I am trying to put together an itinerary for 5 days based in Kyoto in February 2022 (tentative). I’ve never been in Kyoto before, so I’m worried that I’m either leaving out some must-visit stops in this itinerary or trying to pack too much into each day, so any comments or suggestions are welcome. Not sure where I will be lodging, but I just assumed trips start at Kyoto Station.
Overall, my interests are in walking and cycling around cities (both dense urban environments and countryside settings), hiking, and eating reasonably priced local specialties. I like historic sites and shrines as well, but I wouldn’t want to spend time trying to hit as many as I can, so I’m trying to be more selective about the ones I visit, with an intention of choosing times and locations that are less popular with other tourists.
I’ve started out with three days of lodging in Kyoto with day trips that visit Arashiyama, Uji, Kibune/Kuruma, and Ohara, as well as exploration of local temples and attractions on the way (Fushimi Inari, Higashiyama). In these three days, I’ve tried to assemble a reasonably priced sampler of local Kyoto cuisine like obanzai, freshly made tofu, and oshizushi. The last two nights are spent traveling north, first with one night in a minshuku in Miyama, where I’ll bike around the local villages, and then a second night in kinosaki Onsen.
In an attempt to be considerate of my limited schedule, I’ve completely omitted any day trips to Osaka or Nara, as well as an overnighter I was considering at the temples on Mt. Koya to the south. However, I could be convinced otherwise if you strongly recommend extending the trip by a day, which is not impossible!
**Note:** I originally had Fushimi on Day 2 and Day 3 was unstructured, but I’ve since edited the plan so that Day 3 starts with Fushimi and goes north through Higashiyama all the way to Ohara.
**Day 1: Arashiyama bicycle tour**
* Plan: Head to Karasuma Station and take the train to Arashiyama Station. Rent a bicycle and bike south, stopping at Matsuo-Taisha, Suzumushidera, and Saiho-ji, then bike back up north along the Katsura River and visit Arashiyama Monkey Park. Head north, crossing Togetsu Bridge, and visit Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Jojakko-ji, Nison-in, Giou-ji, Saga Toriimoto Preserved Street, and Otaga Nenbutsu-ji, stopping for lunch somewhere along the way. Bike back south and return the bike at Arashiyama Station. Visit Fu-fu-no-yu onsen. Take the train back to central Kyoto and visit Fu for dinner (specializes in Kyoto obanzai).
**Day 2: Uji and Kibune-Kuruma hike**
* Plan: Take the train to Uji. Visit Mitsuboshien Kanbayashi Sannyu and Tsuji Rihei for matcha-based desserts, then Taihoan for a tea ceremony. Take the train back to Karasuma Station. Visit Nishiki Market for lunch and buy some snacks for later, then visit Kamo Tofu Kinki for soybean and tofu products. Walk north past the Imperial Palace to Demachiyanagi Station and take the Kuruma Line to Kibuneguchi Station. Walk the \~3 hour hike to Kuruma, stopping at temples along the way, and visit the Kuruma onsen. Take the train back to Demachiyanagi Station, then walk through Okazaki Park to Izuju for dinner (Kyoto-style sabazushi and oshizushi). Finally, head west to Sake Bar Yoramu for rounds of sake tasting.
**Day 3: Fushimi Inari, Higashiyama, Philosopher’s Path, and Ohara**
* Plan: Arrive at Fushimi Inari by 8 AM. Hike up and down Mt. Inari. Walk north through Higashiyama to visit Rengeo-in, Kiyomizu-dera, the Sanneizaka and Nineizaka streets, Kodai-ji, Maruyama Park, and Nyakuoji Bridge. Walk north through the Philosopher’s Path to either Sosoan (tofu kaiseki) or Tonryuu (ramen) for lunch. Continue north to Manshu-in and the Shugakuin Imperial Temple, then northwest to Kokusaikan Station. Take the bus to Ohara. Visit Shibakyu (pickles) and other local cafes/shops; walk to Sanzen-in and Jikko-in. Return via bus, then take the Karasuma Line back to central Kyoto. Visit a local establishment for dinner and/or drinks.
