Itinerary · Two, three or four days · Checked against operators’ own pages
Kyoto in 2, 3 or 4 Days: Can You Do It for ¥18,000? One Plan, Grouped by Area
Find your Kyoto experience
Watch Kyoto
First Time in Kyoto? Pick Your Must-See Sights & Stay After Dark
Choose Kyoto by area: walk the east from Kiyomizu-dera through Higashiyama to Gion, make Fushimi Inari and Arashiyama separate visits, and leave time for Nishiki Market, tea, the Kamo River and Pontocho after dark. The animated map helps first-time visitors choose what matters most.
Three days: the default plan
Group Kyoto by side of the basin. Each day takes one area, so no day crosses the city twice.
- Day 1, south: Toji, Tofuku-ji, then Fushimi Inari and its night walk.
- Day 2, east: Kiyomizu-dera early (its gate opens at 6am), Sannenzaka and Gion, then Pontocho and the Kamo River.
- Day 3, west: Arashiyama in the morning, Kinkaku-ji before its 5pm close.
- Before you fly: choose dates for the Inari and Arashiyama walks; both are free to cancel until 24 hours before.
- The day before: decide on the bus and subway day pass, which only works on the day you first use it.
- Day order: Toji, Kinkaku-ji and Ginkaku-ji are open all year, so the days can swap; closing times matter more than weekdays.
Day 1: Toji, Tofuku-ji and Inari, about ¥7,500 in tickets
Day one stays on the south side, along the JR Nara Line. Start at Toji near Kyoto Station and end at Fushimi Inari in the evening, when the guided night walk runs.
See or book a Fushimi Inari night walk
- Reach Toji on foot from Kyoto Station’s Hachijo Exit in about 15 minutes, or ride one stop on the Kintetsu line.
- See the Kondo and Kodo halls from 8am; the last entry is 4:30pm.
- Return to Kyoto Station and ride the JR Nara Line one stop to Tofukuji for the temple’s Tsutenkyo bridge and maples.
- Ride one more stop to Inari; the shrine’s red torii gate stands beside the station.
- Meet the night-walk guide at the fox statue by the main entrance; departures are in the evening.
Good to know
- The Five-Storied Pagoda’s first level opens only during special periods, and hall admission rises then; the pagoda is otherwise seen from outside.
- Fushimi Inari bans eating and drinking outside its marked rest areas, including while walking, so eat before or after.
- The reviewed night walk lasts about two hours and does not climb the whole mountain.
| Item | ¥ per adult | US$ |
|---|---|---|
| Fushimi Inari night walk, from | ¥6,500 | ≈ US$40 |
| Toji Kondo and Kodo halls, from | ¥800 | ≈ US$5 |
On your own
Take Toji and Tofuku-ji at your own pace, then walk Fushimi Inari’s mountain paths by daylight.
With a guide
A night walk shows the lit gates on the lower paths; choose it for atmosphere, not for the summit.
Day 1 in tickets: about ¥7,500.
Prices checked 19 Sep 2026 · per person, tickets and transport, excluding accommodation
Day 2: Kiyomizu-dera and Gion, from ¥6,000 in tickets
Day two is the east side on foot. Kiyomizu-dera opens at 6am, so start there and let Gion and the river fill the evening.
See or book a Gion and Higashiyama walk
- Reach Kiyomizu-dera early; its gate opens at 6am.
- Go by subway one stop to Kujo, then City Bus 202 or 207 to Gojozaka; the tourism association finds it less crowded than the direct bus.
- Walk down Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka toward Gion.
- Cross Gion by its public streets, keeping to the road; never stop, touch, follow or photograph geiko and maiko.
- End at Pontocho and the Kamo River path after dark.
Good to know
- Kiyomizu-dera usually closes at 6pm, half an hour later in July and August; special night openings run later.
