Seimei Shrine to Shimogamo Shrine, Kyoto: free self-guided walking tour
Quick answer. A free self-guided walking tour from Seimei Shrine to Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto: 4 stops, about 4.2 km, about 55 minutes of walking plus about 25 minutes of listening. Start at Seimei Shrine, on the site of the house of Abe no Seimei, the Heian court’s master of yin and yang, with his five-pointed star all over the grounds. Nearby, Shiramine Jingu honors two exiled emperors and, on the old home of the kemari ball-game masters, athletes of every sport. Cross Kyoto Gyoen to the Kyoto Imperial Palace, the emperor’s home from 1337 to 1869, and finish in the Tadasu no Mori forest at Shimogamo Shrine.
- Stops:
- 4
- Distance:
- about 4.2 km
- Walking:
- about 55 min
- Listening:
- about 25 min
Two ways to do this walk
Kyoto with Mappu
Walk Mode, in the free Mappu app
It knows where you are, tells you about everything you pass between the stops, answers your questions and keeps you on the route. Your phone stays in your pocket.
A 2-hour live walk, €4.99.
50 credits from the Starter pack. One-time purchase, no subscription.
Self-guided audio walk. No guide accompanies you. Not affiliated with the sites.
Free: the audio guides
Listen to each stop’s audio guide in your browser and find your own way between the stops.
Walking directions in Google MapsSeimei Shrine to Shimogamo Shrine, Kyoto: how long does the walk take?
About 80 minutes in all: about 55 minutes on foot over about 4.2 km, plus about 25 minutes of audio at the 4 stops. Time inside the sites is extra.
Seimei Shrine to Shimogamo Shrine, Kyoto: in what order should you visit the stops?
Follow the stops in this order: Seimei Shrine, Shiramine Jingu, Kyoto Imperial Palace, and Shimogamo Shrine. The longest stretch between two stops is about 2.4 km, about 32 min on foot.
Route and map
Indicative route. While you walk, watch where you're going, mind the traffic and follow local signs and rules. The map is an aid, not a safety guide. Terms
Follow Mappu’s map: the route runs along the streets from stop to stop, and the stories keep playing as you walk.
To get to the first stop, or if you’re far from the route, Google Maps has walking directions through every stop.
Stop 1
A compact shrine on the site of the house of Abe no Seimei (921–1005), the Heian court’s master of yin and yang, with his five-pointed star and a famous well.
about 6 min of audio
Next stop: Shiramine Jingu · about 0.5 km, about 7 min on foot
Stop 2
A shrine to two exiled emperors, Sutoku and Junnin, on the former home of the Asukai family of kemari masters, now a place of prayer for athletes.
about 6 min of audio
Next stop: Kyoto Imperial Palace · about 1.3 km, about 18 min on foot
Stop 3
The compound where the emperor lived and held ceremonies from 1337 to 1869, rebuilt again and again inside the wide green expanse of Kyoto Gyoen.
about 7 min of audio
Next stop: Shimogamo Shrine · about 2.4 km, about 32 min on foot
Stop 4
One of Japan’s oldest shrines, formally Kamo-mioya Shrine, reached through the ancient Tadasu no Mori forest and part of Kyoto’s World Heritage.
about 6 min of audio
The stop stories are AI-generated audio guides and can contain mistakes. Check opening hours and tickets on the official sites.
Planning a trip to Kyoto?
Get your plan
Mappu sketches your days free in the chat, no account needed. Then take the full plan with you:
- Weekend trip, €9.99: Your day-by-day plan plus 2 live walks
- Save your trip’s free guides on your phone in the Mappu app: they play with no signal
Before you go
- Check opening hours, tickets and access on each site’s official page before you go.
- Distances and times are estimates: the walking route between stops, from OpenStreetMap, at 4.5 km/h. Your route on the street may differ.
More walking tours in Kyoto
Kiyomizu-dera to Gion, Kyoto
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5 stops · about 2.0 km · about 25 min on foot · about 32 min of audioArashiyama Bamboo Grove → Ōkōchi Sansō → Nonomiya Shrine → Tenryū-ji → TogetsukyoFree audio at every stop, or walk it with MappuSee the routeFushimi Inari to Chishaku-in, Kyoto
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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.
Useful for your visit
Tickets, tours and practical extras for this trip, from Mappu's partners.
Partner links (Airalo, Amazon, Booking.com, GetYourGuide, Klook, Tiqets, Trip.com, Viator, Welcome Pickups): if you book or buy through them, Mappu may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Route checked by Mappu on November 1, 2026. Stop descriptions come from each place’s published Mappu audio guide. Mappu is a Fenutech product.