BUNDLE: 4 Days in Kyoto: Temples, Music Bars, & Life-Changing Food
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A History of Kyoto
Kyoto, one of Japan's oldest cities, has a history that stretches back over a thousand years.
Founded in 794 AD as Heian-kyō, it served as the imperial capital of Japan for more than a millennium, making it the center of Japanese culture, politics, and religion.
Despite suffering damage during various wars, including the Onin War in the 15th century, Kyoto has managed to retain much of its historical and cultural heritage. The city is renowned for its well-preserved temples, traditional tea houses, and iconic geisha districts, which continue to draw visitors from around the world.
In recent years, Kyoto has embraced its role as a premier travel destination, blending its ancient traditions with modern amenities. The city offers an enchanting mix of historical sites, beautiful natural landscapes, and a vibrant culinary scene, making it a must-visit for anyone interested in experiencing the essence of Japan.
Things to try:
🍣 Sushi: local seafood includes snow crab, yellowtail, and sea bream.
🍜 Soba: noodle made from buckwheat flour and served hot or cold.
🍜 Udon: a thick noodle made from wheat flour and served hot or cold.
🥩 Wagyu Beef: this meat is known for its exceptional marbling and melt-in-your-mouth texture.
🍺 Craft Beer: this has become increasingly popular in Japan, and Kyoto is no exception.
🍶 Sake: As with many regions in Japan, Kyoto offers its own selection of sake, often brewed with local rice and water.
Day 1
This itinerary assumes that you arrive in Kyoto in the early evening, right before dinner.
Check into your hotel:
KABIN is located centrally, so after a short walk, you'll find yourself in the heart of Modern Kyoto's shopping streets.
We highly suggest one of the below spots for dinner.
Ramen Sen-no-Kaze is super popular and requires a wait, but it is renowned for its affordable quality ramen.
Engine Ramen offers a modern take with some delightfully unique bowls. Nishiki Market offers a massive array of market food options!
If you're in the mood and it's early enough, there are several quirky stores close to these food spots. Expect to find many similar thrift stores and craft stores.
Day 2
Head to a bakery nearby for an early breakfast! Any convenience store (7/11, FamilyMart, or Lawson) will have a good cheap selection as well.
While in Japan, it is essential that you partake in a traditional tea ceremony. Not only is the Matcha impeccable but it's a fascinating and educational experience that helps improve your understanding of the culture.
After the tea ceremony, head to the Golden Temple, Kinkaku-ji. This is one of the busier temples, so prepare for some crowds or come at off-peak times.
After Kinkaku-ji, catch an Uber or walk 21 minutes to Imamiya Shrine. Imamiya is an older shrine from the 10th Century that has a much more relaxed local feel.
Do not leave the area without stopping by neighboring tea house, Kazariya. Not only will you sit in the most tranquil space, but you'll also get to try fresh-made chewy rice dumplings. So tasty.
🚨Don't make the same mistake as us by ordering 3🤣(unless you’re super hungry). Turns out each order of dumplings includes a whole plate of them.
This Soba Noodle spot is a must during your visit to Kyoto. It's only open for lunch and fills up very quickly. The space is gorgeous and benefits from the ceramics of their very own attached pottery studio.
Around the corner is a charming Matcha & Sweet treat spot called Totaro. The matcha is divine and they also serve these little cakey waffley pastries that just tick every box.
The area around Sonoba & Totaro is a really pleasant residential neighborhood. We wandered the streets, taking in the atmosphere before heading to the next temple of the day.
We wanted to stretch our legs, so we walked the 40-minute route. You'll be walking through neighborhoods and along the river so it's rather lovely! Uber or the TrainKeihan Main Line is a great option too.
Next up are the famous Torii Gates of Fushimi Inari Taisha! This is arguably the most famous landmark of Kyoto so expect massive crowds if you go during the day. We went at dusk and it wasn't too crazy!
The Torii Gates lead all the way up the mountain which can be quite a challenge if you're not prepared. It's worth noting that most visitors don't go further than the first section, so it's significantly quieter the further up you go.
Please practice respect when exploring this Shrine and climbing the mountain. It's not just a scenic hike.
Inari Station is just down the road, so grab a train back to Central Kyoto. Head straight to dinner or rest at the hotel after a long day. Once ready, head to Pontocho Alley, an atmospheric street with various quality restaurants.
Day 3
We highly recommend starting today early to beat the crowds and enjoy the quieter atmosphere.