**Days 4-5: Two-night stay in Miyama and Kinosaki Onsen**
* Plan: From Kyoto Station, take the Sanin Main Line to Hiyoshi Station, then the local bus from Nantan to Kita. Check in at the reserved minshuku and rent a bike. Head northwest along the Yura River and eat lunch at a local restaurant like Chinsenrou. Explore further northeast to Ashiu Forest, then double back and visit other villages along the Yura River like Agake and Izume. Head back to the minshuku in time for dinner, then go to bed. The next morning, take a walk and have breakfast, then check out and take the bus from Kita back to Nantan. Ride the Sanin Main Line to Kinosaki Onsen Station, check in at the ryokan, and enjoy the town. The next day, check out and take the train directly back to Kyoto.
* Meant to be a somewhat relaxing end to the trip, with laid-back exploration of more rural settings.
Thank you for any comments in advance!
8 comments
It depend on your preference, but you do not have to stay around Kyoto station. For sure it is an option, the other being around Sanjo, Gion, Kawaramachi. For the area you want to visit, they both have good access. But I think the second option have more options on area were you can walk at the end of the day and closer to the traditional Kyoto.
I feel that the Fushimi + Kibune is a bit much. It might be rushed as you have quite a lot on that day. And feel you would not have time for hiking around Fushimi Inari.
You should also review your itinerary. To go to Uji, you have to pass by Fushimi-Inari station. It make no sense to return to Kyoto station between the two.
You are completely missing Higashiyama, that is a nice spot.
Give more time for Fushimi Inari. The area around it both the backwoods and the neighborhood on the city side are both worth exploring as well as the shrine itself.
I spent a whole afternoon/evening there and definitely felt it wasn’t near enough.
When we went we spent the day in Nara, mainly walking around the deer park. Plenty of temples and other sites within walking distance and only a short train ride from Osaka. If you haven’t already look at getting JR West train pass, makes things so much easier
**Day 1: Arashiyama bicycle tour**
I’d prioritise the northern Arashiyama part (Otage Nenbutsuji, etc.) — IMO it’s much more interesting than the southern part (Matsuo Taisha, etc.)
And you are missing Adashino Nenbutsuji and Daikakuji.
But I am not sure how much temple you can visit in a day without getting borded. And the entrance fee can stack up fast.
**Day 2: Uji and Kibune-Kuruma hike**
I am concerned for this day. I am not sure how fast you can finish the Uji part, but it doesn’t look to be quick. With the amount of time on the train, and it’s February, I am afraid you might not finish the 3 hour hike before it get dark (and it’s mountain forrest — it’s getting dark very quickly). I would plan to finish the hike before 4pm at the latest.
**Day 3: Fushimi Inari, Higashiyama, Philosopher’s Path, and Ohara**
This looks impossible unless you time everything so perfectly, but then you might not be able to enjoy everything along the way. And there’s a reason people for south on Philospher’s path — it’s at least 40min uphill the entire way from Keage to Ginkakuchi. And the bus are much more frequent from central Kyoto than from Kokusaikaikan station.
**Days 4-5: Two-night stay in Miyama and Kinosaki Onsen**
If you are already planning Shirakawago in other part, skip Miyama. You can also skip Miyama anyway and plan Shirakawago on other Japan trips. It’s good, but it’s nothing compared to Shiarakawago. It’s not something I’d really recommend for foreign tourist (I have visited because I live in Osaka)
The Kinasaki Onsen Part sound good.
>In an attempt to be considerate of my limited schedule, I’ve completely omitted any day trips to Osaka or Nara, as well as an overnighter I was considering at the temples on Mt. Koya to the south. However, I could be convinced otherwise if you strongly recommend extending the trip by a day, which is not impossible!
I’d trade day 4 for Nara tbh. Koyasan is good but not really that necessary. Nara has a whole different feel than Kyoto. Osaka is just a city, there’s nothing really important historically.
