If you’ve heard that all there is to do in Kyoto is visit temples, then trust me, you’ve heard wrong. Yes, there are incredible temples to see but Kyoto offers so much more than that. We had the chance to visit Kyoto for a few days and fell in love with everything this city has to offer. The juxtaposition of tradition and modernity, Geishas scurrying along quiet streets at dusk, and hidden cocktail bars in nondescript buildings. Who knows what else is tucked away in this enchanting city? For this 2 day Kyoto itinerary, we’ll visit just three temples, sip at hidden cocktail bars, learn about sake, nibble delicious (vegetarian-friendly food) and so much more!
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Best time to visit Kyoto
Kyoto is a destination you can truly visit year round, with each season providing its own charm.
The most popular times to visit are in the spring to see the cherry blossoms and during the fall where you’ll see some of the most stunning fall foliage you’ve ever laid your eyes on. I think my jaw literally dropped at one point. Just be prepared for more crowds and higher hotel prices during both the cherry blossom season and the fall.
If you want to visit a bit more off season, opt for the summer or the winter. I’m a huge advocate of off season travel because it’s a great way to promote sustainable travel and it’s really a win-win as you’re likely to find cheaper prices.
We personally went in November as that’s when I was able to score business class tickets on Japan Airlines with points and again, that fall foliage was probably the best I’ve ever seen!
How to get to Kyoto
Getting to Kyoto is pretty straightforward. One of the best things about Japan is that public transit is extremely efficient and easy to use. If you get confused at any point, simply go to the information desk. We found that they spoke English at the desks and were really helpful whenever we got turned around.
Tokyo to Kyoto
We headed to Kyoto after spending 5 incredible days in Tokyo.
The best way to get from Tokyo to Kyoto is the bullet train which will get you to the Kyoto Station in just 2 hours and 40 minutes.
Pro tip: Do as the locals do and grab a bento box and eat it on the train. Try T’s Tantan in Tokyo Station, one of my favorite vegan restaurants in Tokyo.
This vegan ramen spot has incredible ramen and has vegan bento boxes! It’s located just around the corner of the entrance to the shinkansen (the bullet train) so it’s very convenient.
Osaka to Kyoto
The travel time from Osaka to Kyoto (or vice versa) is around 40ish minutes. A lot of people do a day trip from Osaka to Kyoto or vice versa. I personally think both cities deserve at least a couple of nights and wouldn’t recommend just doing day trips.
Outside of Japan to Kyoto
If coming internationally, you can also fly into Osaka International Airport and then get to Kyoto in about 90 minutes via train or bus.
Where to stay in Kyoto
If you’re anything like me, deciding where to stay in a city can sometimes be the most overwhelming part of planning a trip, especially when it’s your first time visiting. There’s so many different areas to consider and a lot of blogs will give you every option possible. While I appreciate the thoroughness, sometimes I wish someone would just tell me 1-2 neighborhoods to consider and be done with it.
That’s what I’m doing here. I’d recommend either staying in Downtown Kyoto or Gion.
Downtown Kyoto
Downtown Kyoto is one of the best places to stay and where we stayed. We found it centrally located with plenty of nightlife and food options walking distance from our hotel, the Hotel Musse Kyoto. There was also easy access to public transportation and it was a short walk to Gion from our hotel.
Gion District
The other great place for you is to stay in Gion, the Geisha district itself. As half of this itinerary more or less focuses on that area, it also makes for an excellent and convenient home base. Plus, there’s something so magical about this area of Kyoto.
2 day Kyoto Itinerary
Day 0: Get to Kyoto
Get to your hotel, relax and settle in. If you’re arriving late, it’s a good idea to get a good night’s sleep. You don’t have to be up in the early morning for this Kyoto itinerary but it is a full day and you will be walking a lot.
If you happen to get in by late afternoon or early evening, then your first stop is going to be Bar Kaktel. This is one of those bars that is hidden away in a residential looking building. In fact, when we walked inside the bartender asked us how we even found the place.
