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Kyoto travel guide

Temples, geisha districts and bamboo forests

Kiyomizu-dera. Photo: Jordy Meow, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

12hflight from London
KIXnearest main airport
26° in Augwarmest month
2° in Jancoolest month

Kyoto was Japan's capital for over a thousand years, and it has more than 1,600 temples and 400 shrines. Fushimi Inari's thousands of red gates, the golden Kinkaku-ji and the Arashiyama bamboo grove are famous sights.

In Gion, the geisha district, wooden teahouses line the lanes. It's busy, so start early.

Good forCultureTemplesGardensFood

What Kyoto is known for

  • Temples

    Over 1,600, including Kinkaku-ji.

  • Geisha

    Gion's teahouses and maiko.

  • Bamboo forest

    Arashiyama's towering grove.

  • Kaiseki

    Refined multi-course dinners.

Top things to do in Kyoto

  1. 1

    Fushimi Inari

    Walk through thousands of red torii gates.

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  2. 2

    Kinkaku-ji

    The Golden Pavilion reflected in a pond.

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  3. 3

    Arashiyama

    The bamboo grove and monkey park.

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  4. 4

    Gion

    Teahouses and the chance to see maiko.

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  5. 5

    Kiyomizu-dera

    A wooden temple on stilts with views.

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  6. 6

    A tea ceremony

    Learn the ritual of matcha.

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See all tours and tickets in Kyoto

Where to stay in Kyoto

Find a hotel in Kyoto

Best time to visit Kyoto

Best value: May, Oct. Late March to early April for blossom and November for autumn colours.

  • Best valueGood weather, smaller crowds
  • PeakBusiest, highest prices
  • QuietCheapest, cooler or wetter
2.2 C2°J3.2 C3°F6.3 C6°M11.5 C12°A16.6 C17°M20.8 C21°J24.9 C25°J25.7 C26°A22 C22°S16 C16°O10.2 C10°N4.7 C5°D
Bar height is the average temperature in Kyoto, °C, 2001–2025 (NASA POWER).

Getting there and around

About 12h from London to KIX, and flights from most UK airports.

Buses, the subway and walking. Many temples are spread out.

Find flights to Kyoto (KIX)

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Good to know

  • Visit popular temples at opening time.
  • Don't photograph geisha without permission: fines apply in parts of Gion.
  • Stay in a ryokan for one night.
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Kyoto FAQ

How many days in Kyoto?

Three days, with a day for Nara.

How do I get from Tokyo?

Bullet train in about 2 hours 15 minutes.

More places in Japan

Back to the Japan travel guide + Add Kyoto to your bucket list