Hello, I’m trying to put together a trip plan post COVID and since we’re going to Osaka I’d like to include a few days in Kyoto as well however I know that a lot of Kyoto attractions consist of lots of stairs.
Is there any must-see’s in Kyoto that don’t involve a lot of stairs? A member in our group of 4 can’t do many stairs and said they’d stay in Osaka most days and let the rest of us go to Kyoto on our own but I was hoping that I could come up with some things to do that isn’t very strenuous.
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I don’t mean to pry, but do you guys have arrangements in general to get around on your trip? Japan, like most Asian countries, is not disability friendly. There are a ton of stairs everywhere and not many elevators. Just getting public transport or going to most any sights will be difficult.
the imperial palace grounds, nishiki market, to-ji temple, railway museum, arashiyama area and gion are pretty accessible. it’ll be a lot easier if you can taxi right to them instead of dealing with the trains/buses and walking to/from places.
A lot of the really popular temples are tough because they are all in the hills surrounding the city so there’s either stairs or steep grades to deal with.
I really enjoyed the bamboo forest of Kyoto. It’s a lot of walking, but no stairs. Make sure to get there early morning to avoid crowds.
Off the top of my head, Sanjusangendo, Kinkakuji, Toji, Kennin-ji, Daigoji, and Eikando don’t have many stairs. That being said, I don’t think any of them are completely absent of steps, but it’s not more than three or four at a time if memory serves.
Places to avoid: Fushimi Inari (you could probably stick near the bottom and be fine), Jingo-ji, Kiyomizudera (it’s at the top of a huge hill. No steps, but long incline).
I think it depend of what is the mobility issue, and what is limited. If it is only stairs, I think there is still many options.
For sure, Fushimi Inari-Taisha is out, and is slopes are a problem, Higashiyama is out.
Well anything that is on the border of the city is closer to the mountain, so obviously more chance to hit stairs, but in general, I think that many places are pretty flat, like Gion and most central area of Kyoto, including Nijo-castle, only to name places that other have not named.
Can I suggest to make a list of the places you are interested ? That can be easier to tell you how accessible they are.
From what I remember, Nanzen-ji Temple was a fairly flat temple and garden area. There was a part where you could climb something or ascend to the top of some building, but imo the garden was the highlight of that particular spot. It’s been a few years since I visited Nanzenji so I might be wrong
Also, when we went it was right before close so the place was pretty empty, but I think even during peak hours it’s less crowded than some of the more popular places in Kyoto, so that’s an extra benefit
I presume you’ll take a train from Osaka to Kyoto and from there you can access a good deal of Kyoto by train and subway. But taxis are easily found and reasonably cheap, if memory serves. But my list of must dos:
* Nijo Castle is a must do with very few stairs. It’s world heritage listed, and I think with very good reason. There is both a train and a subway station near by.
* If you have any interest in Japanese history or art, the Kyoto National Museum should be on your list. A wonderful museum which is a credit to the country. And a couple of hundred metres from Shichijo station.
* Nishiki Market is always fun, especially if you are foodies to any degree. I’d recommend this if you are in the area.
* You’ll want to see a temple or two, but the temple area in the foothills to the east of the city can be hilly. So try Kenninji Temple – hauntingly beautiful.
Hope this helps. Enjoy your trip.
Short summary: Kyoto has a lot to offer even if you want to avoid stairs.
You can do a tea ceremony which consists of sitting most of the time, but I imagine tourists going there for the third time would have already done this.
Kyoto is really known for tea and tofu..
also the nearby city Uji, recommending the genji hikaru museum and obviously the temple. Nice day trip if you have seen Nara already. It is also closer than Nara
There is one real onsen in Kyoto City Area so you can take a nice long break there as well. It is not as far from the center as Arashiyama or Toji Tenple
Also one small restaurant makes a great fried chicken with ramen if you are interested I will check the locations name.
Close to city center there is a Michelin ramen place. You can just arrive when it opens so u skip the line.
If you can, take the train to Arashiyama (I think about 30 mins away) and walk around and take in the temples and bamboo forest. If you’re into tofu and delicious food in general, make sure you visit https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g298564-d1173256-Reviews-Yudofu_Sagano-Kyoto_Kyoto_Prefecture_Kinki.html to eat! Order the most popular course (about $60 per person). Yudofu Sagano is by one of the tastiest places I’ve ever eaten in my life including Michelin Star restaurants. It’s kind of hidden but there are signs that point you in the right direction. IMHO, it’s definitely worth the trip just to eat at this place.
