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Free audio walking tours of Kyoto
Itinerarly has 3 self-guided audio tours of Kyoto, Japan, from 1 h to 2 h 20. Each one walks you between the stops in order and plays a short narrated story when you arrive. The narration is available in English, French, Spanish, Italian and Chinese, and the tours are free.
Kyoto Getaway
Golden Pavilion, Kiyomizu and Gion in 1h
- 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.
- 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 blossoms or maples…
- 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, hurrying to an appointment.
Sacred Kyoto
From the Fushimi torii to Nijō Castle
- 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 blossoms or maples…
- 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, hurrying to an appointment.
- 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.
Complete Kyoto
Temples, bamboo and Zen gardens
- 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 blossoms or maples…
- 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, hurrying to an appointment.
- 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.
Frequently asked questions
- Is there a free audio walking tour of Kyoto?
- Yes. The Itinerarly app has 3 free self-guided audio tours of Kyoto: Kyoto Getaway (3 stops, about 1 h); Sacred Kyoto (5 stops, about 1 h 40); Complete Kyoto (7 stops, about 2 h 20). The narration is available in English, French, Spanish, Italian and Chinese.
- Which sights do the Kyoto audio tours visit?
- Stops include Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion), Kiyomizu-dera, Gion District, Fushimi Inari-taisha, Nijō Castle, Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion).
- How long does a walking tour of Kyoto take?
- The Kyoto tours take from 1 h to 2 h 20, including time at each stop. Pick the shortest one if you only have an hour.
- Do I need to pay or book?
- No. The tours are free and you start them whenever you want. Some monuments charge their own entry ticket; the app links to the official ticket page where there is one.
- Does it work offline?
- You need a connection for the map and directions. A stop you have already downloaded can be replayed without a connection.
- What do I need?
- The free Itinerarly app on iPhone (App Store) or Android (Google Play), and a free account.
- Can Itinerarly plan the rest of my day in Kyoto?
- Yes. In Plan mode you add the places you want to see and Itinerarly puts them in the best order, with travel times that account for live traffic.
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