- Southern Gionmachi is not a theme park: stay out of private property and do not block the road.
| Item | ¥ per adult | US$ |
|---|---|---|
| Guided Gion walk, from | ¥5,622 | ≈ US$35 |
| Sannenzaka, Ninenzaka and Gion streets | ¥0 | ≈ US$0 |
On your own
Start early, as the gate opens at 6am, and walk the lanes downhill at your own pace.
With a guide
A guided walk explains the district’s history; check the meeting point and whether it enters Kiyomizu-dera.
Day 2 in tickets: ¥6,000.
Prices checked 19 Sep 2026 · per person, tickets and transport, excluding accommodation
Day 3: Arashiyama and Kinkaku-ji, about ¥4,500 in tickets
Day three covers the west: Arashiyama in the morning, then Kinkaku-ji in the afternoon. Kinkaku-ji closes at 5pm, so leave Arashiyama by early afternoon.
See or book an Arashiyama walk with temple entry
- Ride the JR Sagano Line to Saga-Arashiyama, about 11 minutes by rapid; board from the back of the platform, because the front cars are crowded.
- Start at Tenryu-ji, open from 8:30am, then walk the bamboo grove and Togetsukyo Bridge.
- Return by Randen tram to Uzumasa Tenjingawa, the Tozai line to Karasuma Oike, then the Karasuma Line to Kitaoji.
- Take bus 204 or 205 from Kitaoji Bus Terminal to Kinkakuji-michi, about 11 minutes, then walk five minutes.
- See Kinkaku-ji between 9am and 5pm; it is open all year.
Good to know
- Tenryu-ji’s garden closes at 5pm with last entry at 4:50pm, and its buildings can close without notice for ceremonies.
- The direct bus from Kyoto Station to Kinkaku-ji stops often and is slow; the tourism association advises subway first.
| Item | ¥ per adult | US$ |
|---|---|---|
| Arashiyama walk with temple entry, from | ¥3,780 | ≈ US$23 |
| Kinkaku-ji, adult entry | ¥500 | ≈ US$3 |
On your own
Wander Tenryu-ji and the bamboo grove freely; add Kinkaku-ji only if you can reach it well before 5pm.
With a guide
The guided walk covers Tenryu-ji, the bamboo grove and the park in about 90 minutes, temple entry included.
Day 3 in tickets: about ¥4,500.
Prices checked 19 Sep 2026 · per person, tickets and transport, excluding accommodation
If you have two days
Cut Toji and the guided walks, not a side of the basin. Two days keep the south-east and east together, then the west.
- Day 1: Fushimi Inari first by JR, then back one stop to Tofukuji for Tofuku-ji.
- From Tofukuji, take the Keihan line to Kiyomizu-Gojo and walk up to Kiyomizu-dera before it closes.
- End the day in Gion and Pontocho.
- Day 2: the west, exactly as day three.
If you have a fourth day
A fourth day adds the north-east: Ginkaku-ji, the Philosopher’s Path and Nanzen-ji. It suits slow walking and gardens more than a checklist.
See or book a Philosopher’s Path walk
Good to know
- Ginkaku-ji is open all year: 8:30am to 5pm from March to November, 9am to 4:30pm from December to February.
- Reach it by the Karasuma subway line to Imadegawa and bus 203, or walk the path from Keage Station.
- The path follows a canal between Ginkaku-ji and Nyakuoji Bridge and is known for spring cherry blossom.
- The reviewed guided walk does not enter Ginkaku-ji, so see the temple before the walk starts.
| Item | ¥ per adult | US$ |
|---|---|---|
| Philosopher’s Path and Nanzen-ji walk, from | ¥5,000 | ≈ US$31 |
| Ginkaku-ji, adult entry | ¥1,000 | ≈ US$6 |
Philosopher’s Path walks from Kyoto
Fourth day in tickets: about ¥6,000.
Prices checked 19 Sep 2026 · per person, tickets and transport, excluding accommodation
Facts that shape the trip
Closing times, not weekdays, set the order of these days. Buses are the slow part, so a day pass pays only on bus-heavy days.
