Kyoto journeys

Discover More Kyoto

Go beyond Kyoto's most famous sights.

Beyond the icons

Where to go on a second Kyoto trip

Move beyond the checklist. Explore mountain temples, intimate gardens, lived-in neighborhoods and the quieter edges of Kyoto.

Three-day route

Kyoto, slower and deeper

Three unhurried days of mountain villages, forest paths, gardens and everyday neighborhoods.

Day 1

A slow day in Ohara

Let the village set the pace. Do not add central Kyoto sights to this day.

01Sanzen-in
02Hosen-in
03Shorin-in
04Village lunch
05Jakko-in or onsen

Open route ↗

Day 2

Kurama & Kifune

Cross the forest on foot when conditions are good, or visit both valleys separately by transport.

01Kurama-dera
02Mount Kurama trail
03Kifune Shrine
04Kawadoko or valley walk

Open route ↗

Day 3

Gardens & lived-in Kyoto

Shift from landmarks to spatial design, quiet lanes and the rhythms of local neighborhoods.

01Nanzen-ji
02Murin-an
03Philosopher's Path
04Honen-in
05Nishijin or Daitoku-ji

Open route ↗

Plan ahead

Reserve the limited places

Apply ahead for the imperial villas. Reserve summer kawadoko dining early, especially on weekends.

Check conditions

Sub-temple openings change. Avoid the Kurama traverse in heavy rain, snow or icy conditions.

Give the edges time

Ohara, Takao and Yamashina reward a slower day. Build around rail and local bus connections.

Ohara & Sanzen-in Temple

★★★★★

A northern mountain village of streams, fields, stone walls, old temples and moss gardens. Sanzen-in's quiet grounds make Ohara one of the strongest choices for a second Kyoto trip.

Allow: Half a day to a full day
Best season: Early summer, rainy season or autumn
Best for: Quiet gardens, photography and rural scenery

Sanzen-in ↗Kyoto Travel ↗Directions ↗Read the Story →

Autumn scenery at Sanzen-in in Ohara — Photo: KimonBerlin · CC BY-SA 2.0

Temple garden and foliage in Ohara — Photo: KimonBerlin · CC BY-SA 2.0

Suggested route

Sanzen-in → Hosen-in → Shorin-in → Raigo-in → Jakko-in

Look for

Yusei-en moss gardenOjo Gokuraku-in HallWarabe Jizo figuresVillage food and red shiso

Ohara also has small cafés, pickles, local cooking and hot springs. Let the area fill the day instead of rushing back to central Kyoto.

Kifune Shrine

★★★★★

A shrine to the deity of water set deep in a northern valley. River sound, forest shade and the lantern-lined approach create a quieter atmosphere than Kyoto's major central shrines.

Allow: 2–3 hours
Best season: Summer, rainy days, autumn or snow
Best for: Shrine culture, rivers, forest and seasonal dining

Official site ↗Directions ↗Read the Story →

The entrance to Kifune Shrine — Photo: Chris Gladis · CC BY 2.0

The forested inner grounds of Kifune Shrine — Photo: Hyppolyte de Saint-Rambert · CC BY 4.0

Look for

Main sanctuaryWater fortune slipsKibune River walkSummer kawadoko diningAutumn leaves and winter snow

From Kibuneguchi Station, continue by Kyoto Bus 33. Summer kawadoko restaurants often require advance booking.

Kurama-dera & Mount Kurama

★★★★★

A mountain temple and forest pilgrimage rather than a single sight. The classic crossing threads through cedar woods, stone steps, ancient roots and sites tied to mountain worship.

Allow: Half a day
Best season: Mild, dry weather; avoid ice and heavy rain
Best for: Moderate hiking, forest, myth and mountain faith

Kurama-dera ↗Kyoto Travel ↗Directions ↗

Mountain landscape from Kurama-dera — Photo: Daderot · CC0

Temple architecture at Kurama-dera — Photo: Hyppolyte de Saint-Rambert · CC BY 4.0

Suggested route

Kurama Station → Yuki Shrine → Kurama-dera → Kinone-michi → Mao-den Hall → Kifune

Kurama and Kifune share the Eizan Railway corridor and combine well. If fitness or weather is uncertain, visit each separately rather than forcing the full mountain crossing.

