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Kyoto

Japan travel guide

What to see in Kyoto

The old capital: temples everywhere, the red torii of Fushimi Inari, Gion and the bamboo of Arashiyama.

Updated 19 October 2026 · How we make our guides

  • 9 must-see places
  • Best time: from October to April
  • Stay in Gion
  • Typical food: Yudofu
Photo: Basile Morin · CC BY-SA 4.0

Kyoto highlights

The places you can’t miss. In the app we sort them by day and close to each other.

  1. Fushimi Inari

    Thousands of red torii gates up Mount Inari.

  2. Kinkaku-ji

    The Golden Pavilion reflected in its pond.

  3. Arashiyama bamboo grove

    Bamboo path and the Togetsukyo bridge in the west of the city.

  4. Gion

    The geisha district of wooden machiya houses.

  5. Kiyomizu-dera

    A temple on a wooden cliffside stage built without nails.

  6. Nishiki Market

    A covered street of Kyoto cuisine (kyo-ryori).

  7. Philosopher’s Path

    A cherry-lined canal between Ginkaku-ji and Nanzen-ji.

  8. Nijo Castle

    The shoguns’ castle, with “nightingale” floors that squeak to give intruders away.

  9. Sanjusangen-do

    A hall with 1,001 statues of Kannon.

Where to stay in Kyoto

The handiest areas for getting around and going out.

  • Recommended areas

    Gion · Kawaramachi · Arashiyama · Central Kyoto

Day trips from Kyoto

We take you straight to the best-rated tour on GetYourGuide, with its reviews and dates.

Some links are affiliate links: if you book through them, Bagintravel may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

When to travel to Kyoto

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Kyoto are from October to April.

  1. Jan no warnings
  2. Feb no warnings
  3. Mar no warnings
  4. Apr no warnings
  5. May with warnings
  6. Jun with warnings
  7. Jul with warnings
  8. Aug with warnings
  9. Sep with warnings
  10. Oct no warnings
  11. Nov no warnings
  12. Dec no warnings
  • May

    Golden Week

    From 29 April to 5 May half of Japan is on the move: bullet trains packed, hotels expensive and queues everywhere.

    What to do: Book reserved shinkansen seats and your hotels as early as possible.

  • June, July

    Rainy season (tsuyu)

    From early June to mid-July it rains often and it’s hot and humid.

    What to do: Bring a folding umbrella and keep an indoor plan for each day; Hokkaido escapes it.

  • August, September

    A typhoon may pass through

    In August and September a typhoon can stop trains and flights for a day (in October it’s rare).

    What to do: Have an indoor plan (museums, covered temples, onsen) for the day it happens.

Curious facts about Kyoto

  • In Gion you’ll see geiko and maiko on their way to appointments: let them pass, don’t stop them or follow them for photos.

Traditions of Kyoto

  • July Gion Matsuri

    Japan’s most famous festival: huge floats parade through central Kyoto throughout the month.

Typical food of Kyoto

The dish you have to try there and how to make it at home, to whet your appetite before the trip (or to go back to Kyoto from your kitchen).

Yudofu
Photo: Flickr user cobacco(hiro kobashi) · CC BY 2.0

Yudofu

Silken tofu simmered in kombu broth and served with a soy dipping sauce. It’s the vegetarian food of Kyoto’s Zen temples, especially in winter.

  • Serves 2
  • 30 min

Ingredients

  • 400 g silken tofu (kinugoshi)
  • 1 piece of kombu seaweed, 10 cm
  • 800 ml water
  • For the sauce: 50 ml soy sauce, 25 ml mirin, 1 handful of bonito flakes (optional)
  • Spring onion and grated ginger

How to make it at home

  1. Put the kombu in a pot with the water at least 30 minutes beforehand.
  2. Briefly bring the soy sauce, mirin and bonito to the boil and strain the sauce.
  3. Cut the tofu into large cubes and put it in the pot.
  4. Heat gently until the tofu trembles and rises to the surface, without letting it boil.
  5. Serve the tofu in bowls with the sauce, spring onion and ginger.

The trick: Don’t let it boil: the tofu hardens and loses its texture.

Where and what to eat

To eat like a local: an izakaya. The dishes you can’t miss are in the Japan guide.

  • Nishiki Warai

    Nishiki

    Local okonomiyaki.

  • Giro Giro Hitoshina

    Kiyamachi

    Contemporary kaiseki.

Frequently asked questions about Kyoto

What to see in Kyoto?

Fushimi Inari, Kinkaku-ji, Arashiyama bamboo grove, Gion, Kiyomizu-dera and Nishiki Market.

What to see in Kyoto in 3 days?

Don’t miss Fushimi Inari, Kinkaku-ji, Arashiyama bamboo grove, Gion, Kiyomizu-dera and Nishiki Market. To split it into days and areas without crossing the city back and forth, the Bagintravel app plans your trip in a minute.

Where to stay in Kyoto?

The handiest areas to stay are Gion, Kawaramachi, Arashiyama and Central Kyoto.

What’s the best time to travel to Kyoto?

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Kyoto are from October to April.

What are some curious facts about Kyoto?

In Gion you’ll see geiko and maiko on their way to appointments: let them pass, don’t stop them or follow them for photos.

What day trips can you take from Kyoto?

Nara and its deer, Fushimi Inari with a guide and Tea ceremony.

What is the typical food of Kyoto?

Yudofu. Silken tofu simmered in kombu broth and served with a soy dipping sauce. It’s the vegetarian food of Kyoto’s Zen temples, especially in winter.

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Guide reviewed 19 October 2026. Places, areas and seasons: the same data the Bagintravel app uses. Sources and method.