THE QUIET ROUTE
Staying at Kyoto Station,
Walk before the crowds.
The success or failure of your first Kyoto itinerary lies not in adding more tourist attractions, but in arriving before it gets crowded. We spent 3 nights at Kyoto Station and split the first day into Fushimi Inari in the south, the second day in East Higashiyama, and the third day in West Arashiyama and Kinkaku-ji. To reduce the time spent retracing the same route, Kiyomizu-dera and the bamboo forest were placed early in the morning.
3 NIGHTS · 4 DAYS
Schedule to follow
From the airport to Kyoto, starting with the red torii
- 01Arrive at Kansai Airport, enter the country, pick up your baggage, and go to JR station.
- 02Use HARUKA discount one-way ticket · Approximately 75–80 minutes to Kyoto Station · Adult ¥2,200
- 0315:00 Kyoto Station accommodation check-in or luggage storage
- 0416:00 Move to Inari Station on JR Nara Line · Approximately 5 minutes
- 0516:20 Fushimi Inari Main Shrine → Senbon Torii · 60–90 minutes to Mt.
- 0618:15 Return to Kyoto Station by JR
- 0718:40 Ramen dinner at Honke Daiichi Asahi
- 08If arrival is after 16:00, Fushimi Inari moves to DAY 4 early morning
Higashiyama starting before sunrise
- 0105:30 Departure from accommodation · Taxi or walk from Keihan Kiyomizu-Gojo Station
- 0206:00 Enter when Kiyomizu-dera opens · Adult ¥500
- 0307:30 Sannen-zaka · Ninen-zaka · A quiet alley walk before the stores open
- 0409:00 Around Yasaka Tower → Open alley shops and teahouses
- 0511:00 Early lunch after Yudofu at Okutan Kiyomizu
- 0612:30 Kodaiji Entrance → Yasaka Shrine → Maruyama Park
- 0714:00 Stroll around Gion’s public roads, including Hanamikoji and Shirakawa
- 0816:30 Early dinner of okonomiyaki at Gion Tanto
- 0917:40 Return to Keihan Gion-Shijo Station or Kyoto Station by bus
A day west from Arashiyama to Kinkaku-ji
- 0107:10 Departure from Kyoto Station · Take JR Sagano Line to Saga Arashiyama Station
- 0207:45 Bamboo forest · Walk through key sections before congestion
- 0308:30 Entrance to Tenryuji Garden · Garden ¥500 · Building visit additional ¥300
- 0410:00 Walk along Togetsukyo Bridge and Katsura River
- 0511:00 Early soba lunch at Arashiyama Yoshimura
- 0612:20 Randen Arashiyama Station → Kitano Hakubaicho Station, 1 transfer
- 0713:20 Go to Kinkaku-ji by bus or on foot · Adult ¥500
- 0815:00 Return to Kyoto Station by bus · Dinner is free at the station building or porta.
After Nishiki’s morning, to the airport
- 0108:30 Check-out · Store luggage at Kyoto Station accommodation
- 0209:00 Move to Shijo Station by subway Karasuma Line
- 0309:20 Walk towards the east of Nishiki Market · Opening hours vary by store
- 0410:40 Return to Kyoto Station · Pick up luggage and buy a light lunch
- 05Board HARUKA according to the departure time and secure enough room for possible delays
- 06Based on arrival at Kansai Airport 3 hours before international departure
- 07If your flight departs before 16:00, skip Nishiki Market and go straight to the airport.
EAT ALONG THE ROUTE
From ramen to Yudofu,
Four meals we meet while walking.
Operating hours and prices are confirmed as of September 2026. Since the three restaurants overlap on Thursday, change the restaurants on DAY 1 and 2 depending on the day of your trip. You must check again on the official page on the day of your visit to see if ingredients are sold out, temporary closures, or business is open on public holidays.
DAY 1 · Dinner
Honke Daiichi Asahi Main Store
- movement line
- Approximately 5 minutes walk from JR Kyoto Station Central Exit
- menu
- Special ramen, ramen, gyoza
- budget
- Approximately ¥1,000–2,000 per person
- sales
- 06:00–01:00 · Closed on Thursdays
When you return to JR from Fushimi Inari, this is your first meal, which is not too far from your accommodation. There may be a line even at late hours, so please check the notice on the day for material shortages and temporary closures.
