By doing some research it seems there are hundreds of ways to approach one day in Kyoto. Everyone has their individual tastes and ideas on how to spend their time. Therefore, there is no right answer on what a one day itinerary looks like for Kyoto but I will try. I encourage you to look at other sites to get a feel for what is out there (after reading mine of course)!
Kyoto is a beautiful city, ideally you should spend a week here. Even then you still would not scratch the surface and see all the wonderful temples and things to do. Many people have unique circumstances, you may be part of a larger group, or stopping over at Kyoto during a more comprehensive visit of Japan.
Whatever your reason for spending only one day in Kyoto, I will give you the highlights and try to present you with a good feel of the city. My goal is to minimize walking by keeping attractions as close as possible. Kyoto is not that small, but it is a lot smaller than Tokyo if that helps. Below is how I would spend 1 day in Kyoto as a first-time visitor. First, let me put you in a hotel that I loved, which is also centrally located. As a side I put a rough list together towards the end of this post, so you can avoid reading too much!
My Hotel Recommendation
Let me quickly give you my hotel recommendation and why I believe this is a good spot for your one day in Kyoto. I will assume you will get in extremely late and leave, incredibly early in the morning two days afterword (giving you only 1 day in Kyoto to site see). Although your hotel may be different or your budget may not have room for it, I can recommend the following hotel just in case. I loved the Villa Sanjo Muromach, it was an amazing experience.
The service was excellent, the room was immaculate, it was really a perfect stay. They do not have a ton of amenities such as a bar or restaurant, but since you are only in Kyoto for one day it does not matter much. The biggest benefit to this hotel is that it is centrally located. You can walk to many (but not all) of the things I am about to mention, The Villa Sanjo Muromach is a great stay, if you decide to go another direction pick your location carefully.
Nijo Castle
Forget the concept of any real breakfast. If you are hungry in the morning and are staying at the hotel recommended, then please stop at Fiveran to get something to eat. I loved this little bakery, which is right outside the Villa Sanjo Muromach. Your first stop you will be running (or taking a taxi) to Nijo castle. The castle opens at 8:45, you want to get there as quickly as possible since you only have one day in Kyoto. Quick note, it is closed on Tuesdays, also check the schedule online for all my recommendations, things change quickly especially these days.
I liked Nijo castle, it was full of history and beautiful. Having said this, I would not spend more than an hour here. This is kind of a check the box place that is close to the hotel. In fact, it is only around a 15-minute walk from the hotel mentioned earlier. You can get lost on the grounds and spend the morning there, but with limited time I would not. We were there for three hours; I would recommend less given your time restraints. I hate to rush you, but you did this to yourself! Outside the front of Nijo castle are taxis waiting to take you to your next destination.
Arashiyama
Have the taxi take you to Arashiyama, another part of Kyoto that I loved. It is a bit out of the way, you should be able to get there in about 20 minutes via taxi. This area on a whole has a lot to offer and you can easily spend the day exploring this section of Kyoto. There are temples and bridges to discover, but you only have one day in Kyoto…so none of that! There are two attractions that I recommend before moving on.
Monkey Park Iwatayama
Your first stop should be Monkey Park Iwatayama, the place where you are in cages and the monkeys roam free. I loved this park, although it is a bit creepy walking next to about 100 monkeys, but you get used to it and the guards keep you relatively safe.
I hesitated to put this on the list, only because the walk up there can be daunting. It took around 20-minutes or so to get up there, but for me it was well worth it. Once at the top you are surrounded by monkeys you can feed them through the cage. These kind of things would never fly in America, but somehow the Japanese make it work.
The cost of Monkey Park Iwatayama is 550 yen a person. This translates to about $5 a person, give, or take. Pay a little more at the top for some apples to feed the animals. A very inexpensive way to spend the first part of your day. Just realize you will be doing a lot of walking so wear good shoes! Also, do not bring food up there, they may gang up on you.
Bamboo Groves
I feel like this is one of those must have Instagram pictures in Kyoto. No self-respecting millennial should leave Kyoto without one. Not too far from the exit of Monkey Park, you will find the Bamboo groves. It is exactly what it sounds like, a maze of Bamboo with a temple sprinkled here and there. I found this walk to be very relaxing and worth my time. You may need to keep it moving since you only have one day in Kyoto, but it is well worth the visit. The best part about the bamboo groves is that they are free, just try not to get lost.
It may be time to get the heck out of there, luckily there are a ton of taxis around. If you are feeling extremely ambitious sit down for lunch at Yudofu Sagano, one of the most peaceful and surreal eating experiences. I wrote about it more in my article on what to eat in Kyoto here. It may be hard to find even with GPS, but it is within walking distance of the two sites mentioned. Warning, it is only a Tofu restaurant, but It will balance out the mountains of beef I will recommend later. I am no vegan, but I loved this eating experience. For those who want to skip this and even those who do not, I will lead you to another place to get a quick bite.
Nishiki Market
Have the taxi take you back to the hotel…it is time to hit the streets walking. I find the best way to see a city is march the area. You can also save time and have the cab drop you off directly in front of your destination. About a 15-minute walk from the hotel is the Nishiki market. Basically, it is a long stretch of food venders of varying quality, with different items to try. I always love to go to food markets around the world, the Nishiki market was very good. Maybe not my favorite market in the world, but worth visiting in your 1 day in Kyoto.
