What I’d See & Do in My First 24 Hours in Kyoto: An Itinerary for First-Time Visitors to Japan

I can’t think of a better introduction to Japan than spending at least one day in Kyoto. After visiting the former Japanese imperial capital on my second trip to Japan, I quickly vaulted the city up near the top of my list of favorite travel destinations in the world.

Walking around Kyoto for the first time, I unearthed mysterious temples & shrines hidden in misty forests. I sipped matcha in traditional teahouses, clinging to cobbled streets and perched on the riverside. And I gobbled down some of the tastiest food I tasted in Japan in historical entertainment & restaurant districts like the Gion District and Nishiki Market.

Limiting yourself to just 24 hours in Kyoto won’t leave much time to uncover all the complexities of the Japanese cultural capital. But it’ll be a good start.

Here’s my complete 1-day Kyoto itinerary for first-time visitors, including what to see and do, where to eat and drink, and where to stay…

My recommendations for where to go in Kyoto in one day

As much as I’d love to tell you that a quick layover in Kyoto is enough time to experience the city, it’s not. In this travel plan, we’re only going to brush the surface. (And I do mean we’ll barely brush the surface.)

I’ve never visited a city with such a sheer number of things to see as Kyoto. There are over 1,600 temples and 400 shrines in Kyoto alone! On top of that, its attractions and activities are spread over a large geographic area.

Nevertheless, let’s get started planning your day…

Soak up the early morning vibes at Fushimi Inari Taisha

Embrace your jet lag to pull yourself out of bed early to catch the calm of Fushimi Inari Taisha before the mega crowds descend.

I started my first day in Kyoto at this famous shrine, mostly because every photo I’d seen made the thousands of vermilion torii gates look completely empty.

I arrived at Fushimi Inari Taisha just before 9 am, and that fantasy didn’t survive past the entrance. The Senbon Torii, the dense thousand-gate tunnel that’s become the shrine’s signature shot, was already packed.

(That’s how I learned the hard way that 9 am isn’t exactly early by Fushimi Inari standards. To get that postcard shot at this time, you’ll need A LOT of patience—and a few understanding fellow tourists to let you block them from continuing for a second or two.)

The good news is the crowds thin out fast once you start climbing. Past the Senbon Torii and the Inari Okusha prayer area, the trail works its way up Mount Inari, and most of the entrance crowd doesn’t bother following. I kept walking past the smaller sub-shrines and stone fox statues with their faded red bibs, and the path emptied out with every switchback.

I didn’t push all the way to the summit. The full hike to Ichinomine at the top runs close to two hours round trip, and that’s more time than a time-crunched 1-day Kyoto itinerary can spare.

I’d budget about 45 minutes to an hour at Fushimi Inari Taisha to start your day. That’s enough to walk the Senbon Torii, get your photos, and climb far enough up the mountain to leave the crowds behind.

Fushimi Inari Taisha draws something like 10 million visitors a year, so don’t expect to have it to yourself, no matter when you show up. When you’re ready to move on, catch the Keihan Main Line from Fushimi Inari Station to Kiyomizu-Gojo. It’s a 7-minute ride, followed by a 20 to 25-minute walk up to Kiyomizu-dera.

Soak up the early morning vibes at Kiyomizu-dera Temple

Perched on a hillside overlooking Higashiyama, Kiyomizu-dera Temple was one of the finest corners I stumbled upon while exploring Kyoto. And I can hardly recommend a better second stop in this fascinating city.

Even in a city that’s not short on charms, Kiyomizu-dera is among the most magnificent temples in Kyoto. It’s impossible not to find inspiration on the main temple’s balcony. Supported by 13-meter-high columns, the terrace delivered a stunning panorama of Kyoto. It’s one of the finest I’ve witnessed in the city.

Visit the main temple and the three secondary halls: Amida-do, Okuno-in, and Shaka-do.

The stage at Okuno-in offers a fantastic vantage point for capturing the temple against a city backdrop. Be sure to also explore the over 200 stone statues surrounding Shaka-do.

After you’re done exploring the temple grounds, I’d recommend slinking down to see Otowa Waterfall plunging into the streams below. Join the locals lining up with the long wooden ladles. The waterfall splits into three streams, each tied to a different wish: longevity, academic success, and love.

(Don’t get greedy and drink from all three. Locals say it cancels out the wish.)

If your travel schedule allows, try to visit Kiyomizu-dera in spring or autumn. These seasons are two of the best times of the year to visit Kyoto.

In spring, you’ll witness an eruption of cherry blossoms around the temple. In the fall, you’ll get to watch the autumn colors envelop Kyoto from above.

Kiyomizu-dera is open daily from 6 am to 6 pm (6:30 pm in July and August). General admission to the temple costs ¥500 for adults and ¥200 for kids.

