Kyoto

Main sights

• Fushimi Inari Taisha

  About 10,000 torii gates, including the roughly 800 of the Senbon Torii. Trails of about 4 km cover the 233 m mountain, and the climb takes about two hours. The shrine is open 24 hours with no entrance fee. Crowds thin quickly above the first section.

  Tickets and tours on GetYourGuide for Fushimi Inari Taisha (opens in a new tab)
• Kiyomizu-dera

  A hillside temple in the foothills of Mount Otowa, traditionally founded in 778. The main hall's great wooden stage juts out over the slope on tall pillars. Below it, three channels of the Otowa waterfall run into a pond.

  Tickets and tours on GetYourGuide for Kiyomizu-dera (opens in a new tab)
• Kinkaku-ji

  The Golden Pavilion, reflected in its pond, in the north of the city. It is listed as open from 09:00 to 17:00. Early arrival gives you the best chance of space by the water.

  Tickets and tours on GetYourGuide for Kinkaku-ji (opens in a new tab)
• Arashiyama bamboo grove

  A path through towering bamboo near Tenryu-ji, whose Sogenchi pond garden is worth the detour. Go at dawn. The Togetsukyo bridge, rebuilt in 1934, spans the river close by.

  Tickets and tours on GetYourGuide for Arashiyama bamboo grove (opens in a new tab)
• Philosopher's Path

  A canal-side path about 2 km long, beside a channel of the Lake Biwa canal system, lined with cherry trees. It is named after the philosopher Nishida Kitaro, who is said to have walked here.

  Tickets and tours on GetYourGuide for Philosopher's Path (opens in a new tab)
• Yasaka Shrine and Gion

  Where the Higashiyama walk meets Gion. Hanamikoji is the public main street, but private lanes around it carry a ¥10,000 fine for entering.

  Tickets and tours on GetYourGuide for Yasaka Shrine and Gion (opens in a new tab)

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Neighbourhoods worth wandering

• Gion

  The geiko district, with teahouses and the Shirakawa canal. Since 2024, signs on private roads have warned visitors of a ¥10,000 fine. Hanamikoji remains open, so stick to the public streets and leave the alleys alone.

• Higashiyama

  Stone-paved slopes leading up to Kiyomizu-dera. Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka are protected historic streets, and Sannenzaka is the steeper of the two. Local superstition warns that a fall here shortens your life, which is at least a reason to watch your step.

• Arashiyama

  Western Kyoto's river, bamboo and temples, with Iwatayama Monkey Park on the slopes across the water. The river is known as the Oi upstream and the Katsura lower down.

• Central Kyoto

  Nishiki Market, the Teramachi arcades and the Kamo river. Flat and easy on foot, with covered streets for wet days.

Best areas to explore on foot

1. Higashiyama walk

   From Kiyomizu-dera down Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka to Yasaka Shrine and Gion. Starting at the top keeps you going downhill. Expect stone paving and steps, and crowds from mid-morning.

2. Philosopher's Path

   From Ginkaku-ji south to the Nanzen-ji area, about 2 km and 30 to 40 minutes with no stops. It is fairly flat. In cherry blossom season, start early.

3. Kamo river

   Riverside paths through the city centre, popular in the evening, with restaurants busy at dusk. Blossom lines the banks in spring. The Keihan Line runs alongside, which is useful for a one-way walk.

4. Fushimi Inari circuit

   The whole mountain takes about two hours, so turn back whenever you have had enough. Trails are stepped and shaded, and the crowds are heaviest near the bottom.

5. Arashiyama

   A short walk links Togetsukyo, Tenryu-ji and the bamboo grove. Go at dawn for the grove.

Practical walking notes

• Terrain

  A flat grid in the centre; hills, steps and stone slopes in the eastern and northern temple districts.

• Crowds

  Start early. Famous sites are much quieter before 08:00, and Fushimi Inari has no closing time, so it can be walked at any hour.

• Etiquette

  Do not photograph geiko or maiko without permission, and stay out of private lanes in Gion, where signs warn of a ¥10,000 fine.

• Rain and heat

  The rainy season runs from about mid-June to the end of July and typhoons from late August into September. Summers are humid, so walk early and carry water. Wet stone paving and shrine steps need care.

• Hills and stairs

  Temples on the eastern and northern hills involve climbs and many steps. Fushimi Inari has many steps on the way up. Higashiyama's slopes are easier taken downhill.

• Distances

  Districts are spread out, so plan one area on foot at a time. The Philosopher's Path and the Higashiyama walk can be joined up on a long day, but neither Arashiyama nor Fushimi Inari is a walk from the centre.

When to visit

• Spring

  Cherry blossom season, beautiful and very crowded.

• Summer

  Hot and humid; the Gion Matsuri festival fills July.

• Autumn

  Spectacular autumn leaves in November; also very busy.

• Winter

  Cold and quiet, sometimes with snow on the temples.

Getting there and getting around

Arriving

• By rail

  The Shinkansen reaches Kyoto from Tokyo in a little over two hours. Osaka is 15 minutes by Shinkansen or about 30 by local train.

• By air

  Kansai International Airport is about 75 minutes away by the Haruka express.

Local transport

• Buses

  Buses reach most temples but are often crowded; trains and the subway are faster where available.

• On foot

  The eastern temple districts are best explored walking.