Going to this market serves two purposes. First, if you have not eaten yet, you can certainly fill up quickly and cheaply on a variety of Japanese foods. I especially liked the guy selling A-4 wagyu beef at the end of the market. Secondly, it is on the way to your next attractions, some of the many temples of Kyoto. Temples are all over the place in Kyoto, but I will send you in the direction to some of my favorites. A quick note: Japanese culture does not allow for one to walk and eat, you must stand in front of the establishment you are buying the food from (or sit there). This may slow you down a bit, so eat faster!
Temple Hopping
You are in Kyoto, so you need to see your fill of temples. The below is definitely NOT an all-inclusive list. I kept everything somewhat close so you can walk from one place to the next. This gives you the bonus of getting a feel for Kyoto by walking it.
Yasaka Shrine
About a 20-minute walk from the Nishiki market is the Yasaka shrine. This may be your first of many temples in Kyoto. Hopefully, it is around 2-3PM and you have some time to explore this area. I did a combination of wandering and loosely planning when it came to temples in this area. The Yasaka shrine is a good starting point, the area is impressive, and you will get a good feel for what to expect. Located in Gion, I preferred it at night, but you only have a day in Kyoto so beggars cannot be choosers. From here you could make your way to the Chion-in Temple. All of this can be done via your cell phone GPS.
Chion-in Temple
This is where the temples start to really get impressive. This Buddhist temple features a Sanmon gate, an important item in Japanese Zen Buddhist temples. This area is big I know, and you have been walking all day, but trust me keep going. You can rest on the train tomorrow. It is possible to explore the temple complexes for hours but run through this one, stopping when you feel the need to take a selfie. Time is of the essence.
Kiyomizu Temple
A 20-minute walk from the Chion-in Temple is the Kiyomizu Temple, this may have been my favorite. This temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is up there with one of the best temples in all of Japan. If time is pressing, I would skip all other temples and see this one. The grounds are huge and there is a museum inside so carve off some significate time for this one.
From here if time allows just walk around and you will find multiple sites to see. You may be tired of temples after a couple of hours, but you have one day in Kyoto, this is what you do! After you can walk no more, grab a cab, and go back to the hotel and freshen up, it should be dinner time.
Dinner: What’s Matsusaka Beef
You have been eating nothing but tofu, pastries, and the occasional snack from the market, you are most likely pretty hungry at this point. This is what happens when you only have one day in Kyoto. Good thing there is an amazing Japanese steak house about 5-minutes from your hotel (if you followed my advice).
For those who have not had the famous Japanese A-5 beef you have no idea what you are missing. Bring your wallet and a few extra credit cards, this steak can get expensive. For me it is worth every penny, there will never be a trip to Japan without me gorging on steak. This establishment serves up Matsusaka beef, one of the big three in Japan (you know about Kobe, the other is Omi Beef). Do not leave Japan without trying at least one of these, your 1-day in Kyoto is a perfect excuse to do so. Do not let the English name of the restaurant fool you, this place stands out as one of the best.
Pontocho alley
Let us end the night with a stroll down Pontocho alley. Sitting on the Kamogawa River this is about a 15-20- minute walk from end to end. On the sides of both are restaurants and bars, it is a good place to wind down your day. Most business are open until 11 PM, they are accessible via the alley and run up against the river. Below are a couple of places I liked here.
Kappa Sushi Kyoto
I mentioned this in my previous post on Kyoto food here, but it bears repeating. If you decided to skip the beef, and want something lighter, Kappa sushi is a good choice. They have some of the best Sushi in Kyoto and a great view of the river if you sit outside. The only downside is it is a bit more expensive than other places given its location.
Bar Atlantis
This is where I wrapped up most of my nights, so it makes sense that you should as well. I loved just drinking a expensive yet beautiful Japanese whiskey by the water. Once again you get a great view of the river, it is a nice way to wrap up 1-day in Kyoto. As a side, if you are lucky you may see a Geisha or two in the building next door.
Besides walking in the alley, you can walk alongside the river or even whip out a blanket and relax on shore. Kyoto is supposed to be a bit more calm than Tokyo, but you just had to stack three days into one. Use these last few hours to enjoy the atmosphere of this wonderful city.
Two Notable Places I Left Off
The below are two famous temples, which I kept strategically off because you only have one day in Kyoto.
Fushimi Inari Taisha: I loved this temple, but it is somewhat out of the way. If you had more than 1-day in Kyoto I would highly recommend it. I just like to keep things close together. It also takes a lot of time to see, especially if go you all the way to the top. After climbing to see the monkeys, your energy may suffer as well.
Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion): This Zen temple is beautiful, located on the northerner part of the city. It costs about 400 yen, the only reason I am saying to skip it is like Fushimi Inari, it is a bit out of the way. If you choose a hotel closer to the Golden Pavilion, see it for sure.
These are two major attractions in Kyoto that I think one should miss, only because I am trying to maximize your time. Taking a drive that would eat up an hour round-trip might not be the best way to spend your only day. All of this depends on where you stay and your priorities.
A Quick Reference Guide
Let me end this with a quick guide, rendering the rest of this post obsolete…
| 8:30 | Grab a bite to Eat |
| 9:00-10:00 | Nijo Castle |
| 10:30 – 1:00 | Explore Arashiyama |
| 1:30 | Nishiki Market |
| 2:15- 6:00 | Temple Hopping |
| 6:30- 8:00 | Dinner |
| 8:30 – ?? | Drinking at Pontocho alley |
The above is just a very loose itinerary for your one day in Kyoto, you may want to slow it down or speed it up…again it is up to you.
Conclusion One Day in Kyoto
This is my (rather aggressive) itinerary for one day in Kyoto. Clearly one day is not always enough, but sometimes this is all we have. If you can get to everything on this list, you could get a good feel for the city. If you cannot there is always next visit, Japan is not going anywhere.