(If your trip lines up with one of the spring, summer, or autumn night illumination dates, the temple stays open until 9:30 pm for the same ticket price.)

Wander around Maruyama Park

From Kiyomizu-dera, descend the stone steps of Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka, the two preserved slopes lined with traditional wooden teahouses and shops. This is one of the most interesting stretches of Higashiyama Ward, one of my favorite neighborhoods to explore in Kyoto.

Keep an eye out for the five-story Yasaka Pagoda peeking out between the rooftops as you venture north towards Maruyama Park.

Beelined, it’ll only take about 20 minutes to walk to the park, but I’d recommend taking your time to wander. Walking through Higashiyama, I drifted past tons of traditional shops, restaurants, cafés, and teahouses. Its atmospheric setting was everything I expected in an old Japanese city.

Planned your trip to Kyoto in spring? On my visit, I learned from locals that Maruyama Park is one of the most popular spots for hanami (cherry blossom viewing) in the city.

Keep on the lookout for the unmistakable weeping cherry tree (shidarezakura) at the center. As you stroll, you’ll also spot hundreds of cherry trees and maples scattered throughout the park. In between, take time to admire the park’s Japanese gardens, stone paths, ponds, bridges, and temples.

While wandering around Maruyama Park, don’t miss out on Yasaka Shrine. The shrine sits on the park’s western fringes, bordering the city, and dates back over a millennium. From the number of locals I saw praying here, it seemed to be one of the most popular shrines in Kyoto.

Catching a glimpse of the shrine, I was captivated by its two-story vermilion entrance torii (gate). I also spotted hundreds of paper lanterns around the shrine, sponsored by local worshippers seeking a dash of good fortune.

Yasaka Shrine is free to enter and open 24 hours, so if you’d rather see those lanterns lit up after dark, you could just as easily swing back through in the evening instead of squeezing it into a packed daytime stop.

Hungry for a Japanese snack? I’d recommend walking over to Shijo-Dori to grab a quick bite before continuing to the next stop on our itinerary. Shijo-Dori is one of the city’s most famous food streets, with plenty of options for savoring famous Kyoto dishes like classic tempura, sushi, ramen, and katsu curry.

For classic udon, take a short hike over to Omen – Shijo Ponto-cho (171-3 Hashimotocho). Their specialty features a flavorful dashi broth made with kelp and bonito from Hokkaido. Top your udon with a variety of delicious condiments like sweet and spicy roasted burdock, sesame seeds, green onions, and ginger.

Admire the beautiful grounds of Nanzen-ji Temple

Let’s continue your day wandering through the gardens and temples of Maruyama Park. As I walked north of the park, I spotted temples like Chion-in and Shoren-in.

As you walk past Chion-in, marvel at the massive Sanmon Gate. It’s Japan’s largest wooden temple gate, measuring a whopping 24 meters tall and 50 meters wide.

At Shoren-in, keep on the lookout for its five ancient camphor trees. The trees were planted by priest Shinran in the 12th century and are now designated as natural monuments.

When you’ve had your fill, make your way to Nanzen-ji Temple. Nestled in the forested hills of Higashiyama, this lovely temple was one of my favorites in central Kyoto.

At a languid pace, visiting this Zen Buddhist temple complex could while away several hours. Exploring the grounds, I sifted through its beautiful temples, stone paths, and rock and pond gardens. Every corner delivered yet another surprise.

The strangest find was the Suirokaku, a red brick aqueduct that still carries water from Lake Biwa straight through the temple grounds. Seeing a Meiji-era European-style bridge cut through a 13th-century Zen complex was the last thing I expected.

Nanzen-ji isn’t your run-of-the-mill Kyoto temple either. Legend has it that the complex had a ghastly past. In its former days as an imperial villa, it was supposedly plagued by poltergeists. That is, until a brave Zen priest exorcised the spirits through meditation.

After the exorcism, the Emperor was hooked. He converted on the spot to Zen Buddhism and turned the complex into a Buddhist temple.

Walking the temple grounds at Nanzen-ji is free. The Hojo Garden and a climb up Nanzen-ji’s own Sanmon Gate each cost ¥600, and Nanzen-in’s pond garden runs a bit less. (In my opinion, it’s well worth the small fee, especially the climb up the Sanmon Gate for the view over the complex.)

Take a lovely stroll along the Philosopher’s Walk

From Nanzen-ji, it’s a short 5- to 10-minute walk north to the Philosopher’s Walk. This path is one of Kyoto’s most famous walking routes, and one of the most beautiful urban walks I took on my trip to Japan.

The short stretch runs about two kilometers alongside a canal. Stone slabs cross the water at a few points along the way, so you can hop to the quieter side of the canal whenever the crowds bunch up on one bank.

