Exterior of the Golden Pavilion overlooking a pond in Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture

Comprehensive Itinerary to Cover All of Kyoto's Sights

Ultimate Kyoto 4 Day Itinerary

Our Kyoto 4 Day Itinerary extensively covers all the major attractions that Kyoto has to offer. In addition to the first two days itinerary, the third day checks out the Imperial Palace (京都御所, Kyōto Gosho), the Silver Pavilion (銀閣寺, Ginkaku-ji), and the sacred Nanzenji Temple. The fourth day covers the Golden Pavilion (金閣寺, Kinkaku-ji), Nijo Castle (二条城, Nijō-jo), and the Kyoto Railway Museum (京都鉄道博物館, Kyōto Tetsudō Hakubutsukan).

+ See More

Golden Pavilion, Kyoto Imperial Palace, Kyoto Railway Museum, and Kyoto Station Area

Rounding up Kyoto's attractions

Nature

Culture

Gourmet

Volume

This itinerary will take you through the remaining key attractions in Kyoto. Starting with the iconic Golden Pavilion (金閣寺, Kinkaku-ji), then to the former Kyoto Imperial Palace (京都御所, Kyōto Gosho), and lastly to see both retro and modern trains at the Kyoto Railway Museum (京都鉄道博物館, Kyōto Tetsudō Hakubutsukan).

Itinerary Details

Starting Time

Start off at Kyoto Station

Recommended Time:

08:30

京都駅

Kyoto Station

JR-E01

嵯峨野線

Sagano Line

JR-D01

奈良線

Nara Line

烏丸線

Karasuma Line

JR-A31

JR京都線

JR Kyōto Line

JR-A31

琵琶湖線

Biwako Line

Head over to Emmachi Station

Est.

08:30

8 mins

Sagano Line

Towards Sonobe Station

JR West

Kyoto Station

Emmachi Station

8 mins

Take the bus to the Golden Pavilion

Est.

08:50

16 mins

Emmachi Station

Golden Pavilion

Est.

09:05

1 hour

Golden Pavilion (金閣寺)

Marvel at a pavilion decked out in gold

The Golden Pavilion makes up one of the Three Pavilions of Kyoto (京の三閣, Kyō-no-sankaku), and is a temple (寺, Tera) and that is officially known as the Rokuon-ji (鹿苑寺, lit. Deer Garden Temple). It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was originally built as the villa of a noble. Gold is said to be important to the pavilion because it purified any negative thoughts and feelings towards death.

Take the bus to the Kyoto Imperial Palace

Est.

10:05

18 mins

市営59

Kinkaku-ji-michi Bus Stop

Doshisha Mae Bus Stop

Hall of State Ceremonies in the Kyoto Imperial Palace in Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture

Est.

10:30

1.5 hours

Closed on Mon

Kyoto Imperial Palace (京都御所)

Feel the majesty of the former palace

Japan has had four capitals in its history: Nara, Kamakura, Kyoto, and Tokyo (東京, Tōkyō).

Walk over to Nishiki Market

Est.

12:00

19 mins

1.5km

Kyoto Imperial Palace

Nishiki Market

Credit: Nesnad (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Est.

12:30

1h 20m

Nishiki Market (錦市場)

Grab lunch at Nishiki Market

Nishiki Market, also known as Kyoto’s kitchen, is a long and stored market in Kyoto, having first opened in 1615. Today, the market runs along a covered shotengai (商店街, Shōtengai, Shopping Street) for around 400m, with around 130 shops offering fresh fruits, vegetables, seafood, pickles, dried items, and more. It’s a great place to stroll down, take in the bustling atmosphere, and check out some of the local wares.

Walk over to Japanese Ice Ouca

Est.

13:50

8 mins

650m

Nishiki Market

Japanese Ice Ouca

Est.

14:10

45 mins

Japanese Ice Ouca (ジャパニーズアイス櫻花)

Eat some wafū ice cream

Japanese Ice Ouca infuses wafū (和風, Wafū, Japanese-style) flavors into the Western-style dessert of ice cream, revolving around the theme of seasonality (季節性, Kisetsu-sei). Flavors constantly change throughout the year, with new flavors being created based on the different seasonal ingredients from all over Japan. Their ice cream is often light and tasty, without being overwhelmingly rich.

Take the bus to the Kyoto Railway Museum

Est.

14:55

27 mins

10 mins

Japanese Ice Ouca

Shijo Takakura Bus Stop

17 mins

市営207甲

Shijo Takakura Bus Stop

Nanajo Omiya Kyoto Suizokukan Mae Bus Stop

Railway roundhouse at the Kyoto Railway Museum in Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture

Est.

15:30

1.5 hours

Closed on Tue-Wed

Kyoto Railway Museum (京都鉄道博物館)

From steam locomotive to the shinkansen, discover Japan’s rail history

Japan is well-known throughout the world for its railways, from the blazing fast-speeds of the shinkansen (新幹線, Bullet train) and the sprawling rail networks of Tokyo. Railways have also become an integral part of Japan’s imagery. The Kyoto Railway Museum hosts an impressive array of exhibits, including a roundhouse turntable, steam locomotives (including the opportunity to ride on one for ¥300), and older models of the shinkansen.

Take the train back to Kyoto Station

Est.

17:00

5 mins

2 mins

190m

Kyoto Railway Museum

Umekōji-Kyōtonishi Station

Sagano Line

Towards Kyoto Station

JR West

Umekōji-Kyōtonishi Station

Kyoto Station

3 mins

Take Central Gate

Matcha Parfait from Nakamura Tokichi in Ginza, Tokyo

Est.

17:15

1 hour

Nakamura Tokichi Kyoto Station (中村藤吉京都駅)

Enjoy some matcha desserts

Nakamura Tokichi is one of the most famous teahouse brands from Uji, having been first founded in 1854. Today, they sell a wide variety of teas including matcha (抹茶, Maccha, Powdered Green Tea), hojicha (ほうじ茶, Hōjicha, Roasted Green Tea), and more, in both their drink form as well as a variety of desserts.

Central atrium of Kyoto Station in Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture

Credit: Jonas Jacobsson (Unsplash)

Est.

18:15

1.5 hours

Kyoto Station Area (京都駅辺り)

Exploring this futuristic station

Kyoto Station is a large complex with a major department store, large underground shopping malls, and plenty of restaurants and shops in the surrounding area.

Hamburg steak at Touyoutei in Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture

Est.

19:45

1.5 hours

Grill Capital Touyoutei (グリルキャピタル東洋亭)

Try out a 100 year old recipe

Originally opened in 1907, Touyoutei is one of the mainstays of yoshoku (洋食, Yōshoku, Western Food) restaurants in Kyoto. Their branch at Porta near Kyoto Station often commands long queues, especially amongst the local Japanese.

End off at Kyoto Station

Est.

21:15

京都駅

Kyoto Station

JR-E01

嵯峨野線

Sagano Line

JR-D01

奈良線

Nara Line

烏丸線

Karasuma Line

JR-A31

JR京都線

JR Kyōto Line

JR-A31

琵琶湖線

Biwako Line

Day 3

Northern Higashiyama and Nijo Castle

A quieter side to Kyoto

The Kogetsudai zen rock garden at the Silver Pavilion in Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture

Due to changing circumstances, readers are advised to do their own additional research. All information on this site is purely for reference only.

Privacy