Kyoto 4 Day Itinerary – What to do in the Traditional Japanese City

Hey travellers to Japan, check out this in-depth Kyoto 4 Day Itinerary guide to the Japanese cultural city and begin planning your trip to the expansive region.

Four Days in Kyoto hardly seems enough. Therefore, I can only cringe when I see travellers’ itineraries of Japan that only include a day in Kyoto.

Can you imagine trying to fill in the Fushimi Irani Shrine, Kinkaku-Ji Temple, Nijo Castle, Kiyomizudera, Arashiyami and other must-see attractions in about 12 hours? It’s impossible because these fantastic places need valuable time and energy to appreciate the beauty of each interest.

A Kyoto 4 day Itinerary requires careful planning. In this article, I hope to assist you in managing your time in one of Japan’s most popular cities with an abundance of unique places to see.

My time in Kyoto required long days travelling by the magnificent public transportation system or wandering through the region on foot and taking everything in as slowly as possible.

I enjoyed visiting eye-catching temples and historic landmarks and exploring the great outdoors with splendid scenery against the mountains in the background.

Let’s prepare the Itinerary and start your trip to Kyoto with a quick guide on what to do and where to go when visiting Kyoto.

You’ll soon realise that Kyoto in 4 days is the absolute minimum amount of time you’ll need to spend in the expansive region of Japan.

 

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Kyoto 4 Day Itinerary – What to do in the Traditional Japanese City

 

It’s a busy trip to Japan, but it’s an adventure you’ll never forget, with the glamour and history of the city in full view from the outset. Let’s get tucked into your Kyoto 4 Day Itinerary.

 

Download the PDF version of the top things to see in Kyoto – Japan!

 

 

Getting to Kyoto From Osaka or Kansai International Airport

Because transportation in Japan is suitable, you can get into Kyoto from anywhere, with a train or bus the ideal vehicle, or arriving by car on the fantastic roads in excellent condition.

Generally, people travel from Osaka to Kyoto or even Kansai International Airport, about half an hour from Osaka. However, several ways into the city, including getting there from Tokyo.

Many train lines run to Kyoto from Osaka, whether directly or through the metro lines that require changing trains on alternate routes.

If you are travelling from [easyazon_link identifier= “0516259091” locale=” US” tag=” fdt0c-20″]Kansai Airport,[/easyazon_link] the quickest way to Kyoto is to catch the JR Haruka 20 line, which is almost direct and includes a stop at Osaka Station. The trip takes approximately one hour and twenty minutes and costs around 3400-yen.

Taking other routes to Kyoto from the airport usually takes around 40-minutes longer, but it can save you 1000-yen in price if money is an issue.

If your Kyoto trip does begin from Osaka, the metro lines will do the trick with many avenues getting you to Kyoto city, and it can take approximately one hour to get there with the cost ranging from 400-yen to 1300-yen.

The best way to travel the metro lines in the Osaka and Kyoto regions, including other nearby cities, is to purchase an ICOCA card from train station ticketing machines or Japan Rail Office. There is one located at the Kansai Airport.

 

Related article – check out this essential 2-week Itinerary for your next trip to Japan!

 

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Where to stay in Kyoto

There are plenty of options in Kyoto for places to visit, with accommodation available for all budgets.

Although you will be hard-pressed to find many hotels for under $80 a night unless you are willing to stay in a guest house or backpackers, the prices can skyrocket if you travel with a family.

I highly recommend the Mitsui Garden Hotel, which I stayed in during my time in Kyoto as a solo traveller, that cost around $110 per night. However, prices can vary depending on the season you travel.

The Mitsui Garden Hotel is conveniently located, clean, and comfortable and will do the job of a low to the mid-priced hotel in Kyoto.

 

 

 

 

Day 1 – Settling in Kyoto

I am sure long before you arrive in the city, you have been planning your own Kyoto Itinerary, no matter how many days you stay there.

With at least four days available, there’s time to settle into your trip instead of visiting Kyoto in a day and getting as many attractions as possible.