Nanzen-ji & Murin-an Garden

★★★★★

A layered district where Zen architecture, Meiji-era waterworks, villa gardens and modern Kyoto history overlap. On a second visit, look beyond Nanzen-ji's main gate and explore the spaces around it.

Allow: 3–4 hours
Best for: Architecture, gardens, history and photography

Nanzen-ji ↗Murin-an ↗Directions ↗Read the Story →

Autumn around Nanzen-ji — Photo: 雷太 · CC BY 2.0

The garden at Murin-an — Photo: Daderot · Public domain

Suggested route

Keage Incline → Nanzen-ji Sanmon → Suirokaku Aqueduct → Nanzen-in → Tenju-an → Murin-an

Look for

Sanmon GateBrick aqueductHojo and Tenju-an gardensMurin-an's modern gardenLake Biwa Canal heritage

Philosopher's Path in Depth

★★★★★

The canal path is only the thread. The deeper experience lies in its small temples, residential lanes, cafés and changing seasonal light.

Allow: Half a day
Best season: Cherry blossom, fresh green or autumn
Best for: Slow walking, photography and small temples

Official site ↗Directions ↗

Canal scenery along the Philosopher's Path — Photo: Reggaeman · CC BY-SA 3.0

Cherry blossom on the Philosopher's Path — Photo: UT · CC BY-SA 3.0

Suggested route

Nanzen-ji → Eikan-do → Philosopher's Path → Honen-in → Anraku-ji → Ginkaku-ji

Look for

Eikan-do and its autumn colorHonen-in's thatched gate and sand moundsAnraku-ji special openings

Anraku-ji opens on limited dates. Confirm current access before building the day around it.

Nishijin & Kitano Tenmangu

★★★★★

A lived-in area of machiya houses, textile workshops, small shrines and old businesses. It rewards curiosity rather than a checklist of major sights.

Allow: Half a day
Best for: Craft, machiya, markets and cultural depth

Kitano Tenmangu ↗Nishijin ↗Directions ↗

Kitano Tenmangu Shrine — Photo: Motokoka · CC BY-SA 4.0

A traditional street in Nishijin — Photo: At by At · CC BY-SA 3.0

Suggested route

Kitano Tenmangu → Kamishichiken → Nishijin textile workshop → Daitoku-ji

Look for

Plum blossom and maple gardenTenjin market on the 25thKamishichiken geiko districtNishijin textile culture

Daitoku-ji Temple Complex

★★★★★

Daitoku-ji is a village-like complex of Zen sub-temples rather than one monument. Its dry gardens, tea culture and layered architecture reward a slow selection of two or three precincts.

Allow: 2–3 hours
Best for: Zen, dry gardens, tea and architecture

Official site ↗Directions ↗

Historic architecture at Daitoku-ji — Photo: 663highland · CC BY-SA 4.0

A quiet precinct in the Daitoku-ji complex — Photo: 663highland · CC BY-SA 4.0

Look for

Daisen-inRyogen-in and Zuiho-inKoto-inObai-in and Korin-in

Opening schedules differ by sub-temple, and some open only during special spring or autumn periods. Check current access before visiting.

Fushimi Sake District

★★★★★

Beyond Fushimi Inari lies a former port town of willow-lined canals, traditional breweries and stories of Edo-period river transport.

