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Travel guide
Kyoto
3 days · 5 things to do
Best time to go: March to May, and October to November
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Welcome
Kyoto, in a few days
Thousands of red torii gates at Fushimi Inari, the bamboo grove of Arashiyama and a geiko hurrying down a lane in Gion. Japan's former imperial capital remains the keeper of its traditional arts and its Zen gardens.
- Day by day
- D1 Day 1 2 things
- D2 Day 2 2 things
- D3 Day 3 1 thing
- Worth sorting before you go
- Words that help
- The practical page
- Packing checklist
The trip
Day by day
Map of the sights (numbers follow the suggested order). It prints with the base map.
D1
Day 1
2 things to do · at your own pace
- Morning · Fushimi Inari Taisha free · about 1 h 30A Shinto shrine to Inari, god of rice, whose trail of vermilion torii gates loops up Mount Inari past small hillside shrines.
- Afternoon · Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Pavilion) · about 45 minA Zen temple whose gold-leaf pavilion stands over a pond; the present building dates from 1955, after the original was burnt down in 1950.
🛏️ Where to sleep · Kyoto Century Hotel€130 a night
D2
Day 2
2 things to do · at your own pace
- Morning · Arashiyama bamboo grove free · about 45 minA path through tall bamboo in the west of the city, best walked early, near Tenryu-ji temple and the Togetsukyo bridge.
- Afternoon · Gion free · about 1 h 30Kyoto's geisha district of wooden teahouses around Hanamikoji; photography is banned in its private lanes, and the geiko and maiko should be left alone.
🛏️ Where to sleep · Mitsui Garden Hotel Kyoto Shijo€110 a night
D3
Day 3
1 thing to do · at your own pace
- Morning · Ginkaku-ji (the Silver Pavilion) · about 1 hA 15th-century Zen temple never covered in silver, with a raked sand garden and moss paths, at the northern end of the Philosopher's Path.
🛏️ Where to sleep · Hotel Granvia Kyoto€150 a night
Before you go
Worth sorting before you go
📶 eSIM data
Online the moment you land, no roaming bill.
Get one · Holafly
Online the moment you land, no roaming bill.
Get one · Holafly
🛡️ Travel insurance
Health, luggage, cancellation.
Cover it · Ekta
Health, luggage, cancellation.
Cover it · Ekta
💳 Fee-free card
Pay at the real rate, with no exchange markup.
Open one · Revolut
Pay at the real rate, with no exchange markup.
Open one · Revolut
🚐 Airport transfer
A private car at a fixed price from the moment you land.
Book it · GetTransfer
A private car at a fixed price from the moment you land.
Book it · GetTransfer
Some links are partner links: we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Good to know
Flavours & local habits
🍽️ Worth tasting
- Sushi and sashimi: raw fish at its freshest, eaten at the counter.
- Ramen: noodles in a deep broth, the comfort food of the country.
- Tempura: vegetables and prawns in a batter light enough to see through.
- Okonomiyaki: a savoury pancake piled with filling, the pride of Osaka and Hiroshima.
- Matcha and wagashi: green tea and the delicate sweets made to go with it.
⚠️ Best avoided
- Never stand your chopsticks upright in rice, and do not blow your nose at the table.
- Tipping does not exist and can embarrass: leave nothing.
- Eating while walking down the street is frowned upon.
- Get an IC card (Suica or Pasmo) rather than buying single tickets.
Getting by
Words that help
English ↔ Japanese
| English | Japanese |
|---|---|
| Hello | こんにちは (konnichiwa) |
| Thank you | ありがとう (arigatō) |
| Please | お願いします (onegai shimasu) |
| Yes | はい (hai) |
| No | いいえ (iie) |
| Excuse me | すみません (sumimasen) |
| Goodbye | さようなら (sayōnara) |
| Do you speak English? | 英語を話せますか (eigo o hanasemasu ka) |
| I don't understand | わかりません (wakarimasen) |
| How much is it? | いくらですか (ikura desu ka) |
| Where are the toilets? | トイレはどこですか (toire wa doko desu ka) |
| The bill, please | お会計お願いします (okaikei onegai shimasu) |
| Help! | 助けて！ (tasukete!) |
| Cheers! | 乾杯！ (kanpai!) |
The essentials
The practical page
CurrencyJapanese yen (JPY, ¥)
BudgetAbout €115 a day, mid-range
Best seasonMarch to May, and October to November
PlugA/B · 100V
Tap waterSafe to drink
TippingNo tipping, it is not the custom
Emergency110 (police) / 119
EntryVisa-free for 90 days for EU, UK, US, Canadian and Australian passports.
HealthNo vaccination required. Keep tetanus and polio up to date; hepatitis A is worth considering if you eat well outside the tourist trail.
Scan to open this guide online, always up to date.
https://offwegooo.com/en/guides/kyoto
Don't forget
Packing checklist
Have a good trip.
Guide made on offwegooo.com · Photos via Pexels · Details are indicative, check before you leave.