On day one, I suggest you get to know the area where you are staying, visit a temple, or go to a nearby market/street thoroughfare. Perhaps take a city walk to get to know the local area around you before enjoying a comfortable night relaxing in your hotel and heading off on a busy adventure on your second day in Kyoto.

Now let’s check out these suggestions below for your first day in Kyoto, which is hopefully an excellent start to your trip:

 

City Walks in Kyoto

Start your journey off with a personal Kyoto City Tour. I am not telling you to go everywhere, but take a glimpse of the city by walking the streets, getting to know your surroundings, and familiarising yourself.

Please look at the stunning Kyoto Station, which alone can take hours of your time with fancy restaurants and an underground shopping mall with chaotic scenes inside the station itself (there are many platforms).

I suggest you walk down a quiet alleyway and look at the different housing, restaurants, and businesses on Kyoto’s backstreets. The backstreets are unique and tranquil. It is fascinating.

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Nishiki Market

Nishiki Market is lively with many tourists and locals with a real positive and loud atmosphere.

Areas of the markets are populated with tourists and locals, which can make moving about quite tricky, but that happens in most tourist zones in Japan.

There is a range of Japanese foods, including grilled meats, sushi, crepes, ramen and plenty of other tasty eats with lots of green tea ice cream situated in several markets.

Tasty foods are not the only thing to get excited about inside Nishiki Markets. Many Japanese-style souvenir stalls sell stylish chopsticks, unique arts, men’s/women’s clothing and other goods you may get tempted to buy as a souvenir of your holiday in Kyoto.

 

 

Kamo River

You can take a picturesque Kamo Riverwalk in Kyoto Itinerary whenever you have spare time.

It happened to be on day one (and day two, for that matter) when I had a little free time, and I wanted to stroll in the fresh air in a city that offers modern facilities and stunning nature in the outdoors.

Kamo River is a favourite spot for those who want a casual stroll, go exercising with a long run, or sit on the banks of the river and take it easy for a while by gazing at the picturesque surroundings in front of your admiring eyes.

It’s a majestic river that runs through the whole city and further on again, but you only need to see a small part to get your slice of the Kamo River.

 

 

Day 2 – The Eastern part of the City as the Kyoto 4 Day Itinerary continues

On the second day, things heat up as the feet move to many different places inside Kyoto.

On the second day of my Kyoto tour, I headed to the Eastern part of Kyoto, only a little distance from the city centre, where many historical attractions awaited to be seen, and it was magnificent.

 

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Heian Shrine

The key to most attractions in Kyoto is to get in early and attempt to beat the crowds, which is hard to do if a Kyoto day trip is planned and visiting many attractions. You can try your best to beat the masses, but eventually, it will be fruitless because the crowds will come.

Heian Shrine is a decorated Japanese structure with a splendid appeal in texture and colour. The Shrine was built a relatively short time ago, regarding history, in 1895 and was dedicated to the emperors who reigned supreme in Kyoto, Japan.

Inside the main grounds are four main buildings that are separated and sit horizontally to one another. The white limestone flooring creates a tremendous shuffling noise while taking a stroll across the grounds of Heian Shrine.

A must when visiting Heian Shrine is to visit the gardens around the back. While the Shrine is accessible, the gardens require a small entrance fee of 600-yen. It’s certainly worth the price to wander the stunning gardens and gaze through beautifully landscaped gardens, lakes and well-designed Japanese structures located throughout the gardens.

The ideal time to spend at Heian Shrine: 1-2 hours.

 

 

Yasaka Shrine

Free entry, Yasaka shrine is another stunning Japanese building worth your attention when visiting Kyoto. It’s a shrine full of colour, unique structures and Japanese culture on display, especially with many locals and foreigners wandering around in their Kimono dresses.

The excitement levels go up another level at Yasaka Shrine. The atmosphere gets louder as a guest to the Shrine scrambles to ring the sacred bells and partake in the particular water commonly seen during your Kyoto travel experience.