Allow: Half a day
Best for: Sake, history, neighborhood walks and adult trips

Kyoto Travel ↗Gekkeikan Museum ↗Directions ↗

The Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum — Photo: 663highland · CC BY 2.5

Canal and sake warehouses in Fushimi — Photo: 663highland · CC BY 2.5

Suggested route

Fushimi-Momoyama Station → Otesuji Arcade → Gekkeikan Museum → Jikkokubune → Ujigawa Canal → Teradaya → Chushojima

Look for

Historic waterwaysTraditional sake breweriesSake tastingSakamoto Ryoma historyLocal shopping street

Tofuku-ji & Sennyu-ji

★★★★★

Tofuku-ji's scale, bridges and modern garden design remain compelling outside foliage season. Nearby Sennyu-ji has imperial ties and a noticeably calmer approach.

Allow: Half a day
Best season: Morning or outside peak foliage season
Best for: Zen, gardens, photography and history

Tofuku-ji ↗Sennyu-ji ↗Directions ↗

Garden geometry at Tofuku-ji — Photo: Zairon · CC BY-SA 4.0

Temple grounds at Sennyu-ji — Photo: Hyppolyte de Saint-Rambert · CC BY 4.0

Suggested route

Tofuku-ji → Komyo-in → Sennyu-ji → Imakumano Kannon-ji

Look for

Tsutenkyo BridgeHojo gardensSanmon and KaisandoQuiet imperial temple precinct

Tofuku-ji is extremely busy at peak autumn color. Arrive early or choose another season for a calmer visit.

Takao: Jingo-ji, Kozan-ji & Saimyo-ji

★★★★★

Three mountain temple areas northwest of Kyoto form the historic Sanbi route. River valleys, cedar forest and thousand-year-old precincts make Takao feel far removed from the center.

Allow: Half a day to a full day
Best season: Fresh green or autumn
Best for: Mountain temples, walking, nature and heritage

Official site ↗Directions ↗

Mountain temple scenery at Jingo-ji — Photo: 663highland · CC BY 2.5

Historic architecture at Kozan-ji — Photo: 663highland · CC BY 2.5

Suggested route

Jingo-ji → Saimyo-ji → Kozan-ji

Look for

Jingo-ji's large precinct and stone stepsRiverside Saimyo-jiKozan-ji and the Choju-jinbutsu-giga tradition

Katsura or Shugakuin Imperial Villa

★★★★★

These villas suit a second trip because the focus shifts from famous monuments to composition, borrowed scenery and the movement through a Japanese garden.

Allow: Choose one villa; allow half a day with travel
Best season: By reservation; check current visit dates
Best for: Architecture, design and garden specialists

Official site ↗Directions ↗

Garden at Katsura Imperial Villa — Photo: Odd Roar Aalborg · CC BY-SA 4.0

Landscape at Shugakuin Imperial Villa — Photo: Wiiii · CC BY-SA 3.0

Look for

Katsura's stroll garden and teahousesPrecise proportions and borrowed sceneryShugakuin's broad hillside landscape

Visits follow Imperial Household Agency rules and normally require an application. Procedures may change, so use the official guide before planning.

Yamashina: Bishamon-do & Canal

★★★★★

Only a short train ride from Kyoto Station, Yamashina feels distinctly calmer than Higashiyama or Arashiyama. A foothill temple and canal promenade anchor the visit.

Allow: Half a day
Best season: Cherry blossom or autumn
Best for: Easy walking, canals and low-key local Kyoto

Official site ↗Directions ↗

Bishamon-do Temple in Yamashina — Photo: Oilstreet · CC BY 2.5

Cherry blossom along the Yamashina Canal — Photo: Shigeru-a24 · CC BY-SA 3.0

Suggested route

Yamashina Station → Bishamon-do → Yamashina Canal → Honkoku-ji or Ansho-ji area

Look for

Cherry blossom and autumn colorCanal promenadeQuiet residential streetsFoothill temples

Kyoto 08

Eight deeper Kyoto picks

A focused mix of mountain faith, Zen gardens, craft, sake, imperial design and life beyond the center.

01Ohara & Sanzen-in
02Kifune Shrine
03Kurama-dera
04Nanzen-ji & Murin-an
05Daitoku-ji Complex
06Fushimi Sake District
07Takao's three temples
08Katsura or Shugakuin Imperial Villa