We got to our first temple around 9:30 a.m.
Uber is always an option in Kyoto, but the bus system is pretty useful, too. We took the 32 City Bus, but you can also take the 7 and 5. Below, I've linked the route we took.
The bus will drop you off right by Philosopher's Path and at the foot of a cute street that leads up to the temple. Grab some matcha/coffee and breakfast along the way and pop into shops that grab your attention.
Further down a quiet residential path, sits Hōnenin Temple, a forested temple with beautiful gardens.
When we visited, a local potter was selling his art from one of the buildings. There are some beautiful terraced graveyards attached to this temple that are worth experiencing.
After the temples, meander down the Philosopher's Path. This path winds along the river and is dotted with Cherry Blossoms (when in season), cafes, and shops. The whole path takes 30-45 minutes to walk.
If you're already hungry for lunch, we recommend going to the nearby Omen Ginkaku-ji for some udon noodles. Really great prices too!
Another great option for stopping for some food/coffee along the Philosopher's Path is Botanic Coffee. The owner is a collector of antique goods and uses his collection to decorate the space and serve food/drink.
After completing the Philosopher's Path, follow the signs and residential road to the Grand Nanzen-Ji Temple. The temple has huge grounds and plenty to see.
After Nanzen-Ji we walked out the massive gates and found a seat at Blue Bottle Coffee. Its a brand from California but they've created a really special space that honors the culture and country.
After resting, we decided we were a little templed-out so we walked to the Kyoto Museum of Art to check out the Takashi Exhibit. If you are still interested in temples, check out Heian Shrine!
Use Google Maps to help you catch a bus back to central Kyoto. At this point, we were pretty tired, so we went to the hotel for a nap.
Highly recommend popping out early to beat the queues to this amazing Gyoza restaurant!
The Pontocho Alley area has plenty more unique bars to explore, so if you're in the mood, go have some fun!
Day 4
One of the most famous photo spots that you'll often see depicted in images of Kyoto is this spot below. If you want to get a photo of this street without crowds, then plan to wake up very early. If not, head straight to breakfast.
Walk 15 minutes to Ichikawaya Coffee for some house-roasted coffee and delicious Japanese breakfast.
After breakfast, make your way to the Sannenzaka area. There, you'll find bustling old-style streets filled with cafes, restaurants, and shops .
On the way, stop by a charming pottery store with some of the most beautiful pieces you'll ever see! The potter has a studio in the back and works away at creating all these uniquely designed pieces. They are on the pricier side but worth every penny!
This is the place to get your Matcha bowl. 🍵
Keep heading up the hill through all the shops, and you'll eventually get to the Kiyomizu-dera Buddhist temple. The temple is spread across a fairly large area, and much of it is free! It also has a fantastic view of the city.
On the way back down the hill, stop by a lovely matcha spot called Matcha Garden. The owner is super knowledgeable about all things matcha and sells a collection of antique matcha bowls from all over Japan. When we were there, he had a bowl that was hundreds of years old!
Grab a quick lunch before hopping in a 35-minute Uber to the beautiful outskirts neighborhood of Arashiyama. Here, you'll find forested temples, quiet residential streets, and a couple of bamboo forests.
Make your way down the hill from the Otagi Temple down into the historical residential area. Here you'll find some nice shops, restaurants and a temple with a bamboo forest!
As you continue towards central Arashiyama, the historical neighborhood will turn into a more modern residential area, which is really interesting to walk through! Arashiyama Chikurintei is a delicious plant-based ramen spot, so be sure to stop here for dinner!
At this time, a lot of Arashiyama is closed, so head to the station to catch the train back to central Kyoto and your hotel. Click the link below for route guidance.
Have more time?
Spend some time in Kyoto's most famous geisha district, Gion. It's filled with shops, restaurants, and teahouses where geisha entertain. The buildings here are primarily traditional wooden machiya merchant houses, creating a highly historic atmosphere. Coming here at night when the streets are lit by lanterns and the glow from within the restaurants is pretty spectacular.
*Kyoto is currently trying to manage tourism in this area because tourists are disrespecting the geisha and are just overwhelming the historic district. If you go, please respect all posted signs and leave the geisha alone unless you're going to an experience you've paid for.
Activities:
Below is a list of unique activities we recommend adding to your trip to enhance your cultural experience.
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We hope you have the most amazing time in Kyoto.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out at olivia.frances.biz@gmail.com.
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- Jack and Liv
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