Top 20 Things to Do in Kyoto

1. Fushimi Inari Trail

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When looking at pictures of Kyoto, this shrine comes up. And so everyone tells you to go for sunrise because (because it’s beautiful) but also because otherwise there will be too many people there. This is a great plan if you’re a morning person, but if you aren’t a morning person (like myself) you’re going to want to find a way around this. So here it is: go for sunset not sunrise.

At the bottom of the shrine it will still be unbelievably packed. But it actually takes a lot longer than you think to get to the top, so most people drop off and don’t even make it. By the second half of the climb you’ll basically be alone, and can take as many photos as you want without other tourists in them. And I don't know because I've never gone for sunrise, but sunrise people just feel like the kind of people who will all go to the top, am I right? There’s also a great viewpoint of the city about half way up that is the perfect place to watch the sunset. So all in all, I'm convinced now that sunset might actually be better than sunrise and there is no need to ever wake up so early!

2. Learn About And Taste Sake At The Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum

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Other than the Fushimi Inari shrine, Fushimi ward is also known for its sake breweries! So if you are looking to try some sake (nihonshu), this is the place to be. And what better place to start than a museum that teaches you about the product, as well as letting you try it! With your entry to the museum, you get 3 tasting coins, but you can buy additional coins for 100 yen each.

There were ten nihonshu to try when I was visiting, so I of course bought 7 additional coins and tasted all 10. A lovely older man who worked there took my through the tasting notes of each one (in mostly English, so if you don’t speak Japanese an English speaking guide may be available) and also answered some of my questions as we went through each one.

3. Try Amazake And Amazake Ice Cream At Amazake House

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Amazake is a low or non-alcoholic drink made from fermented rice. It tastes kind of sour, and not really like anything else but I’ve heard people describe it like unsweetened Greek yoghurt.

If you haven’t ever tried it, this is a great place to give it a go! And why not try the ice cream form? It’s really good, and for some of their ice cream flavours you can add a shot of sake as well—just in case you hadn’t had enough after ten tasters from the museum (evidently, I hadn’t and came here right after the museum). This shop is also located on a traditional style, shopping street called Ryoma Shopping Street, a great place in general from a stroll and fantastic for photography.

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4. Visit The Teradaya Inn

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The Teradaya Inn is the location of the ‘Teradaya Incident’, an assassination attempt on Sakamoto Ryoma. The original inn was actually burned down in 1868, but this one has been reconstructed to look the same, including a sword slash in a pillar from the attack. There isn’t a lot of English, but if you want to see a preserved, traditional Japanese style inn, or are particularly interested in Sakamoto Ryoma, you may want to check it out! It’s also right by the sake museum and Amazake House, so you can see everything at the same time!

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5. Visit Kinkaku-ji

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This is a beautiful temple that is entirely covered in gold leaf. It’s gorgeous and as a result is one of the most popular temples to visit in all of Japan. It can get really busy, so I’d recommend going during the week not on the weekend.

6. See Kiyomizu-dera

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Kiyomizu-dera is a huge temple and a must see when going to Kyoto. I know Kyoto has a lot of temples, so if you only see one, make it this one. It has a beautiful view of Kyoto, and has many shops around it that sell great souvenir type items.

If you go in fall, you can also see the special light up event! I went around 4pm so I could see the leaves in the sun, watch the sunset, and also see the light-up event which begins from 5:30 pm. This schedule worked great so I recommend it if you're thinking of visiting around the end of November!

7. See As Many Shrines and Temples As You Can

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I could make an entire post dedicated to temples and shrines in Kyoto, but in order to have the space to add a little variety to this list I’m just going to let you know some of the other temples and shrines that I visited that I’d recommend checking out if you have the time! Shimogamo Shrine, Tofukuji Temple, (pictured), Heian Shrine, Chion-in Temple, Nanzen-ji Temple, and the Konkaikomyoji Temple. There are many more options as well, so if you have the time explore away!

8. Nijo Castle

Nijo castle is a must do. Built in 1603,the architecture is gorgeous and the gardens are spectacular. It’s very well toured, but I found that was actually a good thing because as your walking around you can listen in on tours and learn a little extra on your way around.

9. Kyoto Imperial Park (Kyoto Gyoen)

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The Kyoto Imperial park has so much to do that you could almost dedicate an entire day just to this. I rented a bike on the day in order to get to the park, but it turned out that having a bike actually made getting around the park a lot easier as well because it’s huge. You can see not only the Imperial Palace, but also the Sento Palace grounds as well. If you’re interested, there are also free tours in English, so check the times for those before you go!

10. Explore Gion

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Gion is Kyotos’ old geisha district. If you’re looking for fancy restaurants and teahouses, this is the place to go! However, it's busy 😅 So if you want to try something like tea ceremony or have a specific restaurant in mind, definitely book in advance.

It’s also just a great area to walk around in to see the traditional wooden machiya merchant houses. I’d recommend going at night to see the streets lit up with the red lanterns. And if you are looking to splurge a little, try reserving at one of the many Michelin starred restaurants (as far in advance as you can!) because they can book up quite quickly!

You may also catch a glimpse of a Geisha running between teahouses, but please remember to be respectful and not try to follow them or take photos without their consent.

11. Eat Matcha Soft Serve Ice Cream

Japan has a lot of soft serve ice cream, but Kyoto really has a lot. And as the quality of matcha in the surrounding area is really high, the matcha soft serve here is some of the best. And for the second go around, or if you want something with just a little more sweetness, matcha vanilla swirl is to die for. Trust me, you want to try it.