Hmmm…
Very detailed with many specifics. Which is fine, but…
I am not sure this is overly optimistic, or if I am overly pessimistic. I have been to most of these, but without bikes. And maybe I did not start my day at 7am… still…
day 1: I’ve been to Saiho-ji area, but it was a separate day and not with arashiyama. in fact, i have needed two days for arashiyama, without lunch, onsen or monkeys…
day 2: kibune-kurama was one day for me. actually, I started real early, spent some time in the onsen, and yes, actually went to uji after. It was so late, I managed to get into byodo-in, but was told to get to the museum first, so they will let me in, and go through the rest backwards (you usually start through the area and the museum is at the end)
after exiting the temple the tourism was over.
so, its not entirely possible to do something more than just kibune/kurama, but… well, for me, uji remains a to be visited location…
day 3 seems overly optimistic. lets say you can run up and down real quick, its still a lot and then you think lunch and want to add more, and go sanzen-in/jikko-in ?
I am not in a position to say its not possible, but…
I would suggest you make provisions to change the plan on the fly if you realize that the day is progressing faster than you accounted for, so you can hit your highlights, or you order your plan in a way you start with the highlights, and proceed from there daily.
also, be aware, you can hike Mt. Inari 24/7, maybe start it very much earlier or very late… unless you need daylight… :/
anyway. good luck, enjoy! if its febuary 22, or 25, it will be awesome!
Your third day is absolutely insane. It could easily be 2 or even 3 full days. [See this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/5wgxa1/best_way_to_group_these_sites_in_kyoto/dea059y/?context=3) for a rough geographic breakdown of major sights in and around Kyoto over a proposed 5 day period, but suffice it to say that I typically don’t recommend doing Higashiyama in less than 2 days. You’ve got all of Higashiyama, AND Fushimi Inari, AND Ohara, AND Shugakuin (which I don’t include on a base 2-day Higashiyama itinerary because it generally requires very specific planning) all crammed into just one day. Also, you definitely should not go all the way to Kokusaikaikan to get the bus to Ohara. It would be much easier to just take it from Demachiyanagi, Kawaramachi, or Kyoto Station.
Your second day also doesn’t make a lot of sense. Uji is south of Kyoto proper and Kurama/Kibune is north of it. In some ways it might make sense to do Kurama/Kibune with Ohara, although depending on your pace and how much you intend to do in the latter, it very well might end up being too much for one day.
Arashiyama can be done by bicycle, but you’re trying to do more than a full day’s worth of stuff on that day and some areas (particularly the most famous/popular areas just north of the river near Tenryu-ji) can be difficult to navigate by bike due to crowds and changes in elevation. Also note that Saiho-ji requires a reservation made well in advance via snail mail.
My absolute favorite area of the city to do by bike is Northern Higashiyama and the Imperial Palace area combined into one day. Something like the Imperial Palace–>Demachimasugata Shoutengai–>Shimogamo Jinja–>Ginkaku-ji–>Philosopher’s Path–>Nanzen-ji–>Heian Jingu, and there are lots of smaller things that you can fill in in between. The northwestern part of the city is also pretty fun on bike if you somehow find extra time and enjoy exploration. Perhaps something like Kyoto Bonatical Gardens–>Kamigamo Jinja–>Daitoku-ji–>Kinkaku-ji–>Kitanotenman-gu/Kamishichiken–>Ryoan-ji–>Ninna-ji or maybe Nijo Castle in place of the last two.
Your 4th and 5th days are so far outside of Kyoto city that I would generally consider them entirely separate. They are also extremely ambitious days, and frankly if this is your first time in Kansai I would much sooner recommend those two days be spent in Nara and Osaka.
