Kyoto itinerary
7 days, hour by hour · JapanOctober–May
- Days
- 7
- Stops
- 35
- Per day
- ≈ ¥11,000
- First stop
- 07:00
Short answer
The TripWalkers Kyoto itinerary runs 7 days and lays out 35 stops, hour by hour, for October–May. The first three days:
- Day 1 Higashiyama and Gion
- Day 2 Fushimi Inari and Uji
- Day 3 Arashiyama
Staying less? Start with the first days — TripWalkers uses the opening days of this plan for shorter trips too. Day 5 is a day trip out of the city. Food, entry fees and local transport come to about ¥11,000 a day (excluding accommodation and flights).
Day 1 · 08:00–18:30
Higashiyama and Gion
Culture
Kiyomizu-dera
Wooden terrace on a 778 temple; empty at 08:00, three streams of Otowa waterfall, night openings in autumn and spring.
≈ ¥500 per personLandmark
Sannenzaka & Ninenzaka
Preserved stone-stepped lanes; tatami Starbucks, yatsuhashi (cinnamon sweet) tasting.
FreeCulture
Kodai-ji
Zen garden and bamboo; the temple of Hideyoshi's widow.
≈ ¥600 per person- 30 min · travel, break, free time
Food
Nishiki Market
'Kyoto's Kitchen', a 400-year-old market; tamagoyaki, yuba, pickles. No eating while walking. Two streets.
≈ ¥1,500 per person- 3 h 30 min · travel, break, free time
Landmark
Gion Hanamikoji
Geisha district; Shirakawa canal, maiko head to work between 17:30 and 18:00 (photo rules apply, private lanes off limits).
Free
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
- Omen NishikiUdon; next to Nishiki.
- Yasaka ShrineGion's shrine and Maruyama Park; lanterns at night.
Day 2 · 07:00–16:30
Fushimi Inari and Uji
Culture
Fushimi Inari Taisha
10,000 red torii; empty at 07:00, 45 minutes to the Yotsutsuji viewpoint (full loop 2.5 hours), open 24 hours.
Free- 1 h 15 min · travel, break, free time
Culture
Byodo-in Uji
The Phoenix Hall from the 10 yen coin; 15 minutes on the JR Nara line, museum included.
≈ ¥700 per personFood
Nakamura Tokichi Uji
1854 tea house; matcha soba and parfait, expect a queue, Uji matcha tasting.
≈ ¥1,500 per personNature
Uji River & Ujigami Shrine
Japan's oldest shrine and the riverside; tea shops.
Free- 45 min · travel, break, free time
Culture
Fushimi Sake District Gekkeikan
Sake breweries along the canal; Gekkeikan Okura Museum, 3 tastings.
≈ ¥600 per person
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
- Tofuku-jiZen garden and Tsutenkyo Bridge (autumn); instead of Uji.
- Tsuen Tea UjiThe world's oldest tea house, since 1160; at the foot of the bridge.
Day 3 · 07:30–14:45
Arashiyama
Nature
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
Bamboo corridor; crowded after 08:00, enter via the north gate of Tenryu-ji.
FreeCulture
Tenryu-ji
UNESCO Zen temple; Sogenchi garden and borrowed mountain scenery.
≈ ¥500 per person- 1 h 30 min · travel, break, free time
Landmark
Togetsukyo Bridge & Katsura River
The Moon Crossing Bridge; boats, cherry and maple hills.
FreeFood
Arashiyama Yoshimura Soba
Soba with a bridge view; tempura.
≈ ¥1,500 per personNature
Iwatayama Monkey Park
Macaque monkeys on a hilltop; 20-minute climb, city views.
≈ ¥600 per person
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
- Sagano Romantic TrainTrain through the Hozugawa valley; Torokko Saga, instead of the monkeys (stunning in autumn).
- % Arabica ArashiyamaRiverside coffee; expect a queue.
Day 4 · 09:00–19:00
North: Kinkaku-ji, Ryoan-ji and Nijo
Culture
Kinkaku-ji
The Golden Pavilion; opens at 09:00, reflection in the pond, 30-minute loop.
≈ ¥500 per personCulture
Ryoan-ji
Zen garden of 15 stones; sit quietly and you will see 14 of them.
≈ ¥600 per personCulture
Ninna-ji
Five-storey pagoda and the late-blooming Omuro cherry (April).
≈ ¥800 per person- 1 h · travel, break, free time
Culture
Nijo Castle
Shogun's palace; the 'nightingale floors' squeak, Ninomaru garden, closed Tuesdays (some months).
≈ ¥1,300 per person- 2 h 30 min · travel, break, free time
Food
Honke Owariya
Soba since 1465; Kyoto's oldest restaurant.
≈ ¥1,800 per person
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
- Ippudo NishikiRamen chain; quick.
- Kyoto Imperial PalaceImperial palace; free, instead of Nijo (closed Mondays).