Inside are also a few market stalls and street foods readily available for purchase to boost much-needed energy. The day has just begun, so why not stock up and continue the power during your Kyoto 4 day itinerary.

The ideal time to spend at Yasaka Shrine: 1-hour.

 

 

 

Kodai-Ji temple

More tradition, more history and this time, Kodai-Ji Temple gets worthy attention as the beauty goes up another level with this breathtaking temple.

The Kodai-Ji is mesmerising with many Japanese buildings, each with unique structures blended beautifully with the mountains in the backdrop and the landscaped gardens that add to the pristine setting.

Established in 1606, in memory of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, there’s much history inside Kodai-Ji, and it’s a privilege to be on the grounds of something so wonderful and ancient, and with the Sony Mirrorless camera getting a workout taking many pictures of the temples, gardens and its bamboo grove.

As a side note, Kodai-Ji was undoubtedly my favourite temple to visit in Kyoto.

The Ideal Time to spend at Kodai-Ji Temple: 1-hour.

 

 

 

Ninenzaka

The streets are buzzing with tourists, geishas and locals, making moving along the busy strip impossible. Another busy tourist attraction in the form of a street thoroughfare, Ninenzaka adds incredible culture and tradition that fits into the scene perfectly.

The famous thoroughfare comprises many shops, tea houses, and food outlets decorated with excellent Japanese-style housing. At the end of the road is the next tourist attraction, Kiyomizu-Dera.

 

 

 

Kiyomizu-Dera

Kiyomizu-Dera temple means “pure water” and is said to be the most attended temple in Kyoto. Judging by the crowds that gathered during my trip to the temple, there is no disputing that call.

The most popular thing at Kiyomizu-Dera is to go to one of the three waterfalls and touch the special water; by doing that, it’s believed it can give you magical powers. No wonder there is quite a queue.

It’s easy to see why the much-celebrated Kiyomizu-Dera temple is a popular choice for all visitors to Kyoto. Not only for the wonderfully designed temple structures situated on the ground of Kiyomizu-Dera but the stunning backdrop of the mountains in the background helps create a picturesque setting making for terrific photos.

The temple was founded in 778, with the present buildings constructed in 1633, and it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.

The Ideal time to spend at Kiyomizue-Dera: 1-2 hours.

 

 

Kennin-Ji temple

Kennin-Ji Temple has a lot of history associated with being founded in 1202. This fine temple is one of the oldest in Kyoto and is located in the Gion Geisha District, meaning more women dressed in traditional kimono.

Like most temples, it comes with a mixture of fine traditional Japanese structured buildings and is mixed in with a short garden walk that is quite popular in most attractions in the region.

The Ideal time to spend at Kennin-Ji temple: 30-mins to 1-hour.

 

 

Gion

Gion is the motherland of Geishas and is a Ninenzaka-type street thoroughfare set up with plenty of souvenir shopping, tea houses and Japanese food outlets for a traditional Japanese experience through your travels.

Time to spend in Gion: 1-hour, perhaps longer if you want to chill for a while.

 

Day 3 – Visit the most prominent tourist hotspots in the Kyoto Region

Without question, on day three of the Kyoto trip, I saw two most famous tourist attractions that there is to do in the region – Arashiyama and Fushimi Inari Shrine. Because four days in Kyoto is a hectic schedule, I recommend you do the same thing.

Arashiyama is a little out of Kyoto and will take approximately 30-minutes to get there from the city centre, while Inari Shrine is situated closer to the city. It’s located on the opposite side to Arashiyama and will take a good 40-minutes to get there by rail, depending on wait times for the train and changeover at Kyoto Station.

Let’s get into it, day three of your Kyoto trip Itinerary.