Good to know
- The Subway & Bus 1-Day Pass costs ¥1,100 and works only on the day it is first used. It does not cover JR trains or the Randen tram.
- City buses charge a flat ¥230 per ride, so the pass pays from the fifth bus ride.
- Kiyomizu-dera lists mid-November to early December for autumn colour and late March to early April for cherry blossom; the best week moves each year.
- The totals add only the tickets and entry fees charted here; other temple fees, transport and food come on top.
| Opens | Closes | |
|---|---|---|
| Toji halls | 8am | 5pm (last entry 4:30pm) |
| Kiyomizu-dera | 6am | 6pm (6:30pm in July, August) |
| Tenryu-ji | 8:30am | 5pm (last entry 4:50pm) |
| Kinkaku-ji | 9am | 5pm |
| Ginkaku-ji | 8:30am (9am Dec-Feb) | 5pm (4:30pm Dec-Feb) |
Attractions & day trips from Kyoto
What it costs, and where to book
| Plan | Tickets and transport | Book |
|---|---|---|
| Three-day tickets | about ¥18,000 | – |
| Day 1 tickets | about ¥7,500 | Book a Fushimi Inari night walk |
| Day 2 tickets | about ¥6,000 | Book a Gion and Higashiyama walk |
| Day 3 tickets | about ¥4,500 | Book an Arashiyama walk with temple entry |
| Fourth-day walk and entry | ¥6,000 | Book a Philosopher’s Path walk |
Prices checked 19 Sep 2026 · per person, tickets and transport, excluding accommodation. Amounts over 20 are rounded up. Ticket prices are per person for the first reviewed ticket and change by date.
Explore Kyoto Before You Book
Take a virtual drive or walk, then find tours and tickets for the places you like.
Where a guided tour earns its money, and where it does not
A guide earns the fee where the story is not visible: Gion’s rules, Arashiyama’s temple entry and Inari after dark. Toji, Tofuku-ji and Kinkaku-ji reward a self-paced visit. Compare the walks on the Kyoto Tours page.
Mubboo compares flights and tours and may earn a commission when a traveller uses a partner link. Booking and payment happen with the provider.
Questions people ask
Is three days enough for Kyoto?
Yes for the main areas, one side of the city a day: south, east and west. A fourth day adds Ginkaku-ji and the Philosopher’s Path.
Should I buy the bus and subway day pass?
Only if you ride several buses that day. It covers the subway and city buses, not JR trains or the Randen tram, and works only on the day of first use.
Can I fit Kinkaku-ji after Arashiyama?
Yes, if you leave Arashiyama by early afternoon. Kinkaku-ji closes at 5pm and is reached by subway and bus from central Kyoto.
Is the Fushimi Inari night walk a summit climb?
No. The reviewed walk lasts about two hours on the lower paths and does not hike the whole mountain.
When should I reach Kiyomizu-dera?
Early. The gate opens at 6am and closes around 6pm, later during special night openings.
Plan deeper in Kyoto
Sources (26)
Every figure above was checked on the dates shown.
