Kyoto feels like stepping into another rhythm of time. One minute youโre wandering through a quiet bamboo grove with only the sound of wind and footsteps, and the next youโre squeezing into a lantern-lit alley for dinner. Itโs a city where centuries-old temples exist next to modern cafรฉs.
If youโre planning your first trip to Japan, here’s how to spend 4 days in Kyoto, balancing culture, food, and fun. Youโll spend your days exploring Kyotoโs most iconic neighborhoods and temples, while also venturing out on two easy day trips: Nara, for its roaming deer and ancient shrines, and Osaka, for street food and sightseeing. This is one part of my larger Japan itinerary, which you can see here. It includes wider intel and pro tips for navigating your time there!
How to get to Kyoto, Japan
By plane – Kyoto doesn’t have its own commercial airport, so flying is difficult. Instead, you can fly into Osaka and take a train into Kyoto. It’s easier to start your trip by flying into Tokyo, spending some time there, and then taking a high-speed train to Kyoto (below).
By train – If you are in other parts of the country, you can likely get tickets for a high-speed train. We traveled from Tokyo and the whole trip only took a couple of hours. You can look at prices and book in advance here. I highly recommend getting to the station early in case you need help navigating where to go – there are plenty of employees at the station that can assist you if you are lost! You can also bring your suitcases with you onto these high-speed trains, and they have outlets to charge your phones and laptops.
Which part of Kyoto should I stay in?
Kyoto’s neighborhoods all have a different feel, but we stayed in Gion and loved it. It’s full of historic streets, temples, teahouses, good food and great shopping. It’s a little bit quieter at night, which we didn’t mind, and it has plenty of great photo opportunities.
Downtown Kyoto is where nightlife will be more prominent, and of course it’s extremely walkable. This is a great option for first-time visitors who want to be extremely central to transit or who want to stay out late.
Day 1 – Sightseeing in Arashiyama
Arashiyama is a scenic district on Kyoto’s outskirts, and it has plenty of worthwhile things to do! It requires a bit of a ride from Gion, but it’s a memorable time. Put your sneakers on, grab breakfast at your hotel and set an early alarm.
Visit the Bamboo Grove
Head to the Bamboo Grove, one of the most famous landmarks in the area. It’s tranquil and stunning! It’s best to go early in the morning before the crowds and tours head through. Meander around and take your time.
Iwatayama Monkey Park
From the bamboo grove, walk to Iwatayama Monkey Park. The hike up is short but steep, and the reward is panoramic views over Kyoto – and, of course, the monkeys themselves. They are fairly small but they wander around without enclosures, so you can really see them up close. You can pay a few yen to get some apples and crackers to feed them!
Ramen at Ranbetsuour
We stumbled across this very small restaurant (seats around eight people), run by one person who cooks delicious ramen. We had turtle broth with chicken and it was superior. No need for a reservation!
Tenryu-ji Temple
Make your way over to Tenryu-ji, a Zen Buddhist temple and UNESCO World Heritage site that was founded in the 1300s (OLD!). You can tour the actual temple but also walk the beautiful gardens. I loved this stop because you can sit down and rest your feet and take in the view.
Go to a Japanese cooking class
We signed up for a cooking class with a local chef back in Gion and it was so fun! She had her own kitchen and taught us how to make onigiri, gyoza and ramen. Take a cab back to the area and spend the evening in the kitchen. She was so sweet and gave us some other suggestions of what to do on our trip and where to shop. You will be FULL after this. Here’s the exact link we used to sign up.
Day 2 – Exploring Gion
Gion is full of quaint, ancient streets, marvelous shops and alleys to get lost in. Fill extra time by walking around, shopping for pottery, have a matcha and fit in some of the below!
Coffee at % Arabica
Spend your next morning getting a cup of coffee at % Arabica, a specialty coffee place that has locations in Kyoto (like Gion). This was one of the best cups of coffee on my trip and it was clearly a local favorite as there were people lined up for its 10 AM opening (late for America!). The Kyoto latte is delicious, with a light touch of sweetness.
You can also see the Hokan-ji Temple from there, so snap a quick photo!
Fushimi Inari Shrine
Hop on the subway and spend the late morning walking through the torii gates at Fushimi Inari. It’s one of Kyotoโs most iconic sights, famous for its thousands of vermilion torii gates that wind their way up Mount Inari. The shrine is dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice and prosperity, which is why youโll see fox statues throughout the grounds, as they are believed to be Inariโs messengers. The best part – it’s free. You donโt need to hike all the way to the top – walking partway up still gives you the full experience.
Nishiki Market Food Stalls
Get back on the subway to return to Gion! Known as Kyotoโs Kitchen, Nishiki Market is a narrow, covered shopping street packed with food stalls, specialty shops, and vendors that have been operating for generations. This is the perfect place to turn lunch into a grazing experience rather than a sit-down meal.
