We will be visiting Kyoto from Osaka for a single day. We are traveling with an infant, so we will be slow and I want to make sure this isn’t too ambitious. I’m especially looking for help identifying good places in the areas we will be in to get out of the heat and feed the baby. I’m also really interested in food suggestions.
Train from Osaka
Southern Higashiyama District
– % Arabica coffee or Starbucks Kyoto Ninenzaka Yasaka Chaya (both near Kyomizu-dera)
– Kyomizu-dera shrine
– Tempura Endo Yasaka lunch
– Walk through Gion possibly
Downtown Kyoto (might not have time)
– Nishiki market
Southeast Kyoto
– Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine
– Ramen Muraji dinner
Train back to Osaka
5 comments
I’m not helpful, but I just created my 1 day itinerary for my upcoming trip. Just more info never hurts I’m finding out
Koyto Day
(Arashiyama and Senbon 30 min away from eachother by car – 50 by train)
•Arashiyama Bamboo forest (hourish thing)
– Can take train there
– monkey park? 5 min drive away
•Fushimi Inari Shrine / Shinto Shrine pillar hike
– Senbon Torii – thousands of gates (long hike 2-3 hour, don’t have to do it all. Just walk some and take lots of pics!)
– Bunch of stuff around here: fushimi Inari Taisha, tower gate, ect
•Traditional tea ceremony?
NEAR HOTEL AREA (if we stay in yasaka)
•Explore Ninenzaka
•Gion Corner – traditional performers at 6 and 7pm
•Explore pontacho
•Walk around at night (Yasaka Shrine and Yasaka-Dori area)
Kiyomizudera is NOT actually easy to get to. You have basically two options — a shorter, but steep asphalt road up the hill, or a longer route that’s mostly stairs (i.e., through ninenzaka and sannensaka). Neither are probably a good idea with an infant around, and even more stairs within Kiyomizudera itself. Fushi Inari Taisha is similarly a hilly hike, though you can opt to just stop near the entrance and don’t go in deep.
Kiyomizu-dera is a temple (buddhist) not a shrine (shinto).
The ramen spot for dinner is kind of backtracking to the Nishiki market area while you could simply take a train from Fushimi Inari-taisha direct to Osaka.
kyoto in a day is difficult. with an infant much more so. in the heat. you sure are going for the ++difficulty
usually highashiyama would be my 1 day itinerary. you can start early with kiyomizudera and work upwards the whole day (kodaiji, nanzenji,eikando,…), not needing one bus or train until 5pm and everything closes, then you can walk to yasaka its open 24/7 and then go to gion
theoretically you can go to fushimi inari before/after yasaka/gion but practically, the day has to end…
food is always “when you get hungry and see something good”
I was thinking about the heat and shadows and opportunities to rest and contemplating if other areas are better but honestly, I think, higashiyama might be best suited because it is high density offers for tourists.
there are cooler places, and maybe theres more shadow from trees, but, theres almost nothing else. and its a “long” drive to get there and one thing to see and done.
Not sure how I feel about fushimi inari with a toddler.
I guess, you could go there at the very end, look at the entrance and the 2 way split, its probably pretty empty at that time, then head back to the station and go back to osaka…
i strongly advise against nishiki. even if you can make it when its still open, its usually very stuffed and I would not want to go there with a infant on my back or belly or my arm. a stroller is impossible. and for 1 day plans, hell no…
I’m currently in Kyoto with my 15 month old twins and I think you have too much planned, or at least be willing to drop something as the day goes on if needed. Are you using busses? The bus from Kyoto Station to Higashiyama will take you 30-40 minutes. Walking up the hill to the temple took me I think 20-25 minutes, with each of us carrying one baby in a carrier (SO hot and sweaty, bring yourself and baby a little fan and lots of water!). We spent around an hour in the temple compound, and then another 20 minutes to walk back down. Right after you enter the temple (I think it was right past where you pay) there were some misting fans that felt great. Probably another 15 minutes to walk back over to Gion once you get to the bottom of the hill. Hope that helps a bit with planning!