Ultimate Kyoto 2 day Itinerary for first-timers 2024

While 2 days in Kyoto might seem too little, it’s enough to see Kyoto’s main sights and top attractions. I have optimised this 2 day Kyoto itinerary, so when you visit Kyoto, you get to see all the highlights.

What should you expect from this itinerary? You’ll fall in love with this beautiful city and get a taste of authentic Japanese culture. You’ll eat some of the best Kyoto food, see UNESCO World Heritage Sites, walk through a bamboo forest and marvel at the famed Fushimi Inari Shrine.

Kyoto is one of the best places to visit in Japan because it’s home to over 1600 temples, traditional wooden town houses (machiya), a bamboo forest and some of the best food in the country.

This is a short, but super efficient Kyoto 2 day itinerary, based on our best things to do in Kyoto article, will help you experience the top attractions.

How to Spend 2 Days in Kyoto?

When is the best time to do this Kyoto 2 Day Itinerary?

This itinerary is best done during the off season, during the autumn/winter from October to mid-December or early spring from early February to mid-March because you will have pleasant weather that’s not too hot or humid.

The most popular time to visit Kyoto is in spring, during the cherry blossom season. While cherry blossoms are incredible in Kyoto, the city is also crowded, so it will be more difficult to make the most of this Kyoto itinerary. If you do want to visit during the cherry blossom season, we recommend spending more time in Kyoto. Please read our 5 days in Kyoto itinerary article.

What about visiting in the winter or during summer? Kyoto is fairly cold and dark between December and February. The sun sets at 4pm every day, cutting your days very short, as most temples and parks close after sunset. However, this can also be an opportunity as some temples create wonderful night illuminations, and, of course, the street lights in Gion are also magical in the winter.

In the summer, the temperatures go high, and the air becomes humid and sticky. In fact, summer is the least popular time to visit Japan because of the hot and humid weather and the long hours of rain almost every day.

Where to stay in Kyoto?

For this short Kyoto itinerary, it’s a good idea to position yourself either in Higashiyama Ward or central Kyoto. Higashiyama Ward looks the most impressive, and it’s the closest to many traditional attractions.

If you stay in downtown Kyoto near the Kyoto Train Station, you will have easy access to the main subway lines.

These are our recommended hotels for your 2 days in Kyoto.

• Higashiyama – Dhawa Yura Kyoto (perfect for being close to the main attractions)
• Gion – Kyomachiya Gion Kanau (perfect for traditional Kyoto)
• Downtown Kyoto – Mimaru Hotel (great for easy subway access)

Navigating Kyoto During Your 2-day Itinerary

I recommend visiting most of the sights in Kyoto on foot. This itinerary is done in such as way that you can walk from attraction to attraction and get to enjoy all the things in-between. That said, you can always take the local bus or subway if you don’t fancy walking.

To save time on public transport and not have to worry about buying tickets, grab a local IC card (Icoca, Pasmo or Suica) from the Kyoto Station when you first arrive. These are pre-paid cards that you can use anywhere – even at wending machines.

Kyoto City Bus

The bus in Kyoto is very convenient, you can use it to get to every attraction in the city. Note that during rush hour, all public transport gets busy, especially in the centre. If possible, avoid peak times.

You can pick up a Kyoto City Bus One-Day Pass or a Subway & Bus One-Day Pass at the station and enjoy unlimited travel.

You can also use your JR Pass on some trains. I always suggest that you purchase a Japan Rail Pass to save a ton of time and money when travelling across Japan. You can ride the bullet train (Shinkansen) between cities included in the pass and visit anywhere in Japan more efficiently.

Japan Rail Pass

The optimal way to explore Japan is with a rail pass that is available for durations of 7, 14, or 21 days, offering unlimited travel across the country. Shinkansen included!

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Kyoto 2 Day Itinerary Overview

Here’s an overview of what you will do during your 2 days in Kyoto.

Kyoto itinerary 2 days: Day 1

• (1) Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
• (2) Ōkōchi Sansō Garden
• (3) Gio-ji
• (4) Fu Fu No Yu Onsen
• (5) Fushimi Inari Shrine
• (6) Food at Kyoto Station

Kyoto itinerary 2 days: Day 2

• (1) Ryōan-ji
• (2) Kinkaku-ji
• (3) Ginkaku-ji
• (4) Philospher’s Path
• (5) Nanzen-ji
• (6) Kiyomizu-dera
• (7) Gion (Yasaka Shrine, Maruyama Park, Shijo-Dori, Hanamikoji)
• (8) Kaiseki Dinner

Interactive Kyoto Itinerary Map

Day 1 – Kyoto itinerary 2 days

Day 1 of our 2-day Kyoto itinerary starts early just outside of Kyoto at the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. We will work our way back into the city and finish the day at the Kyoto Station.