So how did we find it? By zooming in on Google Maps and clicking the different cocktail bar symbols aka one of my favorite ways to discover spots right around us.
The bartender is dedicated to the craft and is mixing up some really interesting cocktails. We grabbed a few and he even made my fiance an excellent tiki off menu.
After Bar Kaktel, you’re going to head to Gyoza ChaoChao for dinner. There will be a line but it moves quickly. This is a great spot for meat eaters, vegetarians, and vegans alike. Vegetarian and vegan options are clearly marked on the menu. It doesn’t look like they cook the gyozas in separate oil so just note that some cross contamination can occur.
Don’t forget to have dessert! We had a chocolate gyoza with ice cream that was truly heavenly.
Day 1: Bamboo Forest + Temple + Natural Wine
Rise and shine! Today we are heading to the iconic Arashiyama Bamboo Grove. It’s pretty easy to get here. We took a bus until almost the entrance of the forest. I recommend using Google Maps to get exact directions.
You can use your Suica card to pay for the bus. If this is your first stop in Japan (or maybe even your only stop), here are some tips for you for planning a trip to Japan and navigating the public transportation system. I go more in depth about the Suica card in that post.
Walk around Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
You’ll spend the next hour or so walking through the bamboo forest. Take your time! There’s no need to rush. Make sure you watch how the bamboo sways in the wind. I found it to be really mesmerizing and almost meditative.
Grab a snack and/or lunch
Grab matcha and a snack from Musée et café. We got this little snack with wafer cookies and a red bean paste that you spread on it. If you’re hungry for lunch, they also have some curry options.
Visit Jōjakkōji Temple
As we were walking up to this Buddhist temple, I was wondering if we had missed the peak foliage since I hadn’t seen as much of the vibrant leaves. I got my answer seconds later.
The moment I walked into this temple area, I saw the most stunning foliage I’ve ever seen. The temple itself isn’t massive but the real draw here is the view and the colors during the fall.
It also isn’t the most popular spot in the area so it shouldn’t be too crowded. Also, for all the temple visits, be sure you have cash on you to pay the modest entrance fee.
Check out the Kimono Forest
About a 15 minute walk away from the temple is the Kimono Forest. This art installation is right outside the Randen train station. If you get there right when the sun is starting to set you’ll see the pillars light up. I love seeing art installations near train stations because I think they’re a great way to bring some beauty to a seemingly mundane part of your day.
Sip wine at Sons Natural Wine Bar
We had dinner reservations in the area and wanted to grab a drink before dinner. In looking at the maps, we couldn’t find any options. All the wine, sake, and cocktail spots were back towards Downtown Kyoto.
Luckily for us, we stumbled upon Sons, a gorgeous natural wine bar. Like most of the bars we went to in Kyoto, she was surprised we had found her. She had actually just opened the wine bar that week and was excited because we were her first international customers.
If you love natural wine, and want to support a woman-owned wine bar, definitely check out Sons.
Dinner at Little Heaven
Next, it’s time for dinner. We checked out Little Heaven, a vegan restaurant. We did their vegan tasting menu which you have to reserve in advance so be sure to shoot them an email if you’re interested in going.
The entire dinner was a really unique twist on some traditional flavors mixed with more modern and international flavors. One of the courses was vegan sushi and it was so realistic I almost felt like I was eating the real deal. Overall, it was a good dining experience, though not every course was to my liking (as someone who has never eaten meat, the sushi course freaked me out a bit)
If you’re looking for something a bit more casual or are not interested in eating vegan, head back to downtown Kyoto and grab dinner around your hotel.
Day 2: More Temples + Gion + Sake
Ready for an incredible day 2 of this Kyoto itinerary?
