Kyoto travel guide: When to visit, What to do, How to get there, and more
Kyoto Overview
Kyoto OverviewKyoto, located in the center of the main island of Japan (Honshu), is the most popular place to visit not only for Japanese but also for international tourists.
Kyoto was, in the past, the largest city in Japan as the Imperial capital of Japan over 1200 years.
Now, Kyoto is the 9th largest city in Japan, but it still remains No.1 city of historical attractions, including 17 Unesco World Heritage Sites. This is one of the reasons that many visit this city.
In addition to its historical attractions, Kyoto is known as the place for traditional Japanese cuisine. As the Imperial capital, Kyoto created and developed traditional Japanese foods, including Kyo-kaiseki. Now, there are nearly 100 Michelin-starred restaurants in Kyoto.
When to visit Kyoto
When is the best time to visit Kyoto?
The best season to visit Kyoto is autumn. You can enjoy temples and shrines decorated with autumn leaves. The best time of autumn leaves in Kyoto is from the middle of November to the beginning of December.
During this time, many tourists, from all over Japan and all over the world, visit Kyoto. Most of the hotels in/around Kyoto will be full on weekends.
In November, the average temperature in Kyoto is around 12℃, and the average temperature is around 7℃ in December. It gets cold in Kyoto in the winter time. It is better to have an outer/coat with you.
Spring is also a good season to visit Kyoto. You can enjoy cherry blossoms in some temples and shrines as well as parks in the city. In April, Spring, the average temperature in Kyoto is around 14℃, comfortable to walk around Kyoto.
Even though there are recommended/popular time to visit Kyoto, you can enjoy your visit in Kyoto any time. There are always many things you can explore in Kyoto.
Maybe, you should be careful if you visit Kyoto in Summer. In Summer, it gets hot and humid in Kyoto. In August, the average temperature is around 28℃ and the average high temperature is around 33℃. With nearly 70% humidity, it is better to have towels with you.
For the latest information about Kyoto weather,
you can check here:
One-week forecast in Kyoto prefecture by Japan Meteorological Agency
What to do in Kyoto
The most popular things to do in Kyoto is to visit temples and shrines. There are 17 Unesco World Heritage Sites in Kyoto.
Unesco World Heritage Sites in Kyoto
- Kamigamo-jinja Shrine (Kamowakeikazuchi-jinja Shrine) [Official website]
- Shimogamo-jinja (Kamomioya-jinja Shrine) [Official website]
- To-ji Temple (Kyo-o-gokoku-ji Temple) [Official website]
- Kiyomizu-dera Temple [Official website]
- Enryaku-ji Temple [Official PDF brochure]
- Daigo-ji Temple [Official website]
- Ninna-ji Temple [Official website]
- Byodo-in Temple [Official website]
- Ujigami-jinja Shrine
- Kozan-ji Temple [Japanese official website]
- Koke-dera Temple (Saiho-ji Temple)
- Tenryu-ji Temple [Official website]
- Kinkaku-ji Temple (Rokuon-ji) [Japanese official website]
- Ginkaku-ji Temple (Jisho-ji) [Japanese official website]
- Ryoan-ji Temple [Official website]
- Hongwan-ji Temple [Official website]
- Nijo-jo Castle [Official website]
If you want to explore nature in Kyoto, Arashiyama can be your choice. It is the mountain across Ooi river. It is known as the place to visit in autumn and spring. In autumn, you can enjoy beautiful autumn leaves and you can enjoy cherry blossoms in spring. Arashiyama is one of the top 100 places for autumn leaves as well as one of the top 100 places for cherry blossoms in Japan.
Visiting museums in Kyoto is also popular things to do in Kyoto.
There are great museums in Kyoto.
Museum in Kyoto
- The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto [Official site]
- Kyoto National Museum [Official site]
- Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art [Official site]
- Kyoto International Manga Museum [Official site]
Transportation in Kyoto
Kyoto has well-developed public transportation, subway, railway, and city bus.
You can go to most of the major places by public transportation.
Kyoto Station
Kyoto station (JR Kyoto station) is the main station in Kyoto city.
Tokaido Shinkansen stops at Kyoto station. Also, JR local train stops at Kyoto station.
In addition, 1 subway line and another railway connect to Kyoto station.
Subway
There are 2 subway lines in Kyoto city, Karasuma line, and Tozai line.
Karasuma line runs north and south and it stops at JR Kyoto station where Shinkansen stops.
Tozai line runs east and west. It connects with Karasuma line at Karasuma-Oike station.
Railway
In addition to the subway, there are railways operated by different companies.
JR operates some lines, such as the Kyoto line, Nara line, Sagano line, and Biwako line. These lines are connected to JR Kyoto station so that it is easy to transfer from Shinkansen.
Kyoto line is to go to Osaka or Shin-Osaka. With Nara line, you can go to Nara. And, Sagano line is useful to go to Arashiyama.
Hankyu railway operates Hankyu Kyoto line and Hankyu Arashiyama line. With Hankyu Kyoto line, you can go to Sijyo and Kawara-machi directly from Umeda, Osaka. If you take Arashiyama line, you can go to Arashiyama. This railway can be useful for those who stay in Osaka want to visit Kyoto.
Keihan railway operates Keihan Honsen line and Uji line. With Keihan Honsen line, you can access to Kyoto from Osaka, such as Yodoyabashi and Temmabashi.
