FIRST VISIT to KYOTO (11 Awesome Things to Do in Kyoto)

Kyoto is super easy to explore by public transport. The buses, trains, and subways will get you fast to all the amazing places you can’t miss on your first visit to Kyoto. And, there are always several ways of getting to a particular place.

If you want to explore Kyoto at a leisurely pace, then, hands down, walking and bicycling are awesome ways to see all the top sights in Kyoto as well.

• Kyoto’s Trains

Kyoto has 6 train lines and consists of the national JR Line and several local private lines. If you have a JR Rail Pass, then you will definitely want to use JR trains while you are exploring Kyoto!

You can download a free English-language PDF of Kyoto’s train system here.

• Kyoto’s Subway System

The Kyoto subway system is composed of two lines: The north-south Karasuma Line and the east-west Tozai Line. These two lines intersect in the middle of Kyoto, allowing you to transfer lines.

Make sure to download a free English-language PDF of Kyoto’s subway system here to help you navigate Kyoto by the subway system.

• Kyoto’s Bus System

The bus system is extensive in Kyoto is extensive, and honesty, you can get almost anywhere by bus in Kyoto.

Download Kyoto’s bus system map with Kyoto’s major attractions here.

From personal experience, I think you will find trains and subways easier to use especially if this is your first visit to Kyoto. However, once to take a bus a couple of times, you will be quite comfortable using it.

• Walking and Bicycling

If you want to explore Kyoto at a leisurely pace, then what you need to know is Kyoto is a delightful city to explore on foot. It is completely flat and the weather is pleasant most of the year.

If you like bicycling then, you are for a treat! In my opinion, Kyoto is one of the world’s great bike cities. It is super easy to rent a bike in Kyoto and my recommendation is that you check out the Kyoto Cycling Tour Project for the best prices and best quality bikes.

Another great option is to book Kyoto Bike Tour. This tour is about 7-8 hours long (you will be biking for about 25 miles) and takes you to Bamboo Forest (Arashiyama), Kiyomizu, Golden Pavilion, and Fushimi Inari, plus you get to explore the Gion neighborhood.

• Book a Tour 

If you are not comfortable using Kyoto’s public transportation, then my recommendation is to book a small group tour. 10 Must-See Spots in Kyoto One-Day Private Tour is a perfect tour if you only have one day in Kyoto and do not want the stress of figuring out the logistics of public transportation.

• Stay in Downtown Kawaramachi

The best area to stay in Kyoto is Downtown Kawaramachi. It offers plenty of restaurants and shops, and to top it off, it is just a walking distance of Gion.

My favorite place to stay is Kyoto Shijo Takakura Hotel Grandereverie. The location is perfect right in the heart of Kyoto (0.6 miles from Gion Shijo Station and a 15-minute walk from Kyoto International Manga Museum).

You will love everything about this place. The staff is so accommodating and extremely polite. The cleanliness of the rooms is top-notch. The breakfast is yummy and healthy.

Another place that I want to recommend is Good Nature Hotel Kyoto. Again, great location: a 5-minute walk from Gion Shijo Station and 0.8 miles from Samurai Kembu Kyoto, 1.3 miles from Sanjusangen-do Temple, 1.4 miles from Kiyomizu-dera Temple, and 1.6 miles from TKP Garden City Kyoto.

Just an awesome hotel! You will love everything about it. The hotel is modern and beautifully designed. The rooms are super clean. The bedding and linens are always crisp and smell fresh. All the bath products are lovely and organic.

•  Stay Around Kyoto Station

Another excellent area to stay in Kyoto is anywhere around Kyoto Station. It is super convenient and all your public transportation options are in one spot.

The one place that I am recommending you check out is The Thousand Kyoto Hotel. The Thousand Kyoto Hotel is another one of my favorites! The location is awesome, with the absolute cleanliness, super comfy bed, and fresh, crisp linens, fabulous breakfast, professional staff that will go out of their way to make your stay comfortable, you cannot go wrong with booking this hotel.