The Philosopher’s Walk is named in tribute to Japanese philosopher Nishida Kitaro. The well-liked professor walked the path daily from 1910 to 1928 to clear his head on his commute to Kyoto University.

As lovely as the route is at any time of year, the Philosopher’s Walk is at its finest in spring, when it becomes one of Kyoto’s most popular hanami spots. The path is lined with hundreds of cherry trees, and for the first two weeks of April, this canal becomes one of the most popular hanami spots in the city.

I walked the path in late spring, past peak bloom, and even with the blossoms gone, the tunnel of branches arching over the water made the detour worth it on its own.

Once you find the Philosopher’s Walk, follow it north. Soon, you’ll stumble upon one of my favorite things to see & do in Kyoto: Ginkaku-ji.

Admire the beauty of Ginkaku-ji

If there’s one thing that everyone knows about Kyoto, it’s that the city is jam-packed with temples. With only one day in Kyoto, though, you’re limited on how many you’ll be able to fit in.

Fortunately, I’ve got at least one more in the works.

Ginkaku-ji, translated as Silver Pavilion, is one temple I would not recommend missing while visiting Kyoto. The temple’s history dates back to the late 15th century. Ginkaku-ji was built by Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa, serving as a counterweight to the impressive Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion).

Although its gilded brother is, in my opinion, the handsomer of the two, Ginkaku-ji is still impressive. It’s a reasonable consolation prize for time-crunched travelers, who can’t fit the farther-flung Kinkaku-ji into their plans.

The highlight of the complex is capturing the beautiful vistas of the surprisingly silverless main Silver Pavilion. Nobody fully agrees on why it’s not actually silver. The most common theory is that Yoshimasa planned to cover it in silver leaf and never got around to it before he died.

Whatever the real reason, the plain dark wood ended up being the whole point, the kind of restraint the Japanese call wabi-sabi, finding beauty in something imperfect or unfinished.

Walking around Ginkaku-ji, I also spotted a handful of smaller buildings amid ponds and gardens.

On your visit, I’d recommend checking out the sand garden, known as the Sea of Silver Sand, and the two-meter cone of raked sand sitting next to it called Kogetsudai, or “moon-viewing platform.” Combine it with a visit to the moss garden—punctuated with ponds, islands, bridges, and streams—to admire the intricacies of ancient Japanese landscape architecture.

General admission to Ginkaku-ji runs ¥1,000 for adults and ¥500 for kids, following a price hike that took effect in April 2026.

Try to spot a geisha in the Gion District

From Ginkaku-ji, walk to the corner of Imadegawa-dori and Shirakawa-dori to catch a bus to Gion-Shijo Station.

Around the station, you’ll find yourself in the Gion District, Kyoto’s old entertainment district. After visiting this district multiple times during my few days here, I promise it will mystify even the most hardened travelers.

Like elsewhere in Higashiyama, the Gion District hearkens back to the spirit of old Japan. From the moment I stepped into Gion, I was enamored with the traditional Japanese wooden architecture lining the district’s atmospheric streets. Inside, the buildings hide traditional restaurants, houses, and teahouses.

The area’s most popular stretch runs along Hanamikoji-dori south of Shijo-dori to Kennin-ji Temple. Walking along this street, I drifted past well-preserved machiya houses, high-end restaurants, and exclusive teahouses.

My official advice, though? You’d do just as well letting Gion District unfold as you wander aimlessly.

Whatever you do, don’t leave Gion without checking out Shirakawa-minami-dori. Much like the Philosopher’s Walk, Shirakawa-minami-dori is fringed by weeping cherry trees and shines most during hanami season.

Keep an eye out for Tatsumi Bridge, the small stone bridge with a willow tree on one side and the tiny Tatsumi Daimyojin Shrine on the other. It’s the spot you’ve probably seen on a postcard without knowing its name, and the same bridge that shows up in Memoirs of a Geisha.

Even at other times of the year, the street still forms a beguiling scene. As I strolled along Shirakawa-minami-dori during my late-spring visit, I loved marveling at the lush riverside greenery set against the traditional wooden architecture.

(I was hardly surprised to learn during my trip that many locals dub Shirakawa-minami-dori the most beautiful street in Kyoto.)

Despite all its outward beauty, the Gion District is most famous for its geisha. While most travelers dream of spotting geisha rustling through the alleyways, you’re unlikely to see one in action.

(Well, at least not without dropping down more than a few yen.)

The full geisha entertainment experience doesn’t come cheap. Or easy. You’ll often need an introduction from a well-to-do local to even get the opportunity.

Far more common for travelers is to opt for a traditional maiko experience. Maiko (geisha in training) are perfect hostesses for lunch or dinner. They’re masters at entertaining guests with traditional Japanese performances and light-hearted conversation.