 

 

 

Arashiyama

Arashiyama is simply breathtaking. From the moment you get off the light train at Arashiyama, the natural beauty is there for all to see. You could easily spend a few days in the famous region rather than a few hours and create an Arashiyama Itinerary on top of your own [easyazon_link identifier= “1786570637” locale=” US” tag=” fdt0c-20″]Kyoto travel guide.[/easyazon_link]

For the Arashiyama segment, let’s review a few noted highlights of your time in the picturesque area. As a side note, I only mention one temple below, but there are many others to see.

The Bamboo Forest Walk: The Bamboo Forest Walk is the first to mind when visiting Arashiyama. It’s a beautiful yet sometimes crowded walk depending on the time of day that you get there.

Many Bamboo trees line up either side of the path as an entrance into the forest and create a beautiful sight that needs to be seen for yourself.

The Bamboo Forest Walk is free entry, one of the few attractions in Arashiyama. No matter how large the crowds are during the day, a stroll through the Bamboo forest is unforgettable.

 

 

Tenryu-Ji Temple: The Tenryu-Ji Temple is one of the most famous temples in Arashiyama (naturally, there are many). It starts with a beautiful garden walk before arriving at the significant temple building, which has unbelievable scenery surrounding it.

The temple was built in 1339 by the ruling leader Ashikaga Takauji. The main building overlooks a gorgeous lake with the gardens surrounding the central water feature. The mountains blend in perfectly in the background; as I mentioned, they’re stunning.

 

 

Okochi Sanso Garden: It costs a 1000-yen to enter the picturesque Okochi Sanso garden, but you won’t have any regrets once you hand the money over. The gardens were designed by a Japanese actor who created them specifically to be a film set in the picturesque settings on his estate.

It is a garden walk with plenty of lovely Japanese buildings, but you also get a complimentary Green-tea cake and tea that is appreciated inside a boutique tea house surrounded by large bamboo trees.

It’s a relaxing atmosphere and one of my favourite attractions in Arashiyama; I could only imagine being so much better during the cherry blossom season when everything looks prettier.

 

 

Katsura River: The attractive Katsura River is full of activity, with many tourist boats flowing through the water and showing the tourists around Arashiyama.

It’s a great time to get your camera out to click away while taking a gentle stroll along the river banks.

The Katsura River is the ideal location to have a bite to eat for lunch at a riverside restaurant and enjoy a bowl of ramen or other selections of Japanese food.

It’s even better to unwind with a glass of cold beer and enjoy the sounds of the Katsura River, which is in full view from where you are dining.

 

 

Arashiyama Monkey Park: Who knew entering a monkey park would require some form of fitness, which is what you get when you enter the gates of the Iwatayama Monkey Park.

Before you even see a monkey for the first time, you need to hike up a hill for 20-minutes, which will test your fitness.

The Monkey Park is a tad overrated; while there are a few large and tamed monkeys at the hill’s peak once you have completed the hike, I find that you get more distracted by the lovely views of Kyoto City out in the distance.

 

 

Arashiyama back streets and town-centre walk: Wandering through Arashiyama is not only about the pleasant attractions or breathtaking temples, but a quiet walk along the backroads is also compulsory to view the unique township.

During your walk away from the crowds, you can witness much Japanese-style housing with a few selling unique souvenirs of fine art or jewellery and stop in for a tea, coffee or a bite to eat at a selection of cafés along the streets.

The town centre of Arashiyama is packed with tourists, and plenty is going with retail shopping and restaurants. It’s the perfect time to treat yourself to the ever-popular green tea ice cream sold in many locations throughout Arashiyama.

Time to spend in Arashiyama: Depending on your schedule, anything from a few hours to a few days.

 

 

Fushimi Inari Shrine

Getting off the train at Inari station, the festival begins on the street with a range of expensive markets and food outlets available wherever you look. It won’t stop the tourists from getting their coins out for a bite of the costly Japanese street food.

The main Shrine is a stunning feature with beautiful-looking Japanese-style buildings with tourists gathering for the best possible photo shoot.

Good luck capturing a photo without a random stranger getting in the way of the picture, especially during the middle part of the day when people are everywhere.

After the main buildings, you ascend further into the Shrine and into the area that makes Fushimi Inari Shrine popular for what it is.