• If Kyoto is fully booked, then start searching for hotels in Osaka. Kyoto is only less than an hour away from Osaka via train.

Kyoto is a great place to visit at any time of the year. The climate is temperate, which means that it does not get super hot or extremely cold.  

• However, the best times to visit Kyoto are October/November (fall) and March/April/May (spring). Needless to say, the changing leaves in the fall are beautiful and the cherry blossoms in the spring are stunning.
• The summer months (June/July/August) in Kyoto can be hot and humid.
• The winter months (December/January/February) in Kyoto are usually fairly cold.

Arashiyama is a beautiful area located on the western outskirts of Kyoto.

My recommendation is to spend an entire day in Arashiyama. The scenery is stunning and there is so much to do and see that you wished you reserved more time to explore Arashiyama!

One of the most popular things to do in Arashiyama is to take a walk through Arashiyama Bamboo Grove. It is a beautiful and peaceful bamboo forest and it looks absolutely amazing if there is a bit of sunlight filtering through the tall bamboo trees or if there is some light breeze that will make the stalks gently sway and let in the dappled light.

If you like photography, then this is the place to go! You will have a lot of fun taking pictures of this place.

One of the top things to do in Arashiyama is to go on a rickshaw ride. It is a lot of fun!

My recommendation is to book an Arashiyama Rickshaw Tour. This tour will take you through Bamboo Grove and some of the most scenic and historic districts in Arashiyama.

Of all the things to do in Arashiyama, visiting Okochi Sanso Villa and strolling through the immaculately maintained garden is one of my favorite things to do.

Okochi Sanso Villa is a stunning residence of the former Japanese actor Okochi Denjiro.

Okochi Denjiro was born on February 5, 1898 in Iwaya-mura, Chikujo-gun, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan as Masuo Oobe. He was an actor and writer, known for No Regrets for Our Youth (1946), Sanshiro Sugata (1943), and The Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s Tail (1945). He died on July 19, 1962.

Another one of my favorite things to do in Arashiyama is to take a ride on Sagano Romantic Train

The train travels from Saga Torokko Station to Kameoka Torokko Station. It is a beautiful 7 km (25 minutes) ride along Hozukyo Ravine. The ride is fun no matter what time of the year you are visiting! Moreover, the train goes at a leisurely pace, which will allow you to take plenty of pictures.

What I like to do is to combine the Hozugawa River Boat Ride with the Sagano Romantic Train Trip, as they both run in the same area. You can take the Sagano Romantic Train one way and the Hozugawa River Boat Trip back, or vice versa.

One of the sights that you cannot miss on your first visit to Kyoto is Nijo Castle.

Nijo Castle was built in 1603 and served as Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542-1616) shogunate center of power.

The famous nightingale floors are located in Nijo Castle. They are, also, known as the singing floors.

As you walk through the castle’s corridors, no matter how lightly you step, a chirping sound will define your position!

The nightingale floors were designed to make chirping sounds when walked upon. The nails for the floorboards pass through and rub against a metal jacket or clamp, causing chirping noises.

Make sure to take a good look at the stunning Karamon Gate leading to Nijo Castle. It was the symbol of authority. It proclaimed the prestige of the buildings located behind the gate.

Interestingly enough, the passage through Karamon Gate was reserved only for the shogun during his visits to the castle.

Karamon gate at Nijo Castle in Kyoto was constructed entirely of cypress bark in hip-and-gable fashion. The cypress bark would become dark brown color as it aged.

The ridges of the roof were adorned with ‘shachihoko’ – a traditional dolphin-like fish.

Under the roof were intricate wood sculptures depicting luan (a mythical Chinese bird), pine trees, peonies, clouds, and blades of grass.

As soon as you cross the gate, you will catch the sight of Ninomaru Palace. Its purpose was to impress the visitors, as well as, to intimidate them.

