Our Kyoto 2 Day Itinerary covers all the quintessential Kyoto destinations that we feel are the most memorable and enjoyable destinations to visit. The first day will focus on the Arashiyama (嵐山) area, famous for its bamboo grove (嵐山 竹林の小径, Arashiyama Chikurin-no-shōkei), and the beautiful Katsura River (桂川, Katsura-gawa). The second day will focus on the Higashiyama (東山) area, with its traditional stone-paved streets lined with wooden shops on both sides as well as the iconic Fushimi Inari Shrine with its thousand torii (鳥居) gates.
Arashiyama and Kamo River
A day of riverside views
Nature
Culture
Gourmet
Volume
Kyoto has some of the most stunning riverside views in Japan. Our favorite neighborhood in Kyoto, Arashiyama is typically less-crowded than Kyoto’s favorite attractions. Located next to the Katsura River (桂川, Katsura-gawa), making for great scenic shots. Plenty of attractions, shops, and restaurants in the area makes it a great place to discover on foot.
At night, we'll head to the Kamo River (鴨川, Kamo-gawa) in central Kyoto, strolling down the moonlit river.
Itinerary Details
Start off at Kyoto Station
Recommended Time:
09:00
京都駅
Kyoto Station
JR-E01
嵯峨野線
Sagano Line
JR-D01
奈良線
Nara Line
K
11
烏丸線
Karasuma Line
JR-A31
JR京都線
JR Kyōto Line
JR-A31
琵琶湖線
Biwako Line
Take the train to Saga-Arashiyama Station
Est.
09:00
24 mins
Sagano Line
Towards Sonobe Station
JR West
Kyoto Station
to
Saga-Arashiyama Station
17 mins
Take South Exit
7 mins
600m
Saga-Arashiyama Station
to
Tenryū-ji Temple
Est.
09:35
1 hour
Tenryū-ji Temple (天龍寺)
Explore Kyoto’s Top Zen Temple
Tenryū-ji Temple is an important Zen (禅) Buddhism (仏教, Bukkyō) temple (寺, Tera) located in Arashiyama (嵐山), and is the head temple of the Rinzai Sect (臨済宗, Rinzai-shū). It is considered Kyoto’s top temple in the Gozan (五山, Five Mountains) system which denotes the ten most important Zen temples (five in Kyoto, and five in Kamakura) in Japan.
Est.
10:35
1 hour
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove (嵐山 竹林の小径)
Meander through the Bamboo Forest
The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove has become one of Kyoto’s most iconic sights, alongside the torii (鳥居) gates of the Fushimi Inari Shrine. This pedestrian path is lined with lush bamboo that stretch out for as far as the eye can see on either side. Of course, with its popularity, one can expect large crowds in the area as well, but that still doesn’t take away the sense of scale and awe from the grove.
Walk to Sagano-yu
Est.
11:35
9 mins
9 mins
750m
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
to
Saganoyu
Est.
11:55
1.5 hours
Saganoyu (嵯峨野湯)
Have brunch in a former sento
Saganoyu is a popular cafe located in a former sentō (銭湯, Sentō, Public Bath), that has been repurposed with a stylish retro interior while keeping certain features of the original bathhouse, such as the walls and the tiling.
Est.
13:25
1 hour
Sagano & Arashiyama Shotengai (嵯峨野と嵐山商店街)
Shop your way down the Sagano and Arashiyama Shotengais
The Sagano Shōtengai runs from the JR Saga-Arashiyama Station all the way to the entrance of the Tenryū-ji Temple (天龍寺, Tenryū-ji).
Est.
14:25
30 mins
% Arabica (アラビカ)
Sip on coffee by the river
%Arabica is a unique Japanese homegrown coffee brand that is headquartered in Kyoto. While the brand now has outlets around the world, this particular shop in Arashiyama has a beautifully minimalist design and also overlooks the Katsura River (桂川, Katsura-gawa) and the Togetsukyō Bridge (渡月橋, Tōgetsu-kyō Bridge).
Est.
14:55
30 mins
Togetsukyo Bridge (渡月橋)
Get amazing views of the Katsura River
The Togetsukyo Bridge was named after Emperor Kameyama (亀山天皇, Kameyama-tennō), while on a party on a boat on the river in the 1200s, thought that it looked like the moon was crossing over the bridge. The bridge is popular for its traditional wooden design spanning 155m, it is a favorite filming spot for historic films set in Japan. The first bridge was built in 836, with the current bridge built in 1934, with reinforced concrete beams despite its wooden appearance.
Est.
15:25
1.5 hours
Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama (嵐山モンキーパーク)
Go monkey-ing around
The Monkey Park Iwatayama is an open-air mountainside nature park where around a 100 nihon-zaru (日本猿, Japanese Macaque) roam free. These creatures are native to Japan, and are most famous for those photos where they would sit inside the onsen (温泉, Hot Spring) in Nagano Prefecture (長野県, Nagano-ken). In this park, the monkeys roam free and you can also get the opportunity to feed them from the safety of a metal mesh inside a hut.
Est.
16:55
1 hour
Chavaty Kyoto (チャバティ京都)
Tea and scones the perfect combination
Chavaty offers a Japanese take on the classic combination of tea and scones, using Japanese teas such as matcha (抹茶, Maccha, Powdered Green Tea) and hojicha (ほうじ茶, Hōjicha, Roasted Green Tea). They offer a variety of menu items including all-day breakfast, crepes, tea-flavored soft serve, scones, pancakes, tea, tea lattes, cocktails and more. It’s a great place for brunch, or a mid-day tea break.
Est.
17:55
30 mins
Arashiyama Park Nakanoshima (嵐山公園 中之島)
Stroll around this riverside park
The Arashiyama Park Nakanoshima is a small park located on the island of Nakanoshima on the Katsura River (桂川, Katsura-gawa). The park itself is rather simple, but it has stone-covered riverbanks where you can get pretty close to the river and some nice shots of Togetsukyō Bridge (渡月橋, Tōgetsu-kyō Bridge) and the Katsura River. It’s just generally a nice place to stroll along and soak in the views.
Hankyu Arashiyama Line
Towards Katsura
Hankyu Kyoto Main Line
Towards Kyoto-Kawaramachi Station
Est.
19:00
15 mins
Pontocho Alley (先斗町道)
Walk up Pontocho Alley
A small hanamachi (花街, Geisha District) district that centers around a single long narrow paved alley, lined with restaurants and bars on both sides.
Est.
19:15
1 hour
Katsugyu (勝牛)
Give gyukatsu a try
Katsugyu specializes in gyukatsu (牛カツ, Beef cutlet), beef that has been breaded and deep-fried. The beef comes medium-rare, and you can finish the beef to the doneness of your liking on a small personal hot-stone grill.
Head over to the Kamo River
Est.
20:15
2 mins
2 mins
210m
Katsugyu
to
Kamo River
Est.
20:25
1 hour
Kamo River (鴨川)
Stroll down the Kamo River
End off at Kyoto-Kawaramachi Station
Est.
21:25
京都河原町駅
Kyoto-Kawaramachi Station
HK
86
阪急京都本線
Hankyu Kyoto Main Line
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