- Kyoto City Bus & Subway Information Guide, Subway & Bus 1-Day Pass — www2.city.kyoto.lg.jp/kotsu/webguide/en/ticket/regular_1day_card_comm.html (checked 2026-09-19)
- Kyoto City Bus & Subway Information Guide, city bus fare — www2.city.kyoto.lg.jp/kotsu/webguide/en/fare/fare_bus.html (checked 2026-09-19)
- Kyoto City Tourism Association, comfortable access to Around Kyoto Station (To-ji) — kyoto.travel/en/getting-around/comfortable-access-to-around-kyoto-station-to-ji-temple/ (checked 2026-09-19)
- To-ji Temple, location and admission — toji.or.jp/en/location/index.html (checked 2026-09-19)
- Kyoto City Tourism Association, Tofuku-ji Temple — kyoto.travel/en/destinations/tofukuji-temple/ (checked 2026-09-19)
- Kyoto City Tourism Association, comfortable access to Fushimi (Fushimi Inari Taisha) — kyoto.travel/en/getting-around/comfortable-access-to-fushimi-fushimi-inari-taisha-shrine/ (checked 2026-09-19)
- Fushimi Inari Taisha, access — inari.jp/en/access/ (checked 2026-09-19)
- Fushimi Inari Taisha, requests to visitors — inari.jp/en/request/ (checked 2026-09-19)
- Kiyomizu-dera, getting here — www.kiyomizudera.or.jp/en/location/ (checked 2026-09-19)
- Kiyomizu-dera, opening hours notice — www.kiyomizudera.or.jp/news/open-hour.php (checked 2026-09-19)
- Kiyomizu-dera, FAQ — www.kiyomizudera.or.jp/en/faq/ (checked 2026-09-19)
- Kiyomizu-dera, events and seasons — www.kiyomizudera.or.jp/en/visit/ (checked 2026-09-19)
- Kyoto City Tourism Association, comfortable access to Higashiyama (Kiyomizu-dera) — kyoto.travel/en/getting-around/comfortable-access-to-higashiyama-kiyomizu-dera-temple/ (checked 2026-09-19)
- Kyoto City Tourism Association, Gion manner (Southern Gionmachi) — kyoto.travel/en/responsible-travel/gion-manner-message-from-southern-gionmachi/ (checked 2026-09-19)
- Kyoto City Tourism Association, comfortable access to Saga/Arashiyama — kyoto.travel/en/getting-around/comfortable-access-to-saga-arashiyama/ (checked 2026-09-19)
- Tenryu-ji, admission and access — www.tenryuji.com/en/visit/ (checked 2026-09-19)
- Kyoto City Tourism Association, comfortable access to Kinkaku-ji — kyoto.travel/en/getting-around/comfortable-access-to-kinkaku-ji-temple-kinugasa/ (checked 2026-09-19)
- Kinkaku-ji, access and visiting hours — www.shokoku-ji.jp/en/kinkakuji/access/ (checked 2026-09-19)
- Ginkaku-ji, access and visiting hours — www.shokoku-ji.jp/en/ginkakuji/access/ (checked 2026-09-19)
- Kyoto City Tourism Association, comfortable access to Ginkaku-ji and the Philosopher’s Path — kyoto.travel/en/getting-around/comfortable-access-to-ginkaku-ji-temple-philosophers-path/ (checked 2026-09-19)
- Kyoto City Tourism Association, Philosopher’s Path — kyoto.travel/en/destinations/philosophers-path-tetsugakunomichi/ (checked 2026-09-19)
- Kyoto City Tourism Association, Nanzen-ji Temple — kyoto.travel/en/destinations/nanzenji-temple/ (checked 2026-09-19)
- Mubboo Tours Fushimi Inari night walk results — mubboo.flights/api/tours/search?destinationId=332&term=Fushimi+Inari+night+walking+tour¤cy=USD&mode=keyword&sort=featured (checked 2026-09-19)
- Mubboo Tours Gion and Higashiyama walk results — mubboo.flights/api/tours/search?destinationId=332&term=Gion+Higashiyama+walking+tour¤cy=USD&mode=keyword&sort=featured (checked 2026-09-19)
- Mubboo Tours Arashiyama walk results — mubboo.flights/api/tours/search?destinationId=332&term=Arashiyama+walking+tour+with+Tenryu-ji+entry¤cy=USD&mode=keyword&sort=featured (checked 2026-09-19)
- Mubboo Tours Philosopher’s Path walk results — mubboo.flights/api/tours/search?destinationId=332&term=Philosophers+Path+Nanzen-ji+walking+tour¤cy=USD&mode=keyword&sort=featured (checked 2026-09-19)