Day 5 · 09:00–14:30Day trip
Nara
Nature
Nara Park Deer
35 minutes on the Kintetsu line (direct from Kyoto); 1,200 free-roaming deer, shika senbei (deer crackers) 200 yen, they bow to greet you.
≈ ¥200 per personCulture
Todai-ji Daibutsu
15 m bronze Buddha; the world's largest wooden building, pillar hole.
≈ ¥800 per personCulture
Kasuga Taisha
Path of 3,000 stone lanterns; in the forest.
≈ ¥500 per personFood
Nakatanidou Mochi
Lightning-fast mochi pounding show; yomogi (mugwort) mochi.
≈ ¥200 per personLandmark
Naramachi
Old merchant quarter; Koshi-no-ie house, cafes.
Free
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
- Kamameshi Shizuka NaraPot rice (kamameshi); next to the park.
- Isuien GardenGarden that borrows Todai-ji as scenery; instead of Naramachi.
Day 6 · 09:00–15:30
Philosopher's Path and Ginkaku-ji
Culture
Ginkaku-ji
The Silver Pavilion (not actually silver); sand cone and moss garden.
≈ ¥500 per personNature
Philosopher's Path
2 km canal path; cherry blossom in April, maple in November, cats.
Free- 45 min · travel, break, free time
Culture
Nanzen-ji
Aqueduct (Suirokaku) and Sanmon gate; Tenjuan garden.
≈ ¥600 per personFood
Okutan Nanzenji Yudofu
Simmered tofu (yudofu) beside the temple; since 1635, quiet garden.
≈ ¥3,500 per personCulture
Heian Shrine
Giant red torii; garden (weeping cherry in April).
≈ ¥600 per person
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
- Blue Bottle Kyoto NanzenjiCoffee in a machiya (townhouse); instead of tofu.
- Kyoto National MuseumNational treasures; instead of Heian on a rainy day.
Day 7 · 08:30–13:15
Pontocho morning: a gentle farewell
Nature
Kamo River Morning Walk
Riverbank; stepping stones between Sanjo and Shijo, herons.
FreeLandmark
Pontocho Alley
Narrow geisha lane, quiet by day; kawayuka terraces in the evening (May to September).
Free- 30 min · travel, break, free time
Shopping
Kyoto Station Isetan
Depachika (basement food hall) inside the station and yatsuhashi souvenirs; rooftop Skyway is free.
FreeFood
Kyoto Ramen Koji
Eight regional ramen shops on the station's 10th floor; a farewell meal.
≈ ¥1,100 per person- 30 min · travel, break, free time
Landmark
Kyoto Station Haruka Kansai
Haruka Express to Kansai takes 75 minutes; bus to Itami takes 55 minutes.
≈ ¥1,800 per person
Plan B — if it's crowded or closed (2)
- Kyoto Tower SandoFood street under the tower.
- To-jiJapan's tallest pagoda; next to the station, flea market on the 21st of the month.
Getting around: get an ICOCA + daily bus
Kyoto's bus network is extensive; the metro has only 2 lines; ICOCA works everywhere
Good to know: 6 things that make a Kyoto trip easier
- Daily bus pass 700 JPY (tourist routes are packed), metro plus bus 1,100; ICOCA is the most practical. Haruka from Kansai takes 75 minutes; JR from Osaka takes 30 minutes. Bike rental 1,000 per day.
- Maple foliage in late November (Tofuku-ji, Arashiyama, Eikando at night), cherry blossom in early April (Philosopher's Path, Maruyama); winter is 5°C, Kinkaku-ji under snow, January to February is quiet; March to May is crowded.
- Temples cost 500-800 JPY, cash only; no eating while walking in Nishiki; private lanes in Gion have been off limits since 2024, do not stop maiko.
- Yudofu, kaiseki (10,000+), obanzai (Kyoto home cooking), matcha; ramen 1,000, teishoku (set meal) 1,200; no tipping, cards are becoming common but carry cash.
- Kiyomizu, Fushimi and the Bamboo Grove before 08:00; Kinkaku-ji and Nara open at 09:00; check Nijo's closing days.
- Nara's deer eat paper and will bow; when the crackers are gone, show them your empty hands.
Spending: ≈ ¥77,000 per person for 7 days
- Food¥45,000
- Entry and tours¥15,000
- Local transport¥9,000
- Other¥8,000
Excludes accommodation and flights. 2026 price estimate, per person.
On world lists: 1 place in this city
We did the planning. You just pick the dates.
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Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need in Kyoto?
This itinerary is built for 7 days. With 3 days, do the first 3 — TripWalkers uses the opening days of the plan for shorter trips too. The day trip is on day 5; skip it on a short stay.
How much does a day in Kyoto cost?
In this plan, food, entry fees and local transport come to about ¥11,000 per person per day. Accommodation and flights are not included. Figures are 2026 estimates.
What time should you start the day in Kyoto?
The first stop is at 07:00. Most days start early so you arrive before the crowds, and evenings end with dinner.
Which season is this itinerary for?
This page covers October–May. There is a separate plan for June–September: opening hours, the sea and the weather change the route.