First of all, Ninomaru Palace consists of five connected buildings which were constructed with high-quality Hinoki cypress. Each building was lavishly decorated with gold leaf, wood carvings, and beautiful paintings created by the artists of Kano school.

Needless to say, this elaborate decor served to make the impression on the visitors and to re-confirm the power of the shoguns.

Golden Pavilion in Kyoto is a sight out of this world! A temple covered in gold with a golden phoenix standing on top when the sun hits it, you really will be in awe.

The pavilion has three floors, each with its very own architectural style.

At the very top of the Golden Pavilion sits the Phoenix.

In Japanese mythology since the mid-6th century, the Phoenix is called Hō-ō.

The Phoenix, or a sunbird brings goodwill as it descends from the heavens. It is, also, symbolic of an imperial household.

Golden Pavilion is covered in real gold!

The second and third stories of Golden Pavilion have approximately 48 kilograms of gold!

All this gold is maintained by a single person, Takesato Yagyu.

For many people, visiting Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto is a major bucket list item during a trip to Japan.

It is one of the most visually stunning places I have ever visited and if you are into photography, you will take a ton of pictures at every turn.

Fushimi Inari-Taisha Shrine is world-famous for its Torii (Gates).

It is said that there are over 10,000 Torii at Fushimi Inari. However, some sources claim that the number of Torii at Fushimi Inari is closer to 30,000.

One of the things you cannot miss when visiting Fushimi Inari Taisha is a hike that goes around Inari Mountain.

It is a great hike that goes at a steady incline and lets you meander around the spectacular Torri. As you are hiking up the mountain, the crowds thin out and you will be able to capture some awesome photos without any people in them.

Learn more about how to visit and what to see at Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto.

Kiyomizu-dera Temple, the ‘Temple of the Pure Water Spring’. is located on Mount Otowa, in the eastern hills on the outskirts of Kyoto.

The temple is famous for its impressive viewing platform, three-story Koyasu pagoda, and the medicinal pure waters of the Otowa Spring.

The temple belongs to the Buddhist Kita-Hosso sect and was founded in 778 CE by Enchin Shonin.

Enchin Shonin, a priest from Nara, claimed to have received a vision that directed him to the exact location of a healing Otowa spring.

There is a belief that the waters of the spring have magical properties and each branch of the spring is associated with health, longevity, and exam success.

If you. are tempted to drink some of the healing waters, then keep in mind that in order for the magical powers to be effective, you can only choose to drink from one branch of the stream.

The entrance to the temple complex is through the red and white Niomon Gate, which was built in the 15th century.

Right next to the gate is probably the most photographed site at Kiyomizu-dera Temple, the famous Koyasu, an impressive three-story pagoda complete with a spire.

It was built between 1607 and 1633 and is designated as the National Treasure of Japan.

The temple’s Main Hall viewing platform is perched on the edge of the cliff and provides a stunning view of Kyoto.

The platform is built using traditional Japanese techniques without any nails.

If this is your first visit to Kyoto, then you have to explore Nishiki Market.

The market is a narrow covered street that stretches for five blocks and houses over a hundred shops and restaurants.

The market is known as ‘Kyoto’s Kitchen’ and you will find here many Japanese delicacies, as well as everything food-related like knives and cookware.

Nishiki Market is always packed with tourists and locals alike. It is a fun place to just browse through and try a few items. Most of the food items are in small bite-side portions displayed on wooden sticks that you can just grab and eat on the spot.

What should you try? My recommendation is to definitely try tako-tamago, which means octopus-egg. It is a baby octopus marinated and cooked in a sauce made of sugar, mirin, and soy sauce. In the head of the octopus is a quail’s egg.

Another recommendation is to try tamagoyaki, which I would describe as a Japanese type of omelet filled with cooked cabbage, carrot, green and white onions, and pickled ginger.

Finally, try matcha warabi mochi from Kyoto Matcha Sweets Sawawa. These are square jellies made with green tea and powdered with matcha green tea.