Nishiki Market has been mentioned a couple of times. It is wonderful- and very narrow and very, very crowded. Not an easy place to move through, but a very interesting place to move through.
You all might consider a walk through one or two of the neighborhoods. Interesting old houses, shops, temples, shrines.
If your friend wants to get a peek at Kyoto you all could come up on the Keihan Line. Friend getting off at Demachiyanagi (last stop). There is a well maintained path along the river there. They could visit Shimogamo Shrine fairly close to the station.
Then go up the river- all path, no cars or streets to cross- to the Botanical Gardens and enjoy the day there. There is a subway stop there, Kitayama. When the time is right they can take the subway down to meet back up with everyone.
Heian Jingu has a flat garden, and I’m sure they must have a little ramp to get over the 3-4 steps to access.
Nanzenji is the same Gardens wise, 3-4 steps or so
I love seeing all these recommendations but the only must be place is Bungalow! They have 12 beers that rotate from all around the world/japan!
Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I’ll pass some of the places mentioned along. I’m super excited to go back!
In addition to what has already been mentioned, I would suggest Byodo-in in Uji.
And if you’re doing Sanjusangendo, consider making a stop at Chishaku-in, which is just a three-minute walk away. The temple grounds are gorgeous, especially so in autumn. There’s also a museum and a scenic garden within. And best of all, it’s not as crowded as the other sites (only a couple of elderly Japanese tourists when I visited last November), so you can have a more relaxing time.
Here is my temple list with not a lot of stairs and not strenuous
* [Honen-in temple](https://goo.gl/maps/AmbiVjGX5T31w3Sk9): This temple has crystals in the front, is free, and is very quiet and it’s on the Philosopher’s Path
* [Suirokaku aqueduct](https://goo.gl/maps/Me9GABf4PoVLSL287): 18th century aqueduct near Nanzen-ji temple, free to see
* [Otagi Nenbutsu-ji](https://www.otagiji.com/): A lovely small temple with unique sculptures, skip bamboo forest and go to this and there are limited stairs
I went to Japan (Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka) with my old parents who have physical limitations due to heart disease. They could not do many stairs, so we mostly went on short walks around the scenic part and took taxi or bus for the long way. Taxis were everywhere and very convenient. If you are a group, taxi fare is fairly reasonable I think.
We also took Ebisuya rickshaw tours [http://ebisuya.com/en/](http://ebisuya.com/en/) , that way my parents could relax and enjoy the view with entertainment from the funny guides. It’s also nice that with the rickshaws you get to see the secluded spots and enter some areas that are mostly only known to locals. It’s pricey but it suited our needs so it was worth it for us. Definitely recommend it if you are looking for something that is not very strenuous.
I recommend Ninnaji temple. It’s not popular as others, but you can enjoy taking a break inside a temple and the beautiful scenery and the garden from inside. (There are just a few steps of stairs)
I would visit only Ninaji if I had not enough time.
[https://www.kyoto-guide.jp/archives/2348](https://www.kyoto-guide.jp/archives/2348?lang=j)
FYI: I’m a Japanese.
the philosophers path and there are a few temples nearby that I would expect you could access.
Nishiki Market and the surrounding “downtown” area/shopping district, plus the Gion district, are pretty much flat ground.
Arashiyama’s fairly flat too, at least until you get to the hills, but the base of the hill has a lot of stuff to peruse and patronize. [https://goo.gl/maps/fysBHfNgH93UUtRM8](https://goo.gl/maps/fysBHfNgH93UUtRM8) It’s not the prettiest bridge but still a lot of fun to check out. The only thing is, it’s like a 10-15 minute walk from the station, so keep that in mind.
Seconding the suggestion of the Imperial palace grounds. We went to the Katsura Imperial Villa and quite enjoyed it.
If they aren’t ok with stairs are they ok with much walking on flat ground? A lot of the attractions, like Arashiyama, Nishiki market, Gion, etc. are quite large and have a lot of ground to cover. And Kyoto’s public transport coverage is arguably worse than Osaka and Tokyo so keep that in mind as well.