One Day Kyoto: Ultimate Guide
Western Kyoto
Arashiyama
Kyoto’s main attractions divide into several areas, beginning with Arashiyama. This is an area up against the mountains on the far west side of the city. The area features beautiful mountains, bamboo forests, snow monkeys, and a variety of tourist attractions.
You can arrive here by the JR Sagano line at Saga-Arashiyama station, however we highly recommend you take the Hankyu Tram line. This charming little tram has two lines, one of which terminates here. The experience offers more enjoyment compared to regular train rides. The station is very adorable with lots of food and souvenirs.
Arashiyama is a full-blown tourist area full of restaurants, shrines, souvenir shops, kimono rental services, and rickshaw rides. Many people will choose to spend a full day in the area, but we only spent a few hours due to our tight schedule. That said, if you can only choose a few activities, here’s what we recommend.
Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
This is one of the famous spots in Kyoto. Just outside the station is a large bamboo forest stretching for half a kilometer in all directions. There are several paths leading through the forest. We recommend you come first thing in the morning. It’s the only activity in the area that never closes and tourists arrive quickly. If you’d like good pictures in the forest you’ll need creative angles.
Nonomiya Shrine
Nestled in the bamboo forest is Nonomiya shrine, which is a small and simple Shinto shrine. Despite its location in a heavily trafficked area, it feels quaint and gives off the vibe of a shrine from an anime. As always, be respectful and do not take part or interfere with the shrine unless you intend to practice the religion.
Arashiyama Park
At the end of the bamboo forest, you may go north or south. To the north are more small shrines, ponds, and hillside lookouts. We chose to go south to Arashiyama Park, which is a large hillside opening in the forest. Towards the top is a beautiful lookout over the river. But we came for this perfect pathway with maple trees shining brilliantly in the morning light.
TIP: If you don’t have the ability to hike to the monkey park like we did later, the hilltop lookouts at Arashiyama and Jojakkoji have nice views of the city with less elevation.
Tenryu-ji
There are many shrines in the area, but by far the most famous is Tenryu-ji. This large complex is split into two sections. One side has many buildings and Buddhist shrines. The more popular side has a massive sprawling garden with serene ponds and water features.
We definitely recommend taking some time to visit Tenryu-ji, as it ended up being our favorite garden we visited in the city. There were fewer people here than other places, and there were a few paths to duck behind and find some privacy. The garden was taken care of so well, and the trees overhanging the path had such vibrant fall color. You could spend a few hours in the complex if you really took your time.
Arashiyama Monkey Park
Perched high on the mountain overlooking the city is Arashiyama Monkey Park. This sanctuary houses hundreds of Japanese Macaques, but you probably know them as Snow Monkeys. Here you can see monkeys playing with each other and swinging in the trees. You are also allowed to feed the monkeys, although each person is allowed a limited amount of food to keep them healthy. Monkeys are quite aggressive, especially around food, so there is a special room with metal grating to feed them through to protect them and you.
We had a lot of fun feeding the monkeys and enjoying the nature of the park. We’ve seen many monkeys in Asia, but they’re usually Long Tailed Macaques. It was nice to see a new kind of monkey for once, although I’m still fine just observing them from a distance. The mountain also has one of the best views over the city, which was especially refreshing.
When we first heard about it, we were a bit skeptical if they were being treated humanely. Thankfully, they are not captive but are free to come and go from the mountain. The handlers did a great job ensuring they did not get too comfortable with humans and only ate food that was good for their diet. The monkeys just happen to really enjoy being in that area, and choose to stick around.
Northern Kyoto
The Golden Pavilion
Kinkaku-ji, also called the Golden Pavilion is probably the most famous Buddhist site in Kyoto. This large temple complex holds the namesake of the temple, the Golden Pavilion. The pagoda is a Buddhist temple built in the 14th century and yes, the temple is actually covered in real gold leaf and gold plating.