Arashiyama Bamboo Forest

The Arashiyama Bamboo Forest is a lovely, natural attraction located on the outskirts of Kyoto. It is a dense grove of towering bamboo trees that creates a peaceful and calming atmosphere, making it a very popular destination. Because of this, I recommend that you start your day early and make it to the Bamboo Forest by 9 or 10am. Most people arrive by 10:30, and it gets busy by 11am.

The most popular trail is the main path that runs from Nonomiya Shrine to the Okochi Sanso Villa, a scenic route that winds its way through the dense bamboo grove. After the Bamboo Forest, there are many shrines, gardens, and temples waiting to be discovered.

Ōkōchi Sansō Garden

From the Bamboo Forest, continue to the Ōkōchi Sansō Garden (off the main road, on the left), a superb Japanese garden with stunning views of Kyoto and the surrounding mountains.

Ōkōchi Sansō is the former home and garden of the Japanese jidaigeki actor Denjirō Ōkōchi. The villa and the garden grounds are a fine example of traditional Japanese architecture. The teahouse is a representation of the wabi-sabi aesthetic.

It’s a short hike to the observation deck through the garden. This is the perfect lookout spot to marvel at the Okochi Sanso Gorge and the forest covered mountains. During cherry blossom season, the hillside is covered with beautiful cherry blossoms.

Gio-ji Temple

Gio-ji is a quiet temple known for its incredible moss garden. This was one of our favourite temple grounds in Kyoto. Besides the moss garden, the temple also has maple trees – especially stunning during autumn – and a small bamboo grove – which is great for pictures if the large bamboo forest is too busy.

Gio-ji Temple was named after a dancer, Gio, who fell in love with the Heike Clan’s leader Taira-no-Kiyomori. After their relationship ended, Gio became a Buddhist priestess at this temple and lived the rest of her life here.

Fu Fu No Yu Onsen

Kyoto is well known for its clear mountain waters, and its hot springs. Book a visit to the Fu Fu No Yu Onsen for a quick relaxing bath outdoors. This is a perfect place for a nice bath after a walk around Arashiyama.

You will rejuvenate and get to experience a traditional, outdoor onsen in Japan. You can rent a towel for just 200 yen, so you don’t have to bring one with you.

After the bath, if you are hungry, you should sit down for some udon and tempura at UDON Arashiyama-tei restaurant. Ask for a table at the window overlooking the river.

As I have mentioned at the beginning of this itinerary, we are on a tight schedule, so it’s time to leave Arashiyama behind and head back to Kyoto. Take the JR Sagano line from Arashiyama to Kyoto Station. Change to the Nara Line and ride until the Inari Station. The entire journey will take around 30-40 minutes.

Fushimi Inari Shrine

At Inari Station, walk towards the entrance to Fushimi Inari Shrine. Perhaps the most famous sight in Japan, Fushimi Inari Shrine is renowned for its thousands of vermilion torii gates. Experience the whole path by hiking through the gates to the top of Mount Inari.

Since you are arriving here in the afternoon, I highly recommend hiking to the Yotsutsuji intersection to see Kyoto from above. If you decide to hike all the way to the top, make sure to descend and stop at the intersection to catch the stunning sunset. On the right-hand side, in the distance, you should see the Arashiyama hills you just visited.

It takes about 2-3 hours to walk to the top of the hill and descend. On the way, you can stop at many lookout points to catch your breath and marvel at the views. You will come across small shrines and countless fox statues (Inari). These represent Inari, a deity in Japanese Shinto religion, associated with fertility, agriculture, and prosperity.

Sushi or Katsukura for Dinner at Kyoto Station

There are two restaurants I recommend for your first evening in Kyoto, one which specializes in sushi and the other in tonkatsu (pork cutlet). Both are located inside the Kyoto Station building.

After dinner, depending on how tired you are, you can choose to explore in the Kyoto Station area – there are countless stores and shopping opportunities -, or walk to the Kyoto Tower, just outside the station building on the right.

This concludes the first day of your 2-day Kyoto itinerary.

Day 2 – Kyoto itinerary 2 days

Your Kyoto Itinerary on the 2nd day is also going to be fairly busy. You will start the day in the North of Kyoto first, and walk via the Philosopher’s Path back to the centre. I recommend you to start early because there is so much to see. Let’s go!

Ryōan-ji Temple

Start your morning by making your way to Ryōan-ji, the scenic 15th century temple with its famous rock garden. The temple was originally built in 1450 as a villa for the aristocrat Yoshimasa Ashikaga, but it was later converted into a Zen temple. Meditate and observe at the Zen garden, then meander around the landscaped grounds.