Youโll find everything from grilled seafood and tamagoyaki on a stick to mochi, matcha sweets, pickled vegetables, and local Kyoto specialties.
Custom Ring Shopping in Gion
One of my favorite activities was visiting Glรคnta in Gion, a custom ring shop. It was really fun to pick out a style and have them size it perfectly in front of you. You can pick from brass, silver or gold and they make awesome souvenirs. Walk-ins are welcome but be prepared to wait up to an hour!
Dinner at Sushi Taka
If you’re in Gion, seek out Sushi Taka for some of the most delicious sushi! It’s really just a small place we came across, but we were astounded by the tuna and salmon we had there. Very affordable and easy!
Day 3 – Take a Day Trip to Osaka
Osaka is easily accessible from Kyoto and worth adding to your itinerary. You can take the JR Kyoto Line from Kyoto Station and end up in Osaka in about 30 minutes.
Osaka is covered with all kinds of interesting food, famous neighborhoods and historic sites. The best way to do it all in one day? A bike tour! Here’s the exact one we signed up for. It was several hours and we got to explore many landmarks, like Osaka Castle and Koreatown. We had great sushi, chicken, pancakes and macarons. Our guide helped us order and taught us so much about the city. It was one of the highlights of our trip and we were able to cover ground quickly.
Day 4 – Take a Day Trip to Nara
Nara was previously the capital of Japan, and it has temples that date back more than 1,300 years. There are numerous Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, with plenty of fun places to eat, shop and walk around. The best part is that you can get an express train ticket in Kyoto and get there in about forty-five minutes!
Pro tip: The easiest way to get an express ticket is to just approach a help desk in the train station and tell them you want to go to the Kintetsu-Nara stop. Something to know: you can’t use your Suica card for these tickets!
Below are all the things you should do while you are there.
Feed the deer
Over 1,000 free-roaming deer wander the park and surrounding temples. Theyโre considered messengers of the gods in Shinto belief and have become a symbol of the city. You can pay some yen to acquire crackers to feed them, and they will bow to you for a snack! It’s so fun but be sure you run away once you run out of food.
Visit Tลdai-ji Temple & the Great Buddha
Inside the worldโs largest wooden building sits the Daibutsu, a massive bronze Buddha thatโs one of Japanโs most iconic religious statues. It’s a really pretty area to walk around, even if you don’t pay to go inside.
Eat Udon at Kamaiki
A popular udon noodle shop where the noodles and broth are made on-site. Expect a line but it moves quickly. Be sure to bring cash. Our pick: the hot fried chicken bowls!
Get mochi at Nakatanidou
This is a famous mochi shop where you can watch people making the mochi in front of you. They only have one flavor, a red bean paste. It wasn’t our favorite but we liked trying it out and seeing the spectacle.
Other places to stop by in Kyoto
We ate plenty in the city, so here were some of the other stops we enjoyed:
- Over Macaron – this is a chain we came across a few times with the cutest macaron treats, shaped as bunnies, strawberries and more. We loved trying the fun flavors and a couple milkshakes.
- Toyouke Stand – if you like boba, try this place out! I got the matcha flavor with whipped cream and I’m still thinking about it.
- Babbi – this was an ice cream shop with fun flavors, like matcha and ube.
- Kanno Coffee – open early and had good beverages.
- Custard fish (taiyaki) – a lot of street vendors sell these little fish-shaped items that taste like waffles stuffed with custard. So good! You’ll probably see them on the streets.
What to wear in Kyoto, Japan
Like Tokyo, Kyoto can be very warm and humid, with slightly cooler nights and mornings. We were there in October, and I mostly wore short skirts, short-sleeved shirts, and a light jacket.
Where should Kyoto go in my wider Japan itinerary?
Since it’s easier to fly to Tokyo, I recommend actually starting and ending in Tokyo so that you can go home with ease. You can easily take a train to Kyoto in between and add Okinawa in the mix! Here’s how our trip netted out:
- 2.5 days in Tokyo
- 4 days in Kyoto (including day trips to Osaka and Nara)
- 2.5 days in Okinawa
- 1.5 days in Tokyo again
- 2 days dedicated to travel – there and back
Have questions?
Now you know how to spend 4 days in Kyoto! If you have more questions about it, feel free to leave a comment below or DM me on Instagram: @caroline_hoffman.
Other travel guides
Going elsewhere in Japan and beyond? Check out these other guides I have on the blog.
12-Day Japan Itinerary: Explore Tokyo, Kyoto Okinawa and more
14-Day France Itinerary: Explore Paris, Bordeaux, and More
How to spend 10 days in Europe: Dublin, Paris and London
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