Check the latest information ↗
DAY 2 · Early lunch
Okutan Kiyomizu
- movement line
- Approximately 7 minutes' walk from Kiyomizu-dera along Sannenzaka.
- menu
- Traditional Yudofu Course and Tofu Dengaku
- budget
- Approximately ¥3,000–5,000 per person
- sales
- Weekdays 11:00–16:30 · Weekends and public holidays until 17:30 · Closed on Thursdays
After visiting Kiyomizu-dera early, go down the alley and stop by. Be prepared to pay in cash, and last orders should be placed 30 minutes before closing, but check back for seasonal openings.
Check the latest information ↗
DAY 2 · Early evening
Gion Tanto
- movement line
- Approximately 3 minutes walk from Gion-Shijo Station, near Shirakawa
- menu
- Okonomiyaki, Yakisoba, Teppanyaki
- budget
- Approximately ¥1,000–2,000 per person
- sales
- Monday–Wednesday, Friday 16:30–21:30 · Weekend lunch 12:00–14:30 · Dinner 17:00–21:30 · Closed on Thursday
After finishing Higashiyama from the north, we stop by before heading back to Kyoto Station. Because it is centered around small tatami seats, you may have to wait even if you go before 18:00, and registration may end earlier than the closing time.
Check the latest information ↗
DAY 3 · Early lunch
Arashiyama Yoshimura
- movement line
- North bank of Togetsukyo Bridge, about 7 minutes on foot from Tenryuji Temple
- menu
- Handmade soba and tempura soba set
- budget
- Approximately ¥1,500–3,000 per person
- sales
- Weekdays 11:00–16:00 · Weekends and public holidays until 17:00
After seeing the bamboo forest and Tenryu-ji Temple, it is a meal just before moving on to Kinkaku-ji. Seats with a river view are competitive, so get there before they open, and check for closures on January 1 and seasonal changes.
Check the latest information ↗DAY 3 FLOW
Bamboo forest first,
Golden Pavilion in the afternoon.
Arashiyama's stay is smooth if you walk through the bamboo forest before 8 a.m. and go to Tenryu-ji Temple, which opens at 8:30. After lunch, take the Randen to Kitano Hakubaicho and transfer to Kinkaku-ji. Compared to returning to Kyoto Station and heading north again, the transfer may be unfamiliar, but the travel distance is shorter.
Tenryuji Garden is open from 08:30–17:00, last entry at 16:50. It is about a 13-minute walk from JR Saga Arashiyama Station, and admission to the garden and building is separate.
THE GOLDEN HOUR
Kinkaku-ji in the afternoon,
The direction of light is good.
If Kinkakuji Temple is placed at the end of the western itinerary, it naturally connects Arashiyama to Randen, and in the afternoon, the front of the pavilion across the pond is often illuminated. However, buses are delayed during autumn leaves and holidays, so don't delay after 16:00, and if you're low on stamina, take a short taxi from Kitano Hakubaicho Station.
WHERE TO STAY
Two ryokans,
Two cost-effective hotels
Recommendation Conclusion
When it comes to schedule efficiency, Via Inn and Richmond are definitely better. If a night in Kyoto is your priority, choose Seiko for its kaiseki rooms, and Yachiyo is better for the tranquility of the garden and Nanzenji Temple. Even if you choose a ryokan, you can stay for 3 consecutive nights without moving to the accommodation, and on the JR travel days, advance your departure time by 30 minutes.
Seikoro Ryokan
Walking distance from Keihan Kiyomizu-Gojo Station, Higashiyama
- price
- 2 people per room approx. ¥52,500–126,000 / 1 night, 2 meals included
- breakfast
- Japanese or Western breakfast · Check by reservation plan
- Dinner
- Kaiseki dinner room provided · Two meals included plan recommended
- parking
- Free parking for 5 cars · Advance reservation required
- Advantages
- The atmosphere and in-room dining of a wooden ryokan that has been around since 1831, DAY 2 Close to the Higashiyama route
- Cons
- It is more inconvenient to get to the airport and Arashiyama than accommodation directly connected to Kyoto Station, and the cost for three consecutive nights is significantly higher.