The karesansui garden is considered one of the finest examples of Japanese Zen gardens. It is a rectangular-shaped garden that is surrounded by a wall. In the centre of the garden, there are fifteen rocks arranged in five groups on a bed of white gravel. The rocks are carefully placed so that, regardless of where one stands, at least one rock is always hidden from view. This design is meant to encourage contemplation and a sense of tranquillity.

Kinkaku-ji Temple

One of the most iconic temples in Kyoto is Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Pavilion). This is a must-see on your Kyoto 2 day itinerary. As you can see in the picture, the top floors are covered in gold leaf, that’s where the temple’s name comes from.

Once known as Rokuonji, the Kinkaku-ji Temple was once the retirement villa of the wealthy shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. According to his will, he wanted the villa transformed into a Zen temple for the Rinzai sect.

Kinkaku-ji is extremely popular and there is always a queue of tourists waiting to take the iconic picture of the Golden Temple with its stunning water reflection and landscape gardens. This is why I put this temple second in this itinerary.

You cannot enter the temple itself, but the landscape gardens are an absolute joy to admire and photograph.

Ginkaku-ji Temple

We are going to hop over to the other side of Kyoto to Ginkaku-ji Temple, which marks the start of the Philosopher’s Path. On the map, you will find it as “Higashiyama Jisho-ji”.

Ginkaku-ji is also known as the Silver Pavilion because it was originally intended to be covered in silver leaf, similar to the way the nearby Kinkaku-ji temple was covered in gold leaf. However, due to financial difficulties and political unrest in the 15th century, the plan to cover the pavilion in silver was abandoned, leaving the pavilion with its unpainted, wooden appearance.

Ginkaku-ji, like Kinkaku-ji, was originally commissioned as a retirement villa for the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. Just like the golden pavilion, it is now a Zen temple as per the shogun’s will.

From the villa, hike up the trail to the observation platform and marvel at the views of Kyoto and the surrounding mountains. After descending, exit the temple ground and join the Philosopher’s Path going south. This is a pedestrian path that follows a cherry tree lined canal between Ginkaku-ji and Nanzen-ji Temples.

Philosopher’s Path

The path is named after Nishida Kitaro, Japan’s famous philosopher, who was said to practice his meditation sessions while walking on this path every day.

Follow on the Philosopher’s Path (Tetsugaku no michi) though the stunning Higashiyama district. It’s very popular during the Sakura Season, as it is one of the best hanami spots in Kyoto.

The Philosopher’s Path also looks stunning during the autumn foliage. The magical bright red leaves make this place an ideal location to meditate and soak up the Kyoto atmosphere.

There are a few restaurants, cafés and smaller temples and shrines along the path, so you will have plenty to explore on your 2 km long walk.

Nanzen-ji Temple

Nanzen-ji Temple is a Zen Buddhist temple located in Kyoto, Japan. It was established in the 13th century by Emperor Kameyama as a place for Zen training, and was later expanded by other emperors and powerful feudal lords. It was believed that Nanzen-ji was once plagued by a dark spirit. The temple was repeatedly destroyed by fire in 1393, 1447, and 1467, rebuilt in 1597.

Inside, visit the Hojo, the head priest’s quarters, which is known for its exquisite fusuma (sliding doors) paintings. These paintings were created by the Kano school of artists in the 17th century and depict scenes from Japanese history and mythology.

Explore the expansive temple grounds with its numerous buildings, gardens, and a large gate, called the Sanmon Gate. The main garden, called the Seiryo-den, was designed by the famous landscape architect Kobori Enshu in the 17th century. It features a large pond, a waterfall, and a small teahouse. The garden is particularly beautiful in the autumn, when the leaves change colour.

Next to the priest’s quarters, there is a brick aqueduct that was constructed in the Meiji period as part of a water system for the nearby Lake Biwa. It is a unique feature that can be seen from certain areas within the complex.

The next stop is a bit further away, in the south of Kyoto. You will have to walk about 45 mins through the city and Maruyama Park towards Kiyomizu-dera. The walk is well worth it.

Unfortunately, there are no good bus connections here. If you don’t fancy the walk, a taxi will take you there in about 15 mins. Look for the Nanzenji Taxi Stand just outside the main gate or call an Uber.

Kiyomizu-dera Temple

Kiyomizu-dera Temple is a stunning Buddhist temple and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The temple is well known for its impressive viewing platform, the three-storey pagoda and the pure, medicinal waters at the Otowa Spring.