Not interested in paying extra for a more intimate maiko experience? Head to Gion Corner on Hanamikoji-dori for one of the nightly cultural shows.

Sure, it’s kitschy and touristy. But it’ll give you an excellent introduction to Japanese culture. It covers everything from tea ceremonies to traditional dramatic arts and dancing.

Eat your way through Nishiki Market

Whatever you do, don’t leave Kyoto without indulging in a meal at Nishiki Market. Only about 15 minutes on foot from the Gion District, Nishiki Market was one of the coolest places I found to eat in Kyoto.

Locals have called Nishiki Market “Kyoto’s Kitchen” for nearly four centuries. The covered arcade still runs about 390 meters end to end, lined with more than a hundred food stalls.

In Nishiki Market, I found everything from ramen and fresh seafood to matcha-infused desserts and tempura. Local favorites here include tako (octopus with quail egg), yuba (tofu skin), tsukemono (pickled vegetables), hamo (Japanese pike conger eel), and donburi (bowl meal).

Browse through the massive selection of snacks. Follow your nose and the longest queues to find the tastiest food that Nishiki Market has to offer.

Still haven’t worked up an appetite after an action-packed 24 hours in Kyoto? Pick up some unique souvenirs here for your friends & family back home.

(Might I suggest some poorly translated English stationery?)

If street food isn’t your thing, exit Nishiki Market early to stroll along nearby Shijo-dori or Kiyamachi-dori. Along these streets, you’ll find some of the most popular restaurants in Kyoto to end your evening.

Need some ideas? Fill your belly with the delicious gyoza at Chao Chao – Sanjo Kiyamachi (117 Ishiyacho) or juicy yakiniku at Kyoto Yakiniku HIRO Kiyamachi (527 Kamiosakacho). Or seek out Kyoto’s haute gastronomic specialty, kaiseki, at a local restaurant along the Kamo River like Kikunoi Roan (1F, 118 Saito-cho).

Where to stay with 24 hours in Kyoto

As the former imperial capital, Kyoto is one of Japan’s most popular cities for tourists. So, it’s no surprise that deciding where to stay in Kyoto is a bit of a challenge.

Accommodations in Kyoto are spread out and plentiful. But even compared to other cities I’ve visited elsewhere in Asia, it can get pricey.

I’d recommend staying close to the city center to make the most of this time-crunched Kyoto itinerary. Here are a few of my favorite hotels for a quick layover…

More 1-day Kyoto itinerary ideas

Walk through Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

I get why Arashiyama Bamboo Grove shows up on every single list for what to do in Kyoto in a day. Walking through a tunnel of bamboo stalks that block out the sky is bound to blow up your Instagram feed.

I’m not skipping Arashiyama Bamboo Grove on this itinerary because it’s not worth seeing. (Although, after visiting, I can see that the oversaturated influencer photos on IG oversell its surrealism a tad.)

I’ve left it out because there’s no direct train from this side of the city. The transfer adds up to at least 20 to 30 minutes each way.

Tack on time for the bamboo grove itself, plus Arashiyama Monkey Park or Togetsukyo Bridge if you want to make the detour worth it, and you’re looking at carving two to three hours out of a day that’s already packed.

If Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is on your Kyoto bucket list, I’d recommend giving the area its own half day rather than trying to squeeze it into this one.

Kinkaku-ji

If you’ve only got room for one of Yoshimasa’s pavilions and you’d rather see the gilded one, Kinkaku-ji is the obvious swap for Ginkaku-ji. In my opinion, the Golden Pavilion is far more dazzling than its wooden brother, covered top to bottom in gold leaf and mirrored in the pond in front of it.

(And it’s got perpetual crowds of tourists to prove its popularity.)

Kinkaku-ji is about a 35 to 45-minute bus ride from Nishiki Market. Plan for it to eat into the back half of your day if you decide to make the swap.

Admission to Kinkaku-ji runs ¥500 for adults and ¥300 for kids, and is open year-round from 9 am to 5 pm.

(Whatever you do, don’t try to visit both pavilions in one day. They’re on opposite sides of the city. You’ll end up spending more time on buses than exploring either.)

Nijo Castle

If you’re templed out by the time you reach Nishiki Market, Nijo Castle offers a different kind of stop. It was built in 1603 as Tokugawa Ieyasu’s Kyoto residence, and the Ninomaru Palace inside still has its original “nightingale floors,” which consist of squeaky boards built specifically to chirp under the weight of intruders.

Nijo Castle is about a 30-minute walk from Nishiki Market, or a quick ride on the Tozai subway line via Kyoto’s public transportation. General admission is ¥600 for adults. The grounds close earlier than most temples, with last entry at 4 pm.

If you’re choosing between Nijo-jo and Kinkaku-ji, I’d pick Nijo Castle for the history and Kinkaku-ji for the photo op.