Marvel at the artwork at Kenninji Temple
After you get coffee and breakfast your first stop is my favorite temple of this 2 day Kyoto itinerary, Kenninji Temple. This Zen temple is so serene with a beautiful zen rock garden. In fact, I had to sit a moment and just take it all in. There really is something about the temples in Japan that instantly calm your mind and bring you peace.
This temple is also one of my favorites because of the stunning artwork. Don’t miss the twin dragons, painted on the ceiling of Hondō Hall.
There are also some really beautiful temple grounds and the nearby area is also lovely so be sure to walk around!
Matcha at a traditional tea house
Next, it’s time for some traditional matcha at the perfect place, the Matcha Cafe & Bar Kashoan.
We happened to stumble upon this spot and it was absolutely incredible. It’s a traditional teahouse with a beautiful garden. They also have matcha based cocktails in the evening!
Walk through Gion + get lunch
Wander your way through Gion. The streets are extremely beautiful, though they can get crowded at this time of day.
Grab some lunch before you head to your next temple. We ate at the Gion Soy Silk Ramen spot which was a great, casual option for some good soy-milk vegan ramen.
Stroll through the beautiful gardens at Shoren-in
The main draw for Shoren-in are the beautiful gardens. Part of the temple was under construction but it was worth it to see the part that wasn’t and to walk around the beautiful gardens.
Stroll along Philosopher’s Path
Next you’re going to head to the beginning of the Philosopher’s Path. It’s about a 25 minute walk from the temple. If you get a little tired on the way, or if you just need to rest your feet, just stop at any coffee shop or place selling matcha.
It’s up to you how much of the path you want to walk. There are multiple exit points so you don’t have to walk the whole path or turn around. We did about 15-20 minutes before heading back to Gion.
Spot a Geisha or two
Take the bus from wherever you exit the path back to Gion because now you’re going to see if you can spot a Geisha on her way to work. The best way to do so is to wander around the smaller, empty alleys as she’s likely to take that path on the way to work. You’re also more likely to see her around sunset. We happened to spot two as we were wandering around Gion.
Just remember, to be respectful. Don’t stare, don’t take photos, and don’t get in their way. They are on their way to their job and you don’t want to be that person that makes their commute stressful.
Spend as much time as you like, wandering around the narrow streets of Gion.
Taste sake at Jam + Sake
When you’re done, it’s time to head to Jam + Sake, a bar run by a husband and wife team. If you’re like me, and you know you like sake but don’t know much else about the different varieties, don’t worry, they will guide you through it.
You can get singular pours or a flight of sake. They were really great about letting us try a variety and helping us figure out what style we liked the best.
They also have some really delicious snacks and appetizers to go along with your sake. The best part? A lot of them were naturally vegan!
You can easily spend as much time as you’d like here!
Funny story: I loved the sake in the snowman bottle pictured below. When I asked to get a pour of it, I said “I want the cloudy snowman”, which of course was confusing to someone who isn’t a native English speaker…and maybe even to a native English speaker as well.
The poor man nodded confidently and then turned and looked to his wife in bewilderment. She asked me to clarify what I meant by cloudy snowman. I then pointed to the bottle and we all had a good laugh.
Continue the night at Apotheca
Since you’re already buzzed, let’s grab some cocktails. Head to Apotheca where you’ll find the nicest bartender who will craft cocktails to your preferences.
After you leave the cocktail bar and realize that you haven’t eaten dinner, grab some great drunk food. We went to Que Pasa which was only an 8 minute walk from Apotheca because hey, I was craving some Mexican food. Of course, if you want something more local, there are tons of options in the area!
Now it’s up to you, do you continue your night or do you sadly accept that you’re at the end of your 2 day Kyoto itinerary?
Conclusion
Kyoto is truly a city that I think most first-time visitors don’t do justice to. While the temples here are incredible and worth visiting, there is so much more to see and do in this beautiful city. With this 2 day Kyoto itinerary you can get a small taste of what this city has to offer. If you have longer than two days, there is so much more you can discover in Kyoto beyond this itinerary.
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