day 1 · Torii gates and eastern Kyoto

Yasaka Shrine

End the day near Gion

Use Yasaka Shrine as the final stop of your Higashiyama walk. It also gives you a clear point from which to head toward Gion-shijo Station when you are ready to leave.

Time to set aside: 30–45 minutes, excluding the walk from Kiyomizu-dera
Getting there: The shrine lists approximately 5 minutes on foot from Keihan Gion-shijo Station or 8 minutes from Hankyu Kyoto-kawaramachi Station.

Photos & practical details → Open map ↗ Official information ↗

04 · Day 2 · Gold and bamboo in western Kyoto

Kinkaku-ji · Golden Pavilion

Make room for the golden pavilion

Begin your second day with the pavilion and its pond-side setting. Current official visiting hours are 09:00–17:00 and general admission is ¥500; special exhibitions may change them. Check again before travelling.

Time to set aside: 45–60 minutes
Getting there: Take a city bus to Kinkakuji-michi. From Kyoto Station, the city recommends the subway to Kitaoji, then bus 204 or 205.

Photos & practical details → Open map ↗ Official information ↗

05 · Day 2 · Gold and bamboo in western Kyoto

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

Finish on a path through bamboo

Walk the public bamboo path and let this be the quieter-paced part of your plan. The path is free; nearby gardens and temples have separate admission. Keep time for the wider area if you want to visit them.

Time to set aside: 20–30 minutes for the bamboo path; 2–3 hours if you add the surrounding area
Getting there: The JR Sagano Line serves Saga-Arashiyama Station. JR, Randen and Hankyu Arashiyama stations are in different locations: check which one your route uses and follow walking directions to the bamboo grove.

Photos & practical details → Open map ↗ Official information ↗

Photos are reused from the site’s licensed gallery. Credits link to the original file and its individual licence. Images may be resized or cropped for this page.

Before you go

Check the latest admission fees and opening hours on each spot page and the official websites. Budget separately for transport, food and optional temples or gardens.
Wear shoes suitable for walking. The temple approach and shrine paths include slopes or steps; this is not a step-free itinerary.
Keep paths clear when taking photos, respect worshippers and follow signs about private roads and photography. Do not touch or carve the bamboo.
Save this page in your browser bookmarks. The map buttons open Google Maps; choose public transport and set your actual departure time.

Explore more places in Kyoto →

Sources and checked date

Access and visitor information checked: 2026-09-27

Original itinerary by japan-spots.com, based on the official sources below. This is a suggested plan, not a booked tour.