If you prefer something mainstream, try any fried food or just take a visual tour of this fun place.

My recommendation is to look into some of the small group guided walking tours through Nishiki Market. You will be accompanied by a local guide who is usually an excellent resource on what are the best places to try some of the local delicacies.

Check out Daytime Kyoto – Nishiki Market and Gion District Cultural Walking Food Tour. This tour will take you not only around Nishiki Market but also into Gion.

Another tour that is less expensive, shorter, and just focuses on Nishiki Market is Nishiki Market Brunch Walking Food Tour and you get to try a variety of different foods.

Sanjusangendo Temple needs to be on your list of places to visit during your first visit to Kyoto.

Sanjusangendo Temple is famous for its long hodo – the main hall dating to 1266 and designated a National Treasure of Japan, and the collection of sculptures it houses.

The sculptures include 1001 standing Thousand-armed Kannon, 28 standing attendants, a statue of Fūjin, and a statue of Raijin, as well as the main image of the temple, a big seated statue of Thousand-armed Kannon. Most of the sculptures date to the Heian to Kamakura periods.

Unfortunately, pictures inside the main hall are not allowed.

On the second Sunday of January, the temple has an event known as the Rite of the Willow, where worshippers are touched on the head with a sacred willow branch to cure and prevent headaches.

Also, the Festival of the Great Target, is held on the west veranda where archers shoot arrows into targets. The festival known as the Toshiya dates back to the Edo period and was an archery exhibition contest.

Gion District in Kyoto originates from the Sengoku period (1467–1615). The district was built to accommodate visitors to Yasaka Shrine (Gion Shrine).

It eventually evolved to become one of the most exclusive and well-known geisha districts in all of Japan.

The geisha in Kyoto do not refer to themselves as geisha, instead, they use the local term ‘geiko’ which means “a woman of art”.

The area is definitely worth visiting since it has preserved its traditional architecture. It is still inhabited and alive with shops and restaurants.

The best time to visit the Gion District is definitely in the evening. The narrow streets illuminated by the street lights have a very special charm. If you are lucky, you. might catch glimpse of geiko rushing to an evening engagement. Above all, you will have the place pretty much to yourself and you will be able to get some cool pictures.

Philosopher’s Path, known as Tetsugaku no Michi, is a delightful path that stretches for about 2 kilometers and meanders along the Lake Biwa Canal.

The path was named for Kyoto University professor and influential 20th-century Japanese philosopher Nishida Kitaro, who is said to have used this route for a daily meditative walk,

The scenery is stunning along the way. It is especially beautiful if you are visiting during the spring months when the cherry blossom trees that line the path are in full bloom.

The path passes by some of the most impressive shrines and temples that are just a few steps away from the path and definitely worth a quick stop.

There are plenty of restaurants and coffee houses along the way as well, perfect for taking a short break.

Ginkaku-ji Temple (Silver Pavilion), officially known as Jishō-ji or “Temple of Shining Mercy”), is one of the constructions that represents the Higashiyama Culture of the Muromachi period.

The Silver Pavilion was originally constructed in 1482 as a retirement villa for Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa. It was modeled after the Golden Pavilion which was built for the shogun’s grandfather.

Following the death of Yoshimasa, the villa was converted into a temple.

Although the temple is called the Silver Pavilion, it was never covered in silver. Needless to say, it is a stunning temple and absolutely worth a visit.

The temple consists of a two-story pavilion officially known as the Kannon Hall and dedicated to Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of mercy. However, the highlight of the visit is the two gardens surrounding the temple.

Especially stunning is the sand garden known as the “Sea of Silver Sand” which has been immaculately raked to beautiful effect. To really appreciate the beauty of the garden, you will have to climb a sand sculpture that is meant to represent Mt Fuji.

The Pontocho area is a narrow alley that runs from Shijo-dori to Sanjo-dori, one block west of Kamogawa. The alley is packed with restaurants that offer all kinds of dining options.

Also, it is a great area to head for an evening stroll.