Kinkaku-ji sits on a calm pond with hills in the background, making it one of the most striking images of Kyoto architecture. The temple grounds are also beautiful as well, but by this point, we had been hiking through temples in Kyoto for 6 hours, and all of the gardens and buildings started to blend together. It’s safe to say the main attraction is the temple and the rest will only be important to you if you love history or are Buddhist.
Eastern Kyoto
Kiyomizudera
You would never guess, but Kiyomizudera is yet another large temple complex in Kyoto. This one is situated on the east hillside, overlooking the city. Getting to the shrine requires a long hike through the graveyard out front or all the way up through Sannenzaka. We recommend you pair these two together because you likely won’t want to climb up this hill twice.
The view here is good, but not as good as Fushimi Inari. However, people do not come for the view. This shrine holds Kiyomizu-dera Koyasunoto which is the “pagoda of safe childbirth”. This famous pagoda stands out with its bright red-orange color that pierces the blue sky, creating some of the best photo opportunities in Kyoto.
But that’s not the only draw, towards the back of the shrine is The Stage of Kiyomizu. This domineering building houses a large wooden platform that overlooks the city and valley, and has a great view of the Koyasunoto Pagoda on the opposite hill. The building itself offers the more famous view, which you can access by paying to walk through it or by heading down, circling around, and climbing back up the hill on the opposite side. This large platform on stilts with the pagoda and city in the background is a sight to behold.
Sannenzaka
Sannenzaka is the tourist trap to end all tourist traps. This is a massive street winding all the way up the hill with hundreds of shops, restaurants, stalls, and museums. If you want any souvenirs from Kyoto this is the place to look, from pottery, snacks, and trinkets Sannenzaka has it all. We don’t usually spend money on souvenirs, but it was still fun to see the main street so full of people bustling everywhere.
Hokan-ji
The main attraction and focal point of Sannenzaka is Hokan-ji. This iconic pagoda is located directly in the center of the square and has an iconic view down the street. It’s very hard to get a picture with it due to the massive crowds, but we were a part of that crowd I can’t be mad. In the spring, there are cherry blossoms hanging over the road leading to one of the most recognizable spots in the city, but it’s still very cool year round.
Fushimi Inari Shrine
“The Thousand Torii Gates” at Fushimi Inari Shrine is perhaps the most recognizable sight in all of Kyoto. This shrine is located on the east mountain of the city, starting at the bottom of the hill near Inari Station and winding all the way up to the peak of Mount Inari. You’ve certainly seen images of hundreds of torii gates in an endless tunnel, and this is the spot.
The shrine at the base is yet another large complex of temples and Shinto halls. There are cafes and food stalls all around the shrine. Only a few steps inside the endless line of torii gates begin. This is one of the most visited places in the world, and therefore there are hundreds of tourists clamoring to get their photo with the gates in the background.
After a bit of waiting, we realized we weren’t going to get any pictures here, there were just too many people. We didn’t plan on it, but we decided to go further up the mountain. The further up we got the more it thinned out. All the way up are non-stop torii gates, shrines, cafes, and little shops with restaurants. About halfway up, we found the perfect spot for pictures. Thankfully, the groups of people had enough gaps for us to capture some iconic shots.
Climbing Fushimi Inari
At this point, we realized there was no reason not to hike up the entire mountain. We knew it would be a pretty challenging hike that we weren’t prepared for, but spontaneity is the spice of life! Near the top, there is a clearing with an unreal view of the city, with even more shops and cafes. The trail split into two and we made our final push to the top. The entire trail is covered in gates and stairs, making for a completely surreal (and tiring) experience. The summit doesn’t offer a view, but reaching it feels so rewarding. You can buy and place torii gates for good luck if you’d like. If you have it in you, climbing to the top is a very special experience and is worth the pain.
Final Thoughts
We’re so glad we visited Kyoto for one day. People often recommend a week but we accomplished so much. The fall foliage is perfect and every shrine and temple is so peaceful. We hope this inspires you to visit even if you have a limited time!
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