In regards to your dates: I think February is one of the most underrated times to visit Kyoto. It is possibly the lowest of the low season, so as long as you’re not there around Chinese New Year (February 1st in 2022) the crowds should be pretty small. If you’re there from mid-February to early-March, plum blossoms should be in bloom at various places throughout the city. Kitanotenman-gu is particularly noteworthy, and the Plum Blossom Festival that takes place there on the 25th coincides with the monthly flea market that’s also held there–both very worth going to. If you can’t attend the flea market at Kitanotenman-gu on the 25th, the one at Toji on the 21st is a reasonable alternative (though I would definitely recommend the one at Kitanoteman-gu between the two). I also highly recommend the Godai Rikison Ninnoe Fesitval at Daigo-ji on the 23rd if you’re around then. If you’re in the city at the beginning of the month, I would suggest finding a shrine for Setsubun on the 3rd–there are alots of options.
> Not sure where I will be lodging, but I just assumed trips start at Kyoto Station.
Kyoto Station is fine to stay near, though if you do so I recommend trying to stay on the North Side since the south side is generally less attractive and less interesting with fewer things to do within walking distance (it’s conceivable to walk to downtown/Higashiyama from the north side, but from the south side it’s quite far). That said, I highly recommend staying somewhere closer to downtown if possible. Kawaramachi/Gion-Shijo is kind of the convergence point of sightseeing, shopping, eating, and entertainment, so I think that area is ideal, but Karasuma, Karasuma-Oike, Shiyakusho-mae, and Sanjo are also good options. All of those stations (except Shiyakushomae, which is within easy walking distance of Sanjo or Karasuma-Oike) have access to two different train lines and numerous bus stops, and all have lots to do within walking distance.
Other options I would consider if you want to save money and don’t mind having to take a train to get downtown include Tofuku-ji (though stay on the east said of the station, not the west), Fushimi-Inari/Inari (again, east side if possible), Demachiyanagi (extremely pleasant, quiet area, but a little less convenient in terms of transit and walkability), and Kyoto Station.
>In an attempt to be considerate of my limited schedule, I’ve completely omitted any day trips to Osaka or Nara, as well as an overnighter I was considering at the temples on Mt. Koya to the south. However, I could be convinced otherwise if you strongly recommend extending the trip by a day, which is not impossible!
Honestly there’s enough on this itinerary to fill 5 days even if you completely eliminated your plans on days 4 and 5, but I ***really strongly*** recommend against skipping Nara and Osaka. While I absolutely love Kyoto, there are individual sights in Nara that are arguably the most impressive in the entire country. The Todai-ji complex alone would be worth the trip, though it’s far from the only thing to see. Osaka, on the other hand, has a very unique atmosphere that evokes a very different period of Japanese history. They are also both more easily accessible from Kyoto than Miyama or Kinosaki. This is why I typically recommend roughly 6-7 full days just as a starting point for the highlights of Kansai (though typically one of those days would be for Himeji+Kobe). For a more relaxed itinerary with more time to explore, I would recommend more like 9+ days, especially if you’re going to do things like Miyama or the aforementioned festivals and events.
Day 1: Frankly, the plan is completely unrealistic during winter and only tentatively realistic during spring/summer, as you will be heavily restricted by both the opening hours of the temples and where the parking spaces for the bikes are located (eg. for Saiho-ji the nearest one is next to Suzumushidera). Note that your plan is extremely dependent upon getting a 10am slot for Saiho-ji.
Day 2: This plan is completely unrealistic considering the opening hours of the temples on Kurama to Kibune trail (some close at 3-3:30pm during winter).
Day 3: This is ludicrous schedule. If you were to climb Fushimi Inari at 5am with a goal of reaching Kiyomizu-dera around 8 am, then you conceivably could reach Ginkakuji by the end of the day. Otherwise, it is schedule for 3 days or perhaps even more.
Day 4: Consider this: to hike in February, you may need to bring in winter hiking equipment as you may likely run into snow (most likely of the melting kind), ice and mud – which together would not be a lot of fun. You are also planning rather an insane amount of walking for this particular season.
TLDR: Your plans are insane – you would probably need 10-12 days for this type of itinerary (which, if it’s your first trip is missing Nara, whole Northern Kyoto, one of the original castles in Kansai, just for starters).
Do you think Japan will open up to tourists by then? And if so, we may need to 2 week quarantine still :/
Serious question because my friends and I want to go around that time but nothing is certain at the moment.