The Complete Kyoto Travel Guide to Read First

If you plan to sightsee around Kyoto using the subway and buses, we recommend purchasing and using the Subway and Bus 1-Day Pass, which offers unlimited rides for one day on both.
It covers all Kyoto Municipal Subway and Bus lines, as well as part of the Kyoto Bus, Keihan Bus, and West Japan JR Bus networks, so it includes most major tourist destinations.
By combining the subway and buses effectively, you can also reduce travel time, making your sightseeing both more affordable and more comfortable.
Another benefit is that you can receive discounts and other special offers at Approx. 60 facilities in Kyoto City, including shrines, temples, and restaurants.
You can buy the pass at the Bus Information Center in front of Kyoto Station, Kotochika Kyoto inside Kyoto Station on the subway, Karasuma Oike Station, and other locations. The price is 1,100 yen for adults and 550 yen for children.

Kyoto’s main sightseeing spots are concentrated in Kyoto City and Arashiyama.
Not only that, but many attractions are located close together in both areas, so you can visit many places in a short amount of time.
Traveling between Kyoto City and Arashiyama also takes little time, so even first-time visitors are less likely to struggle with access or planning.
If you have extra time, head out to Uji as well to enjoy Kyoto more deeply.

Kyoto Station is Kyoto’s main gateway, where the Shinkansen also stops, and it serves as the starting point for travel not only within Kyoto City but also to areas outside the city and neighboring prefectures.
Since there are many hotels, restaurants, and sightseeing spots around the station, first-time visitors should stay near Kyoto Station.
That way, you can use Kyoto Station as your travel hub and enjoy a variety of experiences efficiently.

Buses are the main way to get around Kyoto, but in some cases the subway is a more efficient option.
This is especially true if you are traveling during the busy sightseeing season.
During peak seasons, roads in Kyoto City are often congested, and buses may not run on schedule.
With the subway, on the other hand, you do not have to worry about traffic jams.
As a result, the subway may get you to your destination faster than the bus.

Kyoto City is located in the southeastern part of Kyoto Prefecture, in the northern half of the Kyoto Basin, surrounded on three sides by gentle mountains.
While functioning as an urban center, it is also blessed with beautiful scenery, including streetscapes that evoke Japanese culture and history, as well as seasonal landscapes created by the surrounding mountains and rivers.
Since Kyoto’s most popular sightseeing spots are concentrated here, most travelers visit Kyoto City during their Kyoto trip.
Kyoto City is further divided into five areas. Please refer to the table below for the characteristics of each area.

You do not need to memorize the area names, but it is worth knowing that each area has different characteristics to the north, south, east, and west of the central Rakuchu Area.

The Sagano and Arashiyama area is located on the western edge of Kyoto City.
Although it is part of Kyoto City, it is often introduced as a separate area because it offers different charms from the area centered around Kyoto Station.
Since it has more nature than the Kyoto Station area, you can enjoy seasonal scenery throughout the year.
The historic buildings and Japanese gardens that harmonize with nature let you feel beauty and aesthetic values unique to Japan.
There are many famous cherry blossom and fall foliage spots, with bright, lively scenery in spring and deeply atmospheric landscapes in fall.
Please also refer to this article introducing popular sightseeing spots in the Sagano and Arashiyama area.

The Northern Area lies at the northern end of Kyoto and faces the Sea of Japan.
The biggest feature of this area is its beautiful coastal scenery.
From Amanohashidate, one of Japan’s Three Scenic Views, to the Ine Funaya boat houses, where the first floors of the buildings face directly onto the sea, and Maizuru, lined with nostalgic buildings, you can enjoy many different kinds of seaside landscapes.
Once you have visited Kyoto’s main sightseeing spots, be sure to head here as well, as it offers scenery completely different from Kyoto City and Arashiyama.

The Central Area offers nostalgic Japanese landscapes surrounded by mountains.
There are many places where you can fully enjoy the charms of the mountains and forests, such as Miyama Kayabuki no Sato, where thatched-roof homes from the Edo period line the mountain village, and Rurikei, where you can enjoy beautiful ravine scenery along with barbecues and hot springs.
If you want to experience traditional Japanese rural scenery and the beauty of mountain valleys, this is an area you should definitely visit.

The Southern Area includes Uji City, one of Japan’s major tea-producing regions, at the southern end of Kyoto.
In early summer, you can enjoy lush tea fields and beautiful bamboo groves, while in fall the autumn leaves are stunning.
Uji City, known for its historic streetscapes, two World Heritage sites, and Uji tea, is one of the most popular destinations in the Southern Area.
Since it is only Approx. 20 minutes from Kyoto Station, many tourists visit every day.
If you want to know more about the charms of Uji City, please refer to this article as well.