Kyoto Nanzenji Garden Ryokan Yachiyo
Walking distance from Subway Keage Station / In front of Nanzenji
- price
- 2 people per room approx. ¥40,000–110,000+ / 1 night · Separate meal plan available
- breakfast
- 07:30·08:00·08:30·09:00 · From ¥3,300 per person
- Dinner
- Yudofu ¥3,000–4,500 · Reservations available for sukiyaki, kaiseki, etc.
- parking
- Limited number of parking spaces · Check availability and current rates in advance
- Advantages
- The serenity of the garden and Nanzenji Temple, as well as open-air baths in some rooms, provide a truly Kyoto-style lodging experience.
- Cons
- Approximately 25 minutes by taxi from Kyoto Station, so there will be more transfers and luggage movement in this JR-centered itinerary.
Richmond Hotel Premier Kyoto Ekimae
Approximately 5 minutes walk from JR Kyoto Station Central Exit
- price
- 2 people per room approx. ¥12,000–30,000 / 1 night
- breakfast
- 07:00–11:00 · Adult ¥3,500 · Breakfast included Check plan
- Dinner
- No regular dinner · Use of nearby Kyoto porta and station buildings
- parking
- No private parking available at the hotel · Paid parking available nearby
- Advantages
- It is easy to use both the HARUKA and Sagano-Nara lines, so the travel efficiency for this itinerary is the most stable.
- Cons
- Prices increase significantly during peak season, and rooms on the main street in front of the station may be sensitive to city noise.
Via Inn Prime Kyotoeki Hachijoguchi
Approximately 2 minutes' walk from Hachijo Exit of JR/Kintetsu Kyoto Station
- price
- 2 people per room approx. ¥10,000–25,000 / 1 night
- breakfast
- 06:30–10:00 · Last admission 09:30 · Adult ¥1,980
- Dinner
- No regular dinner · Use convenience store on the 1st floor and restaurants near the station
- parking
- No private parking available · Check rates for nearby affiliated parking lots
- Advantages
- Of the four, the station access is the shortest and it is advantageous for early HARUKA and morning departures, making it highly practical.
- Cons
- The main tourist bus stop is on the other side of the station, at the central exit, so one more crossing is required.
Rate criteria · Approximate range of 2 people per room per night searchable in September 2026. For ryokans, it varies greatly depending on whether or not meals are included, and for hotels, the date, room, breakfast, and cancellation conditions. Please double-check the total including tax, service charge, and meals before making the actual payment.
BUDGET GUIDE
Estimated cost per person
Accommodation is per person, sharing a double room. Flights and shopping are excluded, and the total varies greatly depending on whether the ryokan includes kaiseki or not. Fushimi Inari and Yasaka Shrine are free.
GOOD
Advantages of this schedule
- Simple access to the airport and JR tourist attractions with 3 consecutive nights at Kyoto Station
- Divide the south, east, and west by date to minimize the route back.
- Visit Kiyomizu-dera and the bamboo forest before rush hour
CHECK
Things to know
- On Thursdays, Daiichi Asahi, Okutan, and Gion Tanto are closed on the same day.
- During peak cherry blossom and fall foliage season, rail and walking are more predictable than city buses.
- Flights before 16:00 omit the Nishiki Market itinerary on the last day.
OFFICIAL SOURCES
Please check again before departure.
JR-WEST · HARUKA discount one-way ticket ↗Kiyomizu-dera · Opening hours and viewing information ↗Kyoto City Official Tourism · Early morning Higashiyama route ↗Tenryuji Temple · Operating hours · Admission fee · Transportation ↗Kinkaku-ji · Visiting hours and usage information ↗Kyoto City Official Tourism, Crowd, Etiquette, and Traffic Notice ↗Seikoro Ryokan · Rooms · Meals · Reservation ↗Via in Prime Kyoto Station · Room · Breakfast ↗PHOTO CREDITS · Kiyomizu-dera: そらみみ, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Fushimi Inari: Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Arashiyama: Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Kinkaku-ji: Vesna Vujicic-Lugassy, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO· Food and accommodation images are images from the official gallery or introduction/review page of each restaurant/accommodation and have been resized for editing.
English edition of our Korean guide. Times and prices retain the source review date; they are not live booking quotes. Check eligibility for