Three days in Kyoto for the first time. Trying to see everything means spending the trip on buses, so this plan sticks to one or two areas per day, with temples early before the crowds and Gion or Nishiki Market in the evening. Details and crowd tips are in the linked articles — you can walk with just this timetable.
Overview
| Day | Morning | Afternoon | Evening |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Fushimi Inari (early) | Kiyomizu-dera → Sannenzaka → Yasaka Pagoda | Gion |
| Day 2 | Arashiyama (early bamboo) | Kinkaku-ji → Ryoan-ji | Nishiki Market → Pontocho |
| Day 3 | Ginkaku-ji → Philosopher’s Path → Nanzen-ji | Nijo Castle | souvenirs at Kyoto Station → depart |
This assumes a base near Kyoto Station or Shijo-Kawaramachi. If you fly in the night before, take the Haruka from Kansai Airport to Kyoto Station.
Day 1: Fushimi and Higashiyama
- 7:00 Kyoto Station → JR Nara Line to Inari (5 min)
- 7:10 Fushimi Inari — Senbon Torii up to Yotsutsuji and back (1.5 h)
- 9:00 Keihan from Fushimi-Inari to Kiyomizu-Gojo (10 min), walk 20 min
- 9:45 Kiyomizu-dera (1 h)
- 11:00 Walk Sannenzaka, Ninenzaka and the Yasaka Pagoda; lunch on the slope
- 13:00 Kodai-ji or Kennin-ji (pick one)
- 14:30 Back to the hotel for a rest (essential in summer)
- 17:00 Gion — Hanamikoji → Shirakawa → Yasaka Shrine
- 19:00 Dinner in Gion (yudofu, obanzai)
About 10 km on foot. If you want to wear a kimono, this is the day, for Kiyomizu-dera to Gion.
Day 2: Arashiyama and the North
- 7:30 Kyoto Station → JR Sagano Line to Saga-Arashiyama (16 min)
- 8:00 Arashiyama — bamboo grove → Nonomiya Shrine → Tenryu-ji → Togetsukyo (3 h)
- 11:00 Early lunch in Arashiyama
- 12:00 Randen tram from Arashiyama, change at Katabiranotsuji, to Ryoan-ji (about 25 min)
- 12:30 Ryoan-ji (rock garden, 45 min)
- 13:30 Walk 20 min or bus to Kinkaku-ji (45 min)
- 15:00 Bus 205 back to the centre; rest around Shijo-Kawaramachi
- 17:00 Nishiki Market for a graze before it closes
- 18:30 Dinner in Pontocho
About 9 km on foot. Kinkaku-ji photographs best in the morning, so the reverse order (Kinkaku-ji first, Arashiyama after) also works — but then the bamboo grove will be an evening visit.
Day 3: Ginkaku-ji, Nijo Castle and souvenirs
- 8:30 Bus 5 or 17 to Ginkakuji-michi (40 min)
- 9:00 Ginkaku-ji (45 min)
- 10:00 Philosopher’s Path south → Honen-in → Nanzen-ji (2 h)
- 12:00 Yudofu lunch by Nanzen-ji
- 13:00 Subway from Keage to Nijojo-mae (10 min)
- 13:30 Nijo Castle (1.5 h)
- 15:30 Subway to Kyoto Station; souvenirs in the Isetan basement (30 min)
- 16:30 Shinkansen or Haruka onward
Swap option: replace day 3 with a Nara day trip for the Great Buddha and the deer, and save Ginkaku-ji and Nijo Castle for next time.
Budget per person
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Admission (Fushimi Inari free, Kiyomizu-dera 500, Tenryu-ji 500, Ryoan-ji 600, Kinkaku-ji 500, Ginkaku-ji 500, Nijo Castle 1,300) | about ¥3,900 |
| Transport (trains and buses, 3 days) | about ¥3,000 |
| Food (breakfast at the hotel; lunch ¥1,500 and dinner ¥3,500 × 3 days) | about ¥15,000 |
| Hotel (2 nights, half of a double room) | ¥20,000–35,000 |
| Souvenirs | ¥5,000–10,000 |
| Total | about ¥47,000–67,000 |
Kimono rental (¥4,000–6,000), the Romantic Train (¥880) and guided tours are extra.
[Affiliate slot: Kyoto guided tours, kimono, hotel booking — Klook / KKday / Agoda]
Transport notes
- Day 1 is trains only (JR and Keihan); no bus pass needed.
- Day 2 mixes the Randen tram and buses, so the ¥1,100 subway-and-bus pass is marginal; an IC card paying per ride is simpler.
- Day 3 is one bus and two subway rides — pay per ride.
- On day 3 morning, put your luggage in a Kyoto Station locker (large ¥700).
Adjusting for the season
- Cherry blossom (early April): do the Philosopher’s Path first thing on day 3; Nijo Castle can become the night illumination (reservation required).
- Autumn leaves (mid-November to early December): add the evening illuminations at Kiyomizu-dera or Eikan-do; accept midday crowds.
- Summer (July–August): rest from 14:00 to 16:00; dinner on a Kamo River terrace.
- Winter (January–February): few crowds and relaxed temples; snow at Kinkaku-ji is luck.
The area-by-area list is in 15 things to do in Kyoto.
Official information: Kyoto City Official Travel Guide · Kyoto City Transportation Bureau
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