On the first day of this model course, you will mainly visit especially popular and classic spots among the many attractions in Kyoto City and Arashiyama.
Since there will be a lot of walking, those who are not confident in their stamina should take plenty of breaks while moving between spots.

On the second day, visit sightseeing spots in Kyoto City that you could not cover on the first day, then head out to Uji City.
In addition to Uji’s sightseeing spots, be sure to enjoy its streetscape as well, which has a charm different from both Kyoto City and Arashiyama.

“Obanzai” refers to Kyoto-style home cooking and side dishes in general.
It is one of Kyoto’s representative traditional food cultures, characterized by simple cooking methods using seasonal Kyoto vegetables such as daikon radish, turnips, and chili peppers.
It also emphasizes minimizing waste and drawing out the natural flavors of the ingredients, and is usually served in small dishes.
Typical obanzai dishes include colorful items such as ohitashi, takiawase, and nimono.
Each dish has its own flavor and high nutritional value, making obanzai a healthy and well-balanced meal.

Yudofu, said to have originated in Kyoto, is a very simple hot pot dish made with just water and tofu.
It is generally prepared by boiling water with kombu in an earthenware pot, then adding a pinch of salt and tofu and warming it slowly and carefully.
It is delicious even as is, thanks to the kombu broth, but part of the appeal of yudofu is enjoying it with condiments and dipping sauces.
The ability to create your own favorite flavor depending on the combination is one of yudofu’s charms.
Although it is a simple dish, it is nutritious and warms the body, so it is especially popular during the cold winter months.

Kyoto is especially famous for sweets made with matcha, and there are many shops where you can enjoy matcha and traditional Japanese sweets.
In Uji, on the outskirts of Kyoto, tea leaves have been cultivated actively since the early Kamakura period (1185–1333), when tea was introduced from China.
Later, in the Azuchi-Momoyama period (1573–1603), tea master Sen no Rikyu perfected the culture of tea ceremony, which is why Kyoto became so well known for matcha and wagashi.
As you walk around the city, you are sure to come across delicious matcha sweets such as roll cakes, yatsuhashi, and daifuku.

Opened in January 2022, this is Hotel Okura’s first small luxury hotel.
With the concepts of “Kyoto Okazaki,” “Higashiyama culture,” and “inheritance,” it creates the feel of a hidden retreat for adults.
The interior features details such as room numbers modeled after tea canisters, original lighting by Kanaamitsuji, calligraphy art, and Nishijin textile walls.
Works by artists based in Kyoto are displayed throughout, allowing guests to feel a contemporary expression of Kyoto beauty in every corner.

Kyoto Century Hotel boasts an excellent location just a 2-minute walk from JR and subway Kyoto Station.
While ideally located for both sightseeing and business, stepping inside reveals a modern classical space that makes you forget the bustle of the city.
Founded in 1928, this distinguished hotel is full of history and tradition, with guest rooms available in a variety of grades designed in pursuit of comfort and relaxation.

A Japanese-style hot spring inn in Kyoto’s popular Arashiyama area. There are 105 guest rooms in total, available in three types, “Kyomachiya,” “Kyowafu,” and “Kyomodern,” with 10 layouts in all.
Rooms can accommodate from 1 to 4 guests, making it easy to choose based on your group size and travel style.
From the furniture and bedding to small details such as tea and incense, every element is thoughtfully designed to create a relaxing Japanese space filled with Kyoto charm.

Shogoin Yatsuhashi Sohonten is a famous shop for yatsuhashi, one of Kyoto’s classic souvenirs.
Its baked sweet Shogoin Yatsuhashi and “Hijiri,” which wraps bean paste in nama yatsuhashi, are especially well known, but its “Nama Yatsuhashi,” released before “Hijiri,” is also a popular product with many fans.
Made from simple ingredients such as rice flour, sugar, and cinnamon, it offers a soft texture along with the chewy feel of rice flour and the elegant flavor of cinnamon, making it a perfect match for tea.

“Oil Blotting Paper” is the signature product of Yojiya, a long-established cosmetics maker founded in 1904.
Lightly pressing it onto the skin before touching up makeup absorbs excess oil and helps makeup apply more smoothly.
By repeatedly pounding finely made special washi paper with a foil-beating machine, the paper fibers are activated, resulting in a soft feel that is gentle on the skin and excellent absorbency.

This signature sweet is offered by Malebranche, a Western confectionery shop founded in 1982 with its main store in Kyoto Kitayama.
Made by baking langue de chat cookies with Uji tea, including tea from Shirakawa in Uji, Kyoto, and sandwiching them with original white chocolate, its flavor is truly one of a kind.
It is now often described as a classic Kyoto sweet.