12. Shop Around the Nishiki Market

This market is right downtown, and sells all kinds of Japanese food, drinks, and souvenirs. It’s really busy, but if you brave the crowds it’s a great opportunity to try a lot of street food in one place. I also found some very cute little containers with scenes of Kyoto painted on them with traditional sweets inside. They made great souvenirs and I still have them displayed in my house today!

13. Visit The International Manga Museum

This museum is fantastic, you could spend all day here making it definitely worth the price of admission! Many people think it might not be worth going if you don’t speak Japanese considering most of the manga there are in Japanese, but I found there were still enough other things to do and see that it didn’t really matter. And there is a full area that has manga’s translated into other languages including English, so there will be something for you to read even if you don’t speak Japanese!

You can buy tickets at the door, or online in advance through platforms such as Klook.

14. Walk Philosophers Path

If you’re there during cherry blossom season, Philosopher's Path, or Tetsugaku No Michi, is a must see. Any other time of the year I wouldn’t put it at the top of your list, but it’s still a beautiful walk with lots of shops, café’s and restaurants in the area for you to explore! It's also a nice change of pace to check out a different area, so if you're looking for a peaceful place to take a stroll, this area is for you!

15. See Fushimi-Momoyama Castle

I know what you’re thinking, and what most people are thinking, Kyoto has a castle that’s still standing? Yes it does! But like many of Japan’s castles, this isn’t the original one. This isn’t even the second one actually, as it’s had some bad luck over time with earthquakes and changes of regulations on castles.

This version was built in 1964 and was even open for a while for people to go in until closing in 2003. So you can’t go in anymore, but you can still go see the outside and walk the surrounding gardens. It’s a bit out of the way, but if you have time it’s a beautiful spot. Had a magical feeling, despite all the castles bad luck over the years.

16. Visit Kyoto Brewing Co.

Craft beer has really taken off in Japan since I first visited here, so if you’re a craft beer fan you’ll be glad to hear that there are so many great breweries to try around the country, and Kyoto Brewing Co. is one of them. Kyoto Brewing has some great beers, I buy them pretty often in Tokyo and would love to visit the brewery to see what they have on tap. This one I didn’t make it to on any of my Kyoto trips yet, but am going to include in anyways since it’s on my list so why not be on yours as well!

17. Visit Arashiyama

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The big draw for visiting Arashiyama is to walk through the bamboo forest. The photos when you Google it look like a tranquil hike through a bamboo forest that’s an absolutely magical experience you couldn’t possibly miss out on. However, it’s really just a short, paved walkway that is incredibly crowded and to be perfectly honest I didn’t enjoy it very much. But I stuck around and decided to explore some other areas of the town and I’m really glad I did because there’s a lot more to Arashiyama than the bamboo grove you see on Google!

There’s numerous shops and restaurants to try, and the town itself is beautiful to walk around. And if you do really want experience that magical bamboo forest feel, if you visit some of the temples in the area, you can get it. I recommend visiting the Takiguchi-dera temple which is beautiful, surrounded by bamboo, and no crowds!

18. Hang Out With Some Monkeys!

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Alright, this could have been combined with the Arashiyama post above, but this was too fun to not get it's own point on the list. The Arashiyama Monkey Park is so much fun! For one, its an absolutely gorgeous little hike that gives you a beautiful view of Arashiyama from the top. If you visit in the fall, you can also do a fall foliage walk which is well worth it even if you don't want to see any Monkeys. But of course, the main draw for the monkey park is to see the Snow Monkeys!

Once you reach the top of the mountain, you will find yourself literally surrounded by monkeys. There's no cages or anything, so they are just running around and instead visitors are asked to try their best to give monkeys their space to let them roam free. And if you did want to feed the monkeys, you can go into a caged area and feed the monkeys who are still outside! Super fun, incredibly cute, can't recommend enough!

19. Go Izakaya Hopping Down Pontocho Alley

If you're looking for a fun area to grab some food and drinks, Pontocho Alley is the place to be! This historic little alley is jam packed with restaurants and bars, many of which are open pretty late compared to neighbouring Gion. Things get pretty packed though, so if you do want to go here for dinner, I'd consider making a reservation. Especially if you're going on the weekend or during a holiday period. If it's just for drinks though, feel free to explore!

20. Visit Uji

Uji is a city just south of Kyoto that is known for it’s shrines and temples, and green tea! If you’re a fellow lover of green tea, then I’d recommend taking part in a tea ceremony in Uji. It can be kind of intimidating, but I found that they know if you are nervous and they help you so don’t worry about it too much. Another thing you have to do in Ujiis go to Byodo-in temple. It’s a gorgeous temple, but be aware that if you want to be admitted to the temple and also see the Phoenix hall, it’s going to cost you extra.

Going anywhere else in Japan?

If you need help planning the rest of your Japan trip too, don't worry—I got you 😘 For some off the beaten track Japan trip additions, check out my recommendations for the best places to visit that are also easy to get to from either Tokyo, Kyoto or Osaka. I also have a guide on the best 3 week (or more!) itinerary for Japan.

And last but not least, if you're coming to Japan, you're going to want an e-sim! It's way more convenient than having to buy a sim once you get there, and I find the wifi around the cities here is just not reliable enough which can make exploring really difficult unless you really know your way around. Even just for quick access to Google Translate, you'll want some data! I usually use Airalo when I travel, it's super easy, the rates are pretty good, and the service quality is good too!

Enjoy Kyoto, and wander on friends ✨

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