20 Best Things to Do in Kyoto (Temples, Shrines & More)

Kyoto rewards genuine curiosity more than itinerary-ticking. Below we cover 20 of the best things the city offers, from free mountain hikes to immersive cultural experiences, with real prices and timing advice so you can plan each day properly.

1. Hike the Fushimi Inari Mountain Trail

Entry: Free | Time: 1 hour to the Yotsutsuji viewpoint, 4 hours for the full circuit

Fushimi Inari Taisha sits at the base of Inari-yama, and the 10,000 vermilion torii gates donated by businesses and individuals wind in a nearly continuous corridor up the mountain. The effect is unlike anything else in Japan — the gates overlap so closely that in many sections you are walking through a dense tunnel of orange-red wood.

The main shrine buildings at the base are impressive in their own right and can be visited in 30 minutes. For the trail, the first significant viewpoint, Yotsutsuji junction, takes about 45 minutes at a reasonable pace and gives a clear view back across Kyoto. The full summit (233m) and return takes around four hours, with several tea stalls open along the route selling inari sushi (¥200–¥400) and drinks.

Arrive before 7am to walk the lower sections before crowds build. Evening visits, when the gates are lit by lanterns, are atmospheric for the lower sections.

2. Walk the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

Entry: Free | Best time: Before 7:30am or after 4:30pm

The bamboo grove along the path north of Tenryu-ji is roughly 400 metres long, but the density of the stalks — 15–20 metres tall — creates an immersive enclosed world that justifies every photograph taken of it. On a breezy day the creaking of the bamboo adds a soundtrack.

The path connects Tenryu-ji’s north gate to Okochi-Sanso Villa (¥1,000 entry, includes matcha and sweet) and continues into quieter residential lanes. Arrive early. By 10am this path is a solid flow of tourists and the atmosphere evaporates.

3. Visit Kinkaku-ji — The Golden Pavilion

Entry: ¥500 | Hours: 9am–5pm daily

The three-storey pavilion covered in gold leaf, reflected in Kyokochi pond, is genuinely beautiful even accounting for the crowds. The visit is a one-way circuit of about 15–20 minutes. Get there when the gates open at 9am for the best light and the thinnest crowds.

The garden surrounding the pavilion was laid out in the late 14th century in the shinden style. The gold leaf covering was restored in 1987 and again touched up in 2003 — the current coverage is noticeably more opulent than it appeared in earlier photographs.

4. Explore Ginkaku-ji — The Silver Pavilion

Entry: ¥500 | Hours: 8:30am–5pm (to 9am–4:30pm in winter)

Despite the name, Ginkaku-ji was never covered in silver. It was built in 1482 as a retirement villa by the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa, who planned silver leaf cladding but died before completion. The unpainted wood has since developed a weathered dignity of its own.

The garden is the real attraction — a composition of raked sand (the “Sea of Silver Sand”), a cone of sand called Kogetsudai (Moon Viewing Platform), a moss garden, and a wooded hillside with views over the grounds. The approach path, lined with tall trimmed hedges, is one of the better designed entrances in the city.

5. Walk the Philosopher’s Path

Entry: Free | Distance: 2km

The Philosopher’s Path (Tetsugaku no Michi) runs along the Shishigatani canal between Ginkaku-ji in the north and Nanzen-ji in the south. The path takes its name from the philosopher Nishida Kitaro, who reportedly walked it daily in meditation. It takes about 30 minutes to walk end to end.

Along the 2km route are cafes, small galleries, craft shops, and several temples including Honen-in (free) and Otoyo Shrine (free, with fox messenger statues). In late March, the canal-side cherry trees arch overhead in a complete tunnel of blossom. In November, the maples are excellent.

6. Tour Nijo Castle

Entry: ¥1,030 | Hours: 8:45am–5pm (closed Tues Dec–Feb, and some days in Aug)

Built in 1603 as Tokugawa Ieyasu’s Kyoto residence, Nijo Castle served as a deliberate statement of shogunal authority in the imperial city. The Ninomaru Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage structure, has its original interiors intact including painted fusuma sliding screens by the Kano school. The famous uguisubari (nightingale floors) were engineered to squeak with every step — a security system against silent approach.

The garden is large and well maintained. The castle grounds are free to enter; the ¥1,030 covers the Ninomaru Palace and the Ninomaru Garden. Audio guides are ¥500.

7. Eat Your Way Through Nishiki Market

Entry: Free | Food budget: ¥1,000–¥2,000 | Hours: Most stalls 9am–6pm

Nishiki Market stretches 400 metres through a covered arcade one block north of Shijo-dori, its 130 stalls selling pickled vegetables, fresh tofu, skewered grilled food, sweet potato desserts, dashi stock, and local confectionery. It has operated here for centuries in various forms.

A practical tasting circuit: start at the west end with tsukemono (pickled vegetables, ¥200–¥500 for a tasting pack), move through fresh yuba (tofu skin, ¥300 a piece), grilled skewers at multiple stalls (¥100–¥300 each), and finish with a warabi-mochi (bracken-starch sweet, ¥300–¥500). Arrive before 11am on weekdays; weekend midday crowds are extreme.

8. Walk Higashiyama at Dawn

Entry: Most areas free; Kiyomizudera ¥400 | Best time: 6am–8am

The Higashiyama historic district — Ninenzaka, Sannenzaka, Kodai-ji lane — is at its absolute best before the shops open. The stone-paved alleys, flickering lanterns, and complete quiet make this the most evocative walking experience in Kyoto. By 9am it fills; by 11am it is a flow of bodies.

Kiyomizudera, the wooden stage temple clinging to a cliff above the city, opens at 6am and the first hour is serene. The temple dates from 798 CE in its original form; the current main hall was rebuilt in 1633 without a single nail.

9. Evening Walk in Gion

Entry: Free | Best time: 6pm–8pm

Gion is walkable any time, but the hour or two after dusk — when geiko and maiko move between engagements in the Hanamikoji-dori and surrounding lanes — transforms the district. The ochaya teahouses light their lanterns, the streets empty of day-trippers, and the architecture reads as it was designed to. Walk the main Hanamikoji street first, then explore the quieter alleys around Shimbashi.

Respect the no-photography rules now posted on several lanes. Approaching or photographing geisha without consent is considered deeply poor conduct.

10. Visit Tenryu-ji Zen Garden

Entry: ¥500 (garden only) or ¥600 including the temple buildings | Hours: 8:30am–5:30pm

Tenryu-ji was founded in 1339 by the shogun Ashikaga Takauji and designed by the monk-designer Muso Soseki. Its pond garden — a composition of rocks, water, and carefully shaped trees framed against Arashiyama’s wooded hills — is considered one of the finest Zen gardens in Japan and is inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The shaккei (borrowed scenery) technique uses the hills behind as a visual backdrop, making the garden feel larger than its actual footprint. Arrive when it opens to have it largely to yourself before Arashiyama’s crowds build.

11. Sit with Ryoan-ji’s Rock Garden

Entry: ¥600 | Hours: 8am–5pm (to 4:30pm in winter)

Ryoan-ji’s karesansui (dry landscape garden) is 15 raked white gravel with 15 stones arranged in five groups. The mathematical arrangement — from any viewing position on the veranda, 14 of the 15 stones are visible — is one of the most discussed puzzles in Japanese aesthetics. No one knows who designed it or when, exactly.

Arrive early. The garden veranda fills with visitors by 10am and the contemplative atmosphere becomes difficult to access. The surrounding temple pond garden, largely overlooked, is large and peaceful.

12. Attend a Traditional Tea Ceremony

Cost: ¥2,000–¥5,000 | Duration: 45–90 minutes

Several machiya townhouses in Gion, Higashiyama, and around Nishiki Market offer tea ceremony experiences for visitors. The basic format — a host prepares matcha using a bamboo whisk, serves a wagashi sweet, and guides you through the correct way to receive and drink the bowl — costs around ¥2,000–¥3,500. Experiences with kimono dressing and a more formal setting run ¥5,000–¥12,000.

En tea ceremony (Gion area, from ¥2,500) and Camellia Tea Experience (Higashiyama, ¥2,000–¥4,000) are consistently well-regarded by visitors. Book in advance for the popular periods.

13. Maiko Transformation Experience

Cost: ¥10,000–¥18,000 | Duration: 2–3 hours

Several studios in Gion and Higashiyama offer full maiko (apprentice geisha) transformation — professional makeup including the white face, collar painting, and lip colour, hair styling with a wig, and dressing in a formal kimono. The session typically ends with a studio photo shoot.

Shiki Kyoto and Maica are two established studios. Neither experience involves meeting real geisha; it is a costume and photography service, but done well, the results are striking. Book at least a week ahead.

14. Cycle Through Old Kyoto

Cost: ¥800–¥1,500/day rental | Duration: Half to full day

The flat central areas of Kyoto — from Kinkaku-ji east through the Imperial Palace gardens, south to Nijo Castle, and along the Kamo River — are well-suited to cycling. The Kamo River path is a particularly pleasant 5km ride connecting northern and central Kyoto with consistent cycle infrastructure.

Electric-assist bikes (¥1,800–¥2,500/day) handle the slopes to the east and south without difficulty. Most rental shops around Kyoto Station and in Kawaramachi provide city maps. Cycling on Arashiyama’s narrow lanes is not advised at peak times.

15. Sake Brewery Tour in Fushimi

Entry: ¥500–¥1,000 per brewery | Location: 30 minutes from central Kyoto

Fushimi, in southern Kyoto, is one of Japan’s most important sake-producing areas, drawing on extremely pure underground water filtered through granite. Around 35 breweries operate here. The Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum (¥600, includes tasting tokens) is the most visitor-ready, with exhibits on the brewing process and a shop stocked with aged sake not available elsewhere.

The area around Fushimi-Momoyama Station also has the Teradaya inn (¥400 entry) where the Meiji Restoration-era activist Sakamoto Ryoma was attacked in 1866 — the bullet holes are still in the walls.

16. Explore Daitoku-ji Temple Complex

Entry: Free for the grounds; individual sub-temples ¥400–¥700 | Hours: Vary by sub-temple

Daitoku-ji in northern Kyoto is a large Rinzai Zen complex of 24 sub-temples, several of which open to visitors. Unlike Kinkaku-ji or Kiyomizudera, this is a place of genuine monastic life — the atmosphere is quiet and the design restrained.

Daisen-in (¥400) has some of the finest miniature rock gardens in Japan. Koto-in (¥600) is notable for its moss and stone lantern garden, particularly in autumn. Zuiho-in (¥400) has a garden with a design element that reads as a cross — a nod to its founder’s Christian connections. Budget two hours to see three or four sub-temples properly.

17. Foraging Dinner Experience

Cost: ¥12,000–¥18,000 | Duration: 3–4 hours

A small number of Kyoto chefs offer evening experiences combining wild plant foraging in the Kitayama area north of the city with a meal prepared from the foraged ingredients. These are not large-group tourist products; most operate with groups of four to eight and need booking two to three weeks in advance.

The seasonal variation is significant — spring brings mountain vegetables (sansai), autumn brings mushrooms and chestnuts. The price typically includes transport from central Kyoto, the guided foraging walk, and a full dinner.

18. Zazen Meditation at a Working Temple

Cost: ¥500–¥2,000 | Duration: 1–2 hours

Several Rinzai and Soto Zen temples in Kyoto offer zazen sitting sessions open to non-Buddhist visitors, with instruction in English. Kennin-ji (Gion area, ¥500) holds sessions on Sunday mornings. Shunkoin Temple in the Myoshin-ji complex (¥1,500) combines zazen with English-language explanation of Zen philosophy from the resident monk.

Sessions typically begin before 7am. Wear or bring comfortable, loose clothing that covers the knees.

19. Cooking Class — Kyoto Cuisine

Cost: ¥6,000–¥12,000 | Duration: 2.5–4 hours

Kyoto cooking classes typically focus on kaiseki techniques (dashi-making, vegetable preparation, tofu dishes) or everyday washoku home cooking. The Haru Cooking Class near Nishiki Market (¥6,800) includes a market shopping visit. Uzuki Cooking School in Higashiyama (¥10,000–¥12,000) focuses on seasonal ingredients and traditional technique.

Classes include English instruction, all ingredients, aprons, and a shared meal at the end. Most accommodate vegetarian participants with advance notice.

20. Watch Sumo Practice at a Local Gym

Cost: Free–¥1,000 (varies by arrangement) | Season: Seasonal

Kyoto occasionally hosts regional sumo tournaments and training sessions open to limited observers. Several heya (stables) in the Kansai region allow observation of asageiko (morning practice) during tournament periods. Access requires prior arrangement, typically through your accommodation’s concierge or a tour operator. Practice typically runs 7am–10am and observation means sitting quietly without interruption.

Outside tournament season, sumo practice is primarily a Tokyo experience — consider adding a morning at a Tokyo stable if sumo is a priority.

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Temple Rankings: Crowds vs. Serenity vs. Price

Temple	Crowd Level	Serenity Rating	Entry
Kinkaku-ji	Very high	Low	¥500
Kiyomizudera	Very high	Low (high season)	¥400
Fushimi Inari (base)	Very high	Low	Free
Fushimi Inari (summit)	Low	High	Free
Ginkaku-ji	Moderate	Moderate	¥500
Ryoan-ji	Moderate	Moderate (early AM)	¥600
Tenryu-ji	Moderate	Moderate	¥500
Daitoku-ji	Low	High	Free + sub-temples
Jojakko-ji (Arashiyama)	Very low	Very high	¥500
Funda-in (Daitoku-ji)	Very low	Very high	¥400