Keihan Honsen line runs north and south in Kyoto city, parallel to subway Karasuma line.
City bus
Kyoto has a great bus network within the city. By bus, you can go to most popular tourist places.
You can get the Kyoto bus route map here: Kyoto Bus route map PDF (6.3MB)
You can get instruction on how to ride bus and major sightseeing routes here: Kyoto Bus Navi PDF (1.4MB)
Public transportation pass
There are several passes for subway and city bus, such as 1-day bus and subway pass. If you use the subway and city bus to move within Kyoto, you can save cost with the pass. For detail, please check here.
Access to Kyoto
Kyoto can be accessed by shinkansen/bullet train, air, or bus.
The most popular way to access to Kyoto is Shinkansen. With Shinkansen, you can visit Kyoto easily from major cities, such as Tokyo, Nagoya, Hiroshima, and Hakata (Fukuoka). From Osaka, Kyoto can be accessed by local train, which does not require any reservation.
By Shinkansen/Bullet train
You can take Shinkansen from major stations, such as Tokyo, Shinagawa, Hamamatsu, Nagoya, Shin-Kobe, Hiroshima, Hakata, and more.
It is also possible to take Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka to Kyoto. It takes less than 20 minutes, but you can enjoy the Japanese bullet train.
For example, from Tokyo to Kyoto, it takes 2 hours 15~20 minutes by Shinkansen Nozomi, the fastest Shinkansen. Please be careful that Japan Rail Pass can not be used for Nozomi, the fastest train.
Shinkansen Tickets Online Booking to Kyoto
- From Tokyo to Kyoto
- From Nagoya to Kyoto
- From Shin-Kobe to Kyoto
- From Hiroshima to Kyoto
- From Shinagawa to Kyoto
- From Shin-Osaka to Kyoto
Shinkansen Tickets Online Booking from Kyoto
The first train from major cities to Kyoto (Timetable as of 2017/3)
- Tokyo: Tokyo at 6:00 am to Kyoto at 8:08 am (Nozomi No.1)
- Shinagawa: Shinagawa at 6:00 am to Kyoto at 8:02 am (Nozomi No.99)
- Nagoya: Nagoya at 6:20 am to Kyoto at 6:55 am (Nozomi No.95)
- Hiroshima: Hiroshima at 6:00 am to Kyoto at 7:43 am (Nozomi No.108)
- Hakata (Fukuoka): Hakata at 6:08 am to Kyoto at 8:54 am (Nozomi No.2)
The last train from Kyoto to major cities (Timetable as of 2017/3)
- Tokyo: Kyoto at 21:37 to Tokyo at 23:45 (Nozomi No.64)
- Shinagawa: Kyoto at 21:37 to Shinagawa at 23:38 (Nozomi No.64)
- Nagoya: Kyoto at 22:46 to Nagoya at 23:20 (Nozomi No.98)
- Hiroshima: Kyoto at 22:10 to Hiroshima at 23:53 (Nozomi No.129)
- Hakata (Fukuoka): Kyoto at 21:10 to Hakata at 23:55 (Nozomi No.59)
By Air
There is no airport in Kyoto city. The closest airport to Kyoto is Osaka International Airport (Itami Airport [ITM])>.
There are many flights to Osaka International Airport from major airports in Japan, such as Haneda (Tokyo), Fukuoka, Sapporo, Hakodate, Kochi, Miyazaki, Kagoshima, and Okinawa.
From Tokyo International Airport (Haneda Airport) to Osaka International Airport, it takes approximately 1 hour. Flights are operated by the following 2 airlines.
From Osaka International Airport to Kyoto, it takes approximately 55 minutes by bus. And, it takes approximately 75 minutes by train and monorail.
It costs approximately 15,000 ~ 25,000 yen for air and costs 1310 yen for a bus from the airport to Kyoto.
Osaka International Airpot is for domestic flights. If you arrive at Kansai International Airport (KIX), you can take a train or bus to go to Kyoto.
By train, you can take Limited Express Haruka from the airport to Kyoto. It takes approximately 75 minutes.
By bus, it takes 85 minutes from the airport to Kyoto.
By Bus
There are highway buses from major cities to Kyoto.
For example, from Tokyo to Kyoto, it takes approximately 7~8 hours by bus.
Transportation comparison from Tokyo to Kyoto
| Transportation | Shinkansen | Air | Bus |
| Traveling Time | 2 hours 15~20 minutes |
3~3.5 hours - 1-hour flight - 55~75 minutes from airport to Kyoto city - 1 hour transit time |
7~8 hours |
| Time Flexibility (Time option) |
Very flexible - More than 100 trains/day - Leave from 6 am to 10 pm |
Flexible - Approximately 30 flights/day - Leave from 6am to 7pm |
Not flexible |
| Cost |
¥17,600 (Our reserved seat price) |
¥17,000~¥28,000 (Depending on date & time and availability) |
¥4,000~¥12,000 |
| Pros and Cons |
Pros |
Pros |
Pros - Low cost Cons - Long traveling time - Lack of time flexibility |
| Recommended for |
- Most of the travelers |
- Millage lovers - Airport lovers |
- Budget travelers |
Kyoto Hotel Search
If you are looking for hotels in Kyoto at a good price, check hotels by using the following search tool.
You can compare hotel prices from various travel sites.
