Kyoto 3-Day Itinerary • itinerary post & photos by Jeanie A
In Kyoto for a short period of time and wondering how best to spend it? Check out this itinerary of how I spent 3 days in the charmingly traditional city of Kyoto.
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Kyoto is one of those cities that feels both ancient and alive at the same time. If you only have 3 days in Kyoto, then this itinerary has you exploring beautiful shrines, wandering through traditional neighborhoods, and eating some really amazing food. Kyoto is an easy city to fall in love with …and I sure as heck absolutely did <3
Note that this itinerary is jam-packed with activities to see as much as you can in a short amount of time. So of course, feel free to tailor this itinerary to fit your own interests, pace, and/or schedule.
Where to Stay in Kyoto
Kyoto has several good areas you can stay in. For me and this itinerary, I prioritized a convenient location to a central train station that can get us to all the main sights we planned to see. So we opted to stay at the GION KAWASEMI located a short walk away from Gion-Shijo train station. Not only that, but it is also a super short walk to get to the Gion Shopping Street, Shijo-dori.
Book the same stay by clicking here or add your dates and click “Search” for availability in the widget below:
Recommended Kyoto Tours & Activities
Book unforgettable experiences and check out the below recommended Kyoto tours, activities and attractions that are mentioned throughout this post:
Day 1: Wandering Through Old Streets & Nighttime Bites
On your first day of your 3 day itinerary in Kyoto, you will arrive and wander the historic district of Gion. Then join on a walking and food tour to eat delicious Japanese food and also get great insight into the history and culture of some of Kyoto’s oldest streets.
Midday: Arrive Kyoto (via Train)
Depending on where you came from, either Osaka, Tokyo, or elsewhere, your first day will have you arriving in the charming city of Kyoto. Head to your hotel and check-in or store your luggage. Our vacation rental home was located in Zion so we had stored our luggage and explored the surrounding area.
1:00 – 4:00 PM Gion Shopping Street
Explore the surrounding area of Gion and also head to Gion Shopping Street. While exploring, we decided to get some yummy soufflé pancakes at Panel Cafe. There was a bit of a wait, about maybe 30min when we got there, but the cake was delicious, although I’m not entirely sure it was worth the long-ish wait. Then we headed to Gion Shopping Street and perused the many shops. Once we got into our vacation rental, we then freshened up for our night activity.
Exploring Gion & Eating Souffle Pancakes at Panel Cafe • photos by Jeanie A
6:30 PM: Walking & Food Tour
At night, qe decided to go on a Walking & Food Tour because it included a walking tour through the historic streets of Gion, Pontocho, Kiyamachi, and the Kawaramachi Street area. I knew these old streets had a story so I wanted to learn about it from a local. Besides, going to hole-in-the-wall spots to eat delicious Japanese food is an extra bonus! All the food choices were good, and sake was included too!
Book the exact tour I went on by clicking here or click “Book Now” in the widget below.
Walking the Historic Streets of Kyoto • photos by Jeanie A
Day 2: Bamboo Forests, Hidden Temples & Samurai Training
The second day of your 3 day Kyoto itinerary will take you to peaceful (and hidden) temples, lush bamboo groves, and a sneak peek at what it was like to be a Samurai.
9:00 AM: Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
In the morning, head to the Arashiyama ward and check out the famous Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. I suggest going early if you want to avoid the crowds. But, I have to say, even though I got here pretty early, there was still a decent amount of people with the same idea. There will be pockets where it seems there’s not that many people if you want a photo with no people. However this does take a bit of waiting for those pockets to happen.
Besides from the famous walkway with tall bamboo trees towering on either side, there are also temples here you can check out.
Arashiyama Bamboo Forest • photos by Jeanie A
11:15 AM – 12:30 PM: Arashiyama Lunch with Dessert
After the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, head back to the street and walk down the street toward the Katsura River. Along this street, you can find a spot to eat lunch at. We opted to eat at Kijurou, which had delicious beef and rice box sets. I highly recommend it! Right next door to it is Unagi Hirokawa which is another great place if you make a reservation. We then walked along the street some more, got a gold-leaf-covered matcha ice cream and a much-needed coffee at % Arabica that we enjoyed alongside the Katsura River.
Lunch & Gold-covered Matcha Ice Cream along the Katsura River • photos by Jeanie A
Hidden Temples
If you’re up for it, there are two hidden gem temples in the Arashiyama ward that you can visit. The Otago Nenbutsu-ji temple and the adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple. To get to these two temples, we decided to order a Didi rideshare taxi so that we can have enough time to see both temples. They are walking distance within each other as well. Of course, if you prefer to not visit one or both of these temples, then you can skip these and spend more time in Arashiyama area or at Kinkaku-ji temple.
The Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple is a hidden gem and has hundreds of stone status that resemble people. But what makes them extra unique is that each has their own face expression, some more funny than others but nonetheless super cool! The temple grounds are so serene and truly transports you to a different time and place. I can’t recommend checking this hidden gem temple enough.
Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple • photos by Jeanie A
1:15 – 1:25 PM: 10 Min Walk
It takes about a 10 minute walk to get from the Otagi Nenbutsu-ji to Adashino Nenbutsu-ji. Along the way you’ll see traditional homes in a quiet and peaceful neighborhood.
