Hello, my husband and I will be in Kyoto for 4 days in mid-October. It’s our first time in Japan. Unlike other parts of our trip (Tokyo, Osaka, Takayama), I’ve been really struggling with our Kyoto itinerary. Here are our requirements, and my tentative itinerary is further below:
– We are staying at Solaria Nishitetsu
– I want a relaxing 3 days in Kyoto – seeing sights at a relaxed pace. Would like to see 2-3 max. of the most beautiful temples and gardens, but don’t want to see every temple/garden
– We also want to visit Uji (we LOVE matcha, and I’m envisioning a relaxing half-day where we just sit at a cafe drinking matcha and visit Byo-doin temple, and nothing else)
– We want to see Nara (I know Nara has a lot to see but we are content to do a half day)
– I’ve decided to skip Arashiyama because it’s crowded and we’re not interested in nearby monkey park etc. (We plan to see bamboo forest by taking an alternative path on our way down from Fushimi Inari). I was interested in the nearby Kinkaku-ji and Tenryu-ji temples but it seems it’s not worth trekking out that far just for these?
I have looked at probably 10 different blog posts, Lonely Planet, itineraries on Reddit and am still confused about how to organize my itinerary. So here is what I have, tentatively:
Day 1:
– Train from Osaka to Kyoto, arrive around 10/11 am. Check in to Solaria Nishitetsu
– Walk 15 mins to Nishiki Market, eat lunch (heard it is tourist hell, should I skip?)
– International Manga Muséum (I used to read manga in high school but not die hard fan – am just curious. Worth visiting?)
– Train to Nijo Castle
– Optional: bus to Kinkaku-ji Temple (Golden) – is it worth it?
– Pontocho Alley in the evening, get dinner here
Day 2:
– 9 am: Kiyumizudera Temple
– Walk north up to Sanenzaka and Ninenzaka
– Continue north for 12 pm Lunch reservation at Nishikawa
– Afternoon walking around Gion district
– Continue north to Horiikecho neighbourhood (scenic stroll along canals) and Furukawacho Shopping Alley
Day 3:
– Fushimi Inari in the morning; take the alternative path down that goes through bamboo forest
– Nara in the afternoon (Isuien Garden, Todai-ji Temple, see some deer)
Day 4:
– Uji in the morning – eat matcha things, chill, visit Byo-doin Temple
– Afternoon – may stay in Uji or might return to Kyoto and be free to do something else?
– 7 pm dinner reservation at Sen
Questions
– Is this itinerary doable and relatively relaxed? Any issues?
– Should we do Uji and Nara on Day 3, and Fushimi Inari on day 4? Wasn’t sure about the best way to group these together.
– I’d like to see Eikan-do temple, it seems to be very beautiful in autumn. Where should I add it? It is closest to everything on Day 2 but I worry it’s too much.
– I feel like I am missing a beautiful garden and know Kyoto has many. Any suggestion? Was considering Imperial Palace, maybe on Day 4.
– We are interested in history and wondering if we should squeeze in a museum or walking tour. Too much?
Thanks so much for any help! This subreddit is amazing.
2 comments
Hello, I’m Japanese. First of all, I like your itinerary. It will give you some extra time to explore each area, which I actually love to do whenever I’m in Kyoto. There are always some lovely small cafes and stores I happen to find as I wander around.
1. I’m pretty sure you can add Eikando on your day 2. However, I’m going to have to say that mid October is way too early for autumn leaves there.
2. For your day 3 and 4, what you want to do is to put Fushimi Inari and Uji together. And then, give a half to full day to Nara. It takes a bit to get to Nara from Kyoto; therefore, it’s a good idea to include the travel time. I lived in Uji for 3 years. That’s why I’m familiar with the area.
3. You can do a walking tour or add something else in the evening on your day 3. By putting Fushimi Inari and Uji together, I’m sure you will get some free time in the evening.
Enjoy your trip. 🙂
> very beautiful in autumn
In Kyoto this means late November.
> heard it is tourist hell
Nishiki Market is basically the equivalent of Faneuil Hall, Pike Place Market, Chelsea Market etc. – if you enjoy visiting those as a tourist you’ll like it, if you think those are tourist traps then you’ll have the same opinion of Nishiki.