Itinerarly
One day in Kyoto: the main temples and districts in one route
Kyoto's famous temples are spread across the city, from the Golden Pavilion in the north-west to Fushimi Inari in the south. This plan follows the Complete Kyoto audio tour in the Itinerarly app. It is a long day: take trains, the subway or a taxi between the stops, and drop one or two if you want more time at each.
At a glance: 7 stops spread over about 34.8 km in straight lines: a day of trains, subway and taxis between districts, with short walks and about 2 h 20 of narration at the stops.
Morning: Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion), Fushimi Inari-taisha, Kiyomizu-dera
- Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion, is perhaps the most famous image of Japan. This Zen temple, whose two upper floors are entirely covered in pure gold leaf, is mirrored in a reflecting pond dotted with islets and sculpted pines.
- Fushimi Inari-taishaFushimi Inari-taisha is the most revered shrine dedicated to Inari, the Shinto deity of rice, fertility and prosperity. Founded in 711, it is world-famous for its thousands of vermilion torii gates that form winding tunnels over four kilometres, climbing the sacred mountain.
- Kiyomizu-deraKiyomizu-dera, the "temple of pure water", has clung to a wooded hillside in eastern Kyoto since the year 778. Its vast wooden terrace, supported by hundreds of pillars assembled without a single nail, juts thirteen metres over the void, offering an unforgettable view of the city and the cherry…
Afternoon: Gion District, Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, Nijō Castle, Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion)
- Gion DistrictGion is Kyoto's most famous geisha district, a maze of lanes lined with wooden tea houses, the ochaya, and traditional restaurants with slatted façades. As night falls, the lanterns light up and, with a little luck, you may glimpse a geiko or a maiko, a trainee geisha in a shimmering kimono,…
- Arashiyama Bamboo GroveThe Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is one of the most enchanting landscapes in Japan. Walking its path, you are swept into a forest of giant bamboo rising vertically to the sky, filtering the light into a soft green glow.
- Nijō CastleNijō Castle was built in 1603 as the Kyoto residence of the Tokugawa shoguns, rulers of Japan for two and a half centuries. Behind its moats and walls hides the Ninomaru Palace, a masterpiece of residential architecture, with partitions painted in gold leaf by the Kanō school.
- Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion)Ginkaku-ji, the Silver Pavilion, was built in 1482 as a retirement villa for the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa, grandson of the builder of the Golden Pavilion. Unlike its elder, it was never covered in silver: its name evokes rather the silvery reflection of the moon on its dark walls.
Only have an hour?
Take the Kyoto Getaway tour instead: 3 stops, about 1 h: Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion) → Kiyomizu-dera → Gion District.
Practical tips
- Go to Fushimi Inari early: the shrine is open at all hours and the crowds build up from mid-morning.
- Kyoto's buses get very crowded; trains and the subway are often faster between districts.
- In Gion, do not photograph geiko and maiko without permission; some private lanes now ban photography.
- Many temples close around 5 pm. Check the hours of the ones you want to enter.
- The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is free and always open; go early or late to see it without a crowd.
Do it with a story at every stop
This route is the Complete Kyoto tour in the free Itinerarly app. It walks you from stop to stop and plays a short narrated story when you arrive, in English, French, Spanish, Italian and Chinese. See all the audio tours of Kyoto.
Frequently asked questions
- Can you see Kyoto in one day?
- You can see a few of the main sights in a long day. This route links 7 of them, but they are far apart, so plan on trains, the subway or taxis between them, or drop one or two.
- Is there a free audio guide for Kyoto?
- Yes. The Itinerarly app has 3 free self-guided audio tours of Kyoto, narrated in English, French, Spanish, Italian and Chinese.