Peaceful neighborhood • photos by Jeanie A
1:20 – 1:45 PM: Adashino Nenbutsu-ji
The second hidden gem temple is the Adashino Nenbutsu-ji temple. It is a short walk from the Otagi nenbutsu-ji temple and has a more solemn vibe to it. The small stones here are memorials so it’s important to be quiet and respectful. However, a short walk past the stone is a hidden gem within, an empty bamboo grove, similar to the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest.
During our visit it was just us and one other person, that’s how secret and hidden it was! So! If you’re looking for the same “look” as the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest but don’t want the crowds, then definitely visit the Adashino Nenbutsu-ji temple.
In the late afternoon, make your way to Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion). This golden temple is super photogenic and is definitely an iconic sight in Kyoto, so it deserves a visit! During our visit in the late afternoon, the crowds were thinning so we didn’t have to fight many people to get a photo with it in the background.
Kinkaku-ji • photos by Jeanie A
4:00 PM: Samurai Training Tour
If you’re interested in swords, swordsman, and/or Japanese samurai warriors, then this activity is a MUST!! This activity was so much fun and absolutely one of the best highlights of my Kyoto trip. I really can’t recommend it enough!
During the tour, you go to an actual dojo, get dressed in traditional samurai training gear (called Dōgi, Obi, and Hakama) and the master (sensei) teaches basic sword techniques (with a training katana sword). These techniques are ones that the samurai would have used during their battles!
There are practice rounds with non-sharp katana before you get to the sharp ones. You learn a series of sword forms and then prove what you learned to the sensei. Then finally, you get to test your newly found katana sword skills by cutting a tatami mat. It’s harder than it looks! A jaw-dropping treat was the sensei’s performance at the end that truly shows what a true samurai’s and expert swordsmen’s skills are like.
To book the exact tour we did, click here or click “Book Now” in the widget below. We booked the 4:00 PM slot to fit into this itinerary:
Samurai Training • photos by Jeanie A
5:30 PM: Shinkyogoku Shopping Street
After the Samurai Training tour, then explore the Shinkyogoku Shopping street (which the dojo is nestled in). Do some shopping or eat some dinner!
Day 3: Spiritual Hike & Traditional Streets
On your last day of your 3 day itinerary in Kyoto, go on a spiritual hike at the famous Fushimi Inari Shrine and explore traditional streets lined with traditional Japanese architecture buildings.
9:00 AM: Fushimi Inari Shrine
Start early again to try and beat the crowds at Fushimi Inari Shrine. Although when I visited, there was still a ton of people, especially at the entrance of the torii gate tunnel. You can go all the way up the mountain or you can do a portion of it. We opted to do about halfway but we found the higher we got up, the less people there were! But regardless of how far up you go, the torii gates and the tunnel they make are an amazing symbol of Shintoism and Japanese culture.
Fushimi Inari Shrine • photos by Jeanie A
11:45 AM – 12:15 PM: Snacks near Fushimi Inari Shrine
Whenever you decided to head back down, there will be snacks and treats waiting for you! There are food vendors set up and small cafes. Also, there’s a sweet potato treat at Imo Pippi which I found surprisingly delicious!
Snacks near the Fushimi Inari Shrine • photos by Jeanie A
12:45 – 1:45 PM: Picnic by the Kamo River
Then after your time in the Fushimi Inari area, and if you’re still hungry, head towards the Kamo River to have a picnic alongside the river! We decided to go back to the Gion district, go to a 7-11 to pick up our favorites snacks (onigiri & egg sandwich), and found a nice serene riverside spot to enjoy our food and matcha drink. This was such a relaxing and nice moment to have in Kyoto.
The Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka are both streets lined with vendors housed in traditional Japanese architecture buildings. Being here will make you feel like you stepped into the past! Peruse the many souvenir stalls here, and admire the tall Yasaka Pagoda jutting into the sky.
Exploring Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka • photos by Jeanie A
4:00 – 6:00 PM: Kiyomizu-dera Temple
A short walk from the traditional streets is the Kiyomizu-dera temple. You can get a view of Kyoto from here and if you time it right, you can catch the sunset from here! We were here until 6 PM when it closes and was able to get some sunset skies (albeit cloudy) but I was still happy to catch it.
Kiyomizu-dera • photos by Jeanie A
6:30 PM: Kawaramachi Street
If you’re not too tired from the day, end your night roaming Kawaramachi Street and do some shopping or get some dinner. Check out the Nintendo store here too which has a neat rooftop section where you can take a photo with Mario! We opted to eat at an unagi restaurant with a view of the Kamogawa River. Great way to end our time in Kyoto.
Kyoto is by far my favorite Japan city (from what I’ve visited so far) and it’s easy to see why! Historic streets, serene shrine and temples, lush bamboo groves, and traditional Japan vibes. This itinerary gives you a taste of Kyoto in just 3 days, but hopefully it will make you wanting to come back for more!
Have you been to Kyoto, Japan? What was your experience like – Let me know in the comments below!
Jeanie has traveled to over 50 countries and has a love for new experiences, visiting iconic attractions, and finding breathtaking views. Hoping to help plan unforgettable adventures, Jeanie aims to inspire others to visit new places through her travel stories and photography.
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