I speak of the orange torii gates, the unique orange figures rowed in many numbers. You may have seen the famous gates in the hit movie  “Memoirs of a Geisha,” during the scene when the young girl is running through the gates before the movie moves into her adult years.

The orange Torii gates represent the staple of all holy Shinto sites. The Fushimi Inari Shrine has thousands of them on its grounds and eventually will turn into a significant hike.

The hike through the gates takes around 2.4km, bypassing many gravesites and ringing bells, before walking ascending the hill to find more stunning views of Kyoto.

It’s an exhausting hike, and I encourage you to carry plenty of water throughout your walk. If you don’t, there are vending machines available throughout, but it does come at an excessive price for a 600ml bottle of water.

The admittance price for the Shrine is complimentary.

Time to spend at the Fushimi Inari Shrine: 1-3 hours.

 

 

 

Day 4 – Historical attractions with a significant presence

After a crazy time exploring the region previously, a laid-back approach is required on the fourth day of your Kyoto day trip out. Which is about avoiding the trains and using the bus services to get to Kyoto attractions, again using the same ICOCA Card you used for parades.

Kyoto sightseeing goes up another level on this occasion, with the famous Kinkaku-Ji Temple, Nijo Castle and Kyoto Imperial Palace the centre of the attention for day four.

 

 

Kinkaku-Ji temple

A day in Kyoto is again started with a temple visit, but you haven’t been to Kyoto unless you have seen Kinkaku-Ji.

According to TripAdvisor, the Kinkaku-Ji Temple is the number-one-rated Temple in Kyoto. When it comes to appearance, the Golden structure of the Temple is tucked away behind the picturesque lake, and pleasant viewing of the mountains in the background is undoubtedly nothing short of spectacular.

You don’t need to be a world-class photographer to take a good photo of the Kinkaku-Ji, because this Temple, initially constructed in 1397, will take care of the rest for you.

Regarding other attractions around Kinkaku-Ji, there isn’t much more to do there than to gaze your eyes at a delightful golden temple that is a must-see and worth the admittance price alone.

Soon enough, you’ll be back on the number bus, which takes you directly to the next attraction in Nijo Castle.

The ideal time to spend at Kinkaku-Ji temple: 1-hour. 

 

 

Nijo Castle

Castles in Japan!!! There are a few, and Nijo Castle situated in Central Kyoto, is a must-see attraction for all tourists.

There is plenty to see inside and outside the castle, whether it’s the stunning design of the buildings, the moat surrounding the castle, the lookout towers on each corner of the castle, the beautifully landscaped gardens and the fantastic artwork inside of the main building.

It’s an educated day out visiting the centuries-old Nijo Castle, which has an entrance fee of 600-yen.

It’s another reason to fall in love with Kyoto, as there is a lot of history to gain knowledge of inside the castle, with various types of artwork throughout different rooms.

For example, the delicate paintings of tigers used in the waiting room, which in the 1600s were used to intimidate the guests of usually Korean or Chinese origins, found those animals most fearsome. Unfortunately, photos were not allowed to be taken inside the main halls.

The ideal time to spend in Nijo Castle: 2-3 hours.

 

 

Kyoto Imperial Palace

Last but not least, because there are many things to explore, is the Kyoto Imperial Palace. Another attraction with tradition, history and more splendid buildings was reconstructed on Imperial Park grounds in 1865.

The Palace, free to enter and comes with complimentary guided tours in Japanese and English, is situated on the grounds of the Kyoto Imperial Park, which contains views of well-landscaped gardens and the buildings of the Imperial Palace.

 

The conclusion to your Kyoto 4 Day Itinerary

There is plenty of places to see inside a four-day trip to Kyoto, and even on this list of locations, it would be ideally covered over five days because there is not a lot of time for rest.

Often in travels, time is not always on our side unless you’re staying at a luxury resort made for relaxing. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this detailed itinerary of Kyoto and if you have any questions, let me know in the comments below.