What to see in Kyoto

Fushimi Inari, Kiyomizu-dera, Higashiyama, Gion, Nijo Castle and the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove: Mappu's 3-day itinerary for Kyoto covers them day by day. Plan the trip around your own dates, then listen to the free audio guides or follow a self-guided walk when you get there.

All audio guides View country guides

Travel view of Kyoto — Photo by Martin FalbisonerWikimedia CommonsCC BY-SA 4.0

Kyoto day by day

Kyoto 3 days

3 days

Nijo Castle and Gion at dusk, Fushimi Inari at dawn, Kiyomizu-dera and Higashiyama, then Arashiyama's bamboo grove and Tenryu-ji.

Japan first trip 10 days

10 days

A first Japan route through Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Hiroshima with buffers for big city changes.

Self-guided walks in Kyoto

Free audio walks that connect the guides below into one route, with a map, distances and walking times.

Photo attribution

Kiyomizu-dera: Martin Falbisoner / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove: Duong Nguyen
Fushimi Inari Taisha: Stefan K
Nijo Castle: Eleonora Albasi
Seimei Shrine: Naokijp / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Audio guides in Kyoto

Photo attribution

Kiyomizu-dera: Martin Falbisoner / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple: 663highland / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Arashiyama: Takeshi Kuboki from Amagasaki, Japan / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0 (CC BY 2.0)
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove: Duong Nguyen
Chion-in: BriYYZ from Toronto, Canada / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0 (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Chishaku-in: 663highland / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.5 (CC BY 2.5)
Daikaku-ji: PlusMinus / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Daitoku-ji: 663highland / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Fushimi Inari Taisha: Stefan K
Gion: Sorasak
Goou Shrine: No machine-readable author provided. S kitahashi assumed (based on copyright claims). / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Heian Shrine: Saigen Jiro / Wikimedia Commons / CC0 (CC0)
Higashi Hongan-ji: 663highland / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Higashiyama: Andre Benz
Hirano Shrine: 掬茶 / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Hōkō-ji: 663highland / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.5 (CC BY 2.5)
Honnō-ji: PlusMinus / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Imamiya Shrine: 663highland / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Monkey Park Iwatayama: Minseong Kim / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Kenkun Shrine: Yanajin33 / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Kennin-ji: 663highland / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.5 (CC BY 2.5)
Kinkaku-ji: Basile Morin / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Kitano Tenmangū: 663highland / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.5 (CC BY 2.5)
Kōdai-ji: No machine-readable author provided. Fg2 assumed (based on copyright claims). / Wikimedia Commons / Public domain (Public domain)
Kyoto Gyoen National Garden: Hyppolyte de Saint-Rambert / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Kyoto Imperial Palace: Saigen Jiro / Wikimedia Commons / CC0 (CC0)
Kyoto International Manga Museum: ja:利用者:珈琲ルンバ / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Kyoto National Museum: 663highland / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Kyoto Railway Museum: BWard 1997 / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 4.0 (CC BY 4.0)
Kyoto Tower: Asturio Cantabrio / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Matsunoo Taisha: Saigen Jiro / Wikimedia Commons / CC0 (CC0)
Minami-za: Chainwit. / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Nanzen-ji: 663highland / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Nijo Castle: Eleonora Albasi
Ninna-ji: 663highland / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.5 (CC BY 2.5)
Nishi Honganji: 663highland / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.5 (CC BY 2.5)
Nishiki Market: Pitan / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Nonomiya Shrine: nnh / Wikimedia Commons / Public domain (Public domain)
Ōkōchi Sansō: 663highland / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.5 (CC BY 2.5)
Rokkaku-dō: Hyppolyte de Saint-Rambert / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 4.0 (CC BY 4.0)
Ryōan-ji: 663highland / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Saihō-ji Temple: 江戸村のとくぞう / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Sanjūsangen-dō: 663highland / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.5 (CC BY 2.5)
Seimei Shrine: Naokijp / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Seiryō-ji: Mti / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Shimogamo Shrine: May
Shinsen-en: 663highland / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.5 (CC BY 2.5)
Shiramine Jingu: nnh / Wikimedia Commons / Public domain (Public domain)
Tenryū-ji: osakaosaka / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Tofuku-ji: 663highland / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.5 (CC BY 2.5)
Togetsu Bridge: Blue Lotus from Arashiyama, Kyoto / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0 (CC BY 2.0)
Tōji-in Temple: 663highland / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Hōkoku-jinja: 663highland / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.5 (CC BY 2.5)
Hōkan Temple: 663highland / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.5 (CC BY 2.5)
Yasaka Shrine: Zairon / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Kyoto 3 days: Martin Falbisoner / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Japan first trip 10 days: Stefan K

Planning a trip to Kyoto?

Get your plan

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Weekend trip, €9.99: Your day-by-day plan plus 2 live walks
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See the trip packs

Already going? The 2-hour live walk in Kyoto is €4.99

Useful for your visit

Tickets, tours and practical extras for this trip, from Mappu's partners.

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