Kiyomizu-dera to Gion, Kyoto: free self-guided audio walk
Quick answer. A free self-guided audio walk through Higashiyama and Gion in Kyoto: 3 stops, about 1.8 km, about 25 minutes of walking plus about 20 minutes of listening. Start at Kiyomizu-dera, the Pure Water Temple on the wooded slopes of Mount Otowa, and walk down the old cobbled lanes of Higashiyama past the five-storey Yasaka Pagoda. Finish in Gion, the district that grew up to serve pilgrims visiting the nearby Yasaka Shrine and still glows with paper lanterns. The Higashiyama guide mentions steep stairs on the slopes, so take them slowly.
- Stops:
- 3
- Distance:
- about 1.8 km
- Walking:
- about 25 min
- Listening:
- about 20 min
Kiyomizu-dera to Gion, Kyoto: how long does the walk take?
About 45 minutes in all: about 25 minutes on foot over about 1.8 km, plus about 20 minutes of audio at the 3 stops. Time inside the sites is extra.
Kiyomizu-dera to Gion, Kyoto: in what order should you visit the stops?
Follow the stops in this order: Kiyomizu-dera, Higashiyama, and Gion. The longest stretch between two stops is about 0.9 km, about 12 min on foot.
Route and map
Opens Google Maps with walking directions through every stop.
Stop 1
The Pure Water Temple on Mount Otowa, named after the Otowa Waterfall and part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto.
about 7 min of audio
Next stop: Higashiyama · about 0.9 km, about 11 min on foot
Stop 2
Cobbled slopes worn smooth by pilgrims since the Heian period, below the five-storey Yasaka Pagoda.
about 7 min of audio
Next stop: Gion · about 0.9 km, about 12 min on foot
Stop 3
Born as a rest area for pilgrims visiting the Yasaka Shrine, its cobbled streets still glow with paper lanterns.
about 7 min of audio
How does this self-guided walk work?
The audio guides on this page stay free: open any stop to listen in your browser.
Live Walk Mode uses your location to narrate places as you walk. It opens in the Mappu app at the first stop, Kiyomizu-dera.
Live Walk Mode: 2 hours for 50 credits (€4.99 Starter pack)
Before you go
- Check opening hours, tickets and access on each site’s official page before you go.
- Distances and times are estimates: straight-line distance between stops plus 30%, at 4.5 km/h. Your route on the street may differ.
Plan more days in Kyoto
These day-by-day Mappu itineraries include Kyoto. The day links open the days that visit stops on this walk.
Route checked by Mappu on October 11, 2026. Stop descriptions come from each place’s published Mappu audio guide. Mappu is a Fenutech product.