One of the most striking features of Kiyomizu-dera is its large wooden veranda, which juts out from the main hall and offers a breathtaking view of the surrounding forest and valley below. The veranda is supported by a network of 139 wooden pillars and is said to have been constructed by skilled craftsmen without the use of any blueprints or nails.

Follow the main path to the Koyasunoto Pagoda. You might have seen this red pagoda from the veranda earlier. This is a perfect spot to take pictures of the Kiyomizu-dera Temple.

Traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony

If you are like me and are fascinated by the Japanese culture, then you will want to book a tea ceremony during your Kyoto 2 day itinerary. The ceremony takes just 45 minutes in a traditional tea house located 10 minutes walk from Kiyomizu-dera.

The centuries old ritual of making and enjoying matcha tea is extremely fascinating because it helps people connect with Japanese history and way of life. The ceremony is also an opportunity to ask questions about Japanese traditions.

Kyoto’s Gion District

After the long day, explore the atmospheric, narrow alleyways of the Gion District. Gion is my favourite area in Kyoto because of the traditional architecture, tea houses and kaiseki restaurants. It’s also the best place to spot geishas.

Walk the well-preserved alleys in Gion and make your way to Yasaka Shrine. Once called Gion Shrine, Yasaka Shrine is a popular Shinto Shrine considered to be a powerful place for love in Kyoto. Yasaka Shrine consists of several buildings including large Vermillion gates, a main hall and a stage. The famed Gion Festival, with a tradition of more than 1150 years, takes place at Yasaka Shrine.

Walk around Maruyama Park and see the popular weeping cherry tree located at the heart of the park. In the evenings, this special tree is illuminated, making the park and the pond around it atmospheric and inviting.

Walk on Shijo-dori, the best place to find traditional Kyoto snacks like Yatsuhashi, ideal for souvenirs from Japan. It’s also a great place for desserts, drinks and street food.

Don’t miss the Hanamikoji Street, one of the best places for geisha spotting in Kyoto. The street, which means “blossom viewing lane” is a well-preserved historic street and a popular tourist attraction. For an expensive souvenir, go into a kimono shop here and purchase your own silk treasure.

Kaiseki Dinner

End your Kyoto 2 day itinerary with the best food experience the city is known for: kaiseki. Kaiseki is a traditional multi-course Japanese dinner made up of beautifully plated dishes. It takes a lot of skill and patience to create such dinners, and chefs train for years to perfect their craft. Kaiseki dinners sometimes change weekly because they are made with only the freshest seasonal ingredients.

We ate our way around Japan, and I highly recommend trying Kaiseki when visiting Kyoto. Here are my favourite restaurants:

• Hanasaki Manjiro – This is our favourite restaurant for high end kaiseki in Kyoto. You’ll dine in a period house with tatami floors and if you reserve a meal of over 10,000 yen ($70 per person) you could opt for a private room. Private rooms are limited, and we recommend booking yours well in advance. We especially love it that this restaurant can arrange for a maiko private dinner for an extra special celebration.
  ➡️ Address: 518 Washiocho, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 605-0072
• Kikunoi Restaurant – This is by far the best option for Kyoto if your budget allows it. A Michelin star restaurant ran by chef Yoshihiro Murata, the only 7 Michelin star chef in the world. You can expect the absolute best meal, with exquisite presentation, in one of the most beautiful private rooms with tatami and garden view. Kikunoi is usually fully booked at least 2 months in advance. Reserve your table via Tableall.
  ➡️ Address: 〒605-0825 Kyoto, Higashiyama Ward, Shimokawaracho, 459
• Sakuragawa – Expect fantastic hospitality and beautiful seasonal ingredients. You’ll love how every dish is made with so much skill and perfection. The presentation is incredible and the food is exquisite. What made this restaurant stand out for us was that we could watch the food preparation at the counter. The counter is considered sacred, and in this restaurant, is hand made from Japanese cypress.
  ➡️ Address: 491 Kamikorikicho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto 604-0923

This concludes the second day of your Kyoto Itinerary. I hope you had a lot of fun!

Final thoughts

There are so many wonderful things to do in Kyoto, and you can easily end up spending weeks here. Based on our experience travelling around Japan, we think 2 days in Kyoto is just about enough time to catch the major highlights.

Kyoto is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and definitely a must-visit when you are in Japan. From ancient temples, landscape gardens and epic food, Kyoto bursts with infinite points of interests and attractions.

More travel tips for Japan

• Is Japan expensive? The total cost of a trip to Japan
• Best time to visit Japan
• Planning a trip to Japan
• What to pack for Japan
• What to wear in Japan
• How to behave in a Japanese restaurant
• Japanese manners and etiquette
• 7 days in Japan itinerary

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