One Day in Kyoto: Essential Sights in Japan’s Former Imperial Capital

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Despite the title of this article, the truth is that it’s not exactly my intention to recommend seeing Kyoto in just one day. But sometimes the need arises when schedules are tight, even if no one wants to leave with that nagging sense of having been there, yet not really seen anything. Yes, it’s true that Kyoto has more than a thousand temples. It’s also true that thousands are not necessary to understand why this city remains one of the most complex, contradictory, and fascinating places in Japan.

So why frame it as a one-day plan then? The idea is that these recommendations can be useful to anyone, regardless of the time available. It’s a tour of the city’s essential sights, at a somewhat demanding but not impossible pace. 

(And if time is not an issue, I’ll add a few additional suggestions at the end.)

The walk starts early. But it’s worth it. 

Fushimi Inari Taisha

Estimated duration: 1h 30m
Recommended time: 6:30am

The city is barely awake, but Fushimi Inari Taisha is already in full swing. Not because of the crowds, but because this shrine never sleeps. Literally. Open 24 hours a day, it’s one of the few places in Japan where you can be completely alone — as long as you’re willing to get up before anyone else.

At this hour (or earlier, if your schedule allows it), with a bit of luck you won’t need to dodge umbrellas or angle your camera to avoid other people’s heads. Your only companions are your own footsteps and the crunch of gravel underfoot. The walk begins as soon as you pass the first large red torii gates and becomes mesmerizing almost instantly. Don’t worry about climbing all the way to the summit of Mount Inari to fully grasp the magnitude of the place; just reaching Yotsutsuji Crossing, about a 30-40 minute hike, is enough. From there, you have a sweeping view of Kyoto, and the experience feels a bit more rewarding than that of people who snap a photo at the base and move on, without forcing you into a full mountain trek.

The return is quicker. The city starts to move. 

Note: The next two items on the itinerary can be done in reverse order. I choose to stroll around Higashiyama a bit first before entering Kiyomizudera, since it’s on the way anyway, but depending on the time of year, Kiyomizudera can have many more visitors than usual, and it may make more sense to visit the temple first before wandering around Higashiyama.

Gion: Ninenzaka, Sannenzaka, Yasaka Pagoda, Yasaka Koshin-do

Estimated duration: 1h 30m – 2h
Recommended time: 8:15am

From Fushimi Inari, the easiest option is to take the Keihan Main Line to Kiyomizu-Gojo, though local buses work too. What follows is a walk through one of Kyoto’s most photogenic quarters, because of the way the neighborhood has managed to preserve a human scale. The cobblestone streets of Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka feel like a postcard frozen in time. It’s still early, and some local shops may not have opened yet, but the idea is to enjoy the scenery and avoid the crowds whenever possible. 

The route is straightforward. Keep heading uphill as you weave through side alleys. Before long you’ll spot Yasaka Pagoda, perfectly proportioned and perfectly placed among the narrow streets. A few steps away, the tiny Yasaka Koshindo temple adds a splash of color: hundreds of bright fabric balls hanging like sweets on invisible strings.

This is a good moment for a quick tea, coffee, or snack. Grab something as you walk along Kiyomizu-zaka, a shop-lined street leading to Kiyomizudera. Just don’t linger; the next stop is close by and fills up fast.

Kiyomizudera

Estimated duration: 1h
Recommended time: 10:30am

You don’t need to be religious or an architecture buff to understand why Kiyomizudera ranks among Japan’s most visited Buddhist temples. One step onto its balcony is enough. Founded in the 8th century, its name means “Temple of Pure Water,” a nod to the spring beneath the complex. The wooden main hall, poised on a forest of columns, feels more like a stage than a sanctuary.

Getting there can be hectic between candy shops, souvenir stalls, school groups, and fellow travelers like you. Be patient; it’s worth it. I promise. The main pavilion is impressive, but the grounds hold more to see.

If you walk along the side paths, you’ll discover quiet trails, small altars, and the Otowa Spring for which the temple was founded. Here, visitors drink from three water spouts promising health, wisdom, or love, depending on which stream they choose. Try to follow the custom if you like, provided your hand is steady enough and you have enough patience to hold the metal ladle without splashing half a liter on your shirt.

Gion and Nishiki Market

Estimated duration: 1h
Recommended time: 12pm

You might start to feel a bit hungry, so it’s time to press on. Gion lies just a few minutes’ walk from Kiyomizudera and is Kyoto’s world-famous geisha district. In this charming quarter of old shops and teahouses you might spot a geisha or maiko along the way. Remember to keep a respectful distance and don’t block their path if you want to take a photo. On the way, drop by Yasaka Shrine, one of Kyoto’s most important shrines and the focal point of the Gion Festival, arguably the most famous festival in the country. Japan’s best-known festival. The area truly comes alive at dusk, so don’t linger now — we’ll return after dark.

A little farther on is Nishiki Market. This covered arcade squeezes more than a hundred shops into five short blocks and is not set up for leisurely browsing. Here you shuffle forward, glance sideways, and eat with one hand already occupied. No rules apply: sit down if you must, or just keep walking without committing to a single stall, sampling a bit of everything: octopus skewers, freshly rolled tamagoyaki, pickled cucumbers, warm yuba in a paper cup, and more. Breathe in the mix of aromas: some are inviting, some are unexpected. Everything moves fast, like watching a kitchen from the inside.

By this hour, the market is already crowded, but not unbearably so. Just enough to feel the city’s pulse. With a little luck you’ll find a spare corner where you can lean against a wall and enjoy a few quiet bites.

Kinkaku-ji

Estimated duration: 30min – 1h (depending on the season and the queue to enter)
Recommended time: 2pm

The bus from the Nishiki Market area takes about 40 minutes if traffic is light. Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion, needs no introduction; its image already lives in our collective memory. What strikes you is to finally seeing it in person and noticing that, indeed, the gold is real — and that it gleams.

If you’re lucky enough to visit on a clear day, the view is even better, thanks to the pavilion reflected in the pond. You can’t go inside, but you don’t need to. The experience is in the frame: pavilion, water, pine trees, and the structured calm tying it all together. No one stays here too long. You stroll, unhurried but not lingering, snap the obligatory photo, follow the small garden loop, and move on.

Arashiyama: Tenryu-ji and the bamboo forest

Estimated duration: 2h
Recommended time: 4pm

From Kinkaku-ji, the fastest public transport route is a bus to Enmachi Station and then the San-In Line to Saga-Arashiyama Station. Arashiyama signals a change of pace: the air moves differently, and although the crowd can rival those at Nishiki, the setting makes up for it.

The entrance to Tenryu-ji is straightforward. This 14th-century Zen temple needs little explanation: walk in, skirt the main hall, and you reach a garden that seems unchanged for centuries. Everything is designed to be looked at without moving too much. Trees, the pond, the stones — each element serves a specific purpose, even if visitors don’t grasp every detail. There’s no need to. Sit for a minute and stop planning the rest of your day. Keep in mind, though, that Tenryu-ji closes at 5pm.

Leave through the rear gate and you arrive in the famous bamboo grove. Photos make it look larger than it is, but the experience holds up. Walking among those tall, straight stalks, which rustle with every gust of wind, stays with you. It’s over quickly, yet it lingers in memory. Be patient with the crowds.

Gion and Pontocho

Estimated duration: As long as you like
Recommended time: 7pm

The ride back from Arashiyama to Gion and Pontocho takes about 45 minutes to an hour. Once the sun is down and fatigue merges with hunger, it’s the perfect moment to wander Gion again and then slip into the narrow lane of Pontocho.

You’ll feel the shift in energy and the fun nightlife right away. Take a leisurely stroll among the paper lanterns and choose an izakaya overlooking the Kamogawa River. Or, if the weather allows it, copy the locals and have a small picnic by the riverbank and enjoy the atmosphere and the end of the day. 

If You Have a Second Day

With a bit more time, Kyoto still offers plenty without long journeys or marathon schedules. These stops are well worth it:

• Toji: Its five-story pagoda is the tallest in Japan and a visual landmark of Kyoto. A handy stop if you’re arriving at or leaving from Kyoto Station, as it’s very close.
• Ryoanji: The most well-known dry garden in Japan. Extreme minimalism, meant to be contemplated in silence for longer than feels reasonable.
• Nanzenji: A broad, restrained temple complex that features a brick aqueduct oddly out of place yet strangely harmonious.
• Eikando: Best known for autumn foliage, but its irregular layout and calm mood make it worthwhile in any season.
• Ginkakuji: The “Silver Pavilion” isn’t silver, yet its dry garden and hillside path make it unmissable. Perfect for a quiet morning.
• Nijo Castle: Former Kyoto residence of the Tokugawa shogun. Creaking “nightingale” floors, finely decorated rooms, and a circuit that says plenty without words.
• The Philosopher’s Path: An easy canal walk linking several smaller temples. Ideal for an unhurried stroll, especially in spring.
• Tofukuji: Wooden bridges over maple trees, elevated walkways, and a pleasing mix of dry gardens and dense greenery.
• Kyoto Imperial Palace: Less visited than it deserves to be. Spacious, orderly grounds, and straightforward entry if you book ahead.

One day is genuinely not enough to take in Kyoto, but it is enough to understand why no one leaves unmoved. Beyond its temples and long history, the city is still learning to live with the flood of visitors while striving to stay true to itself. Let’s not kid ourselves that seeing only the essentials does it justice, but it is a valid place to start. Kyoto isn’t going anywhere — and with luck, you’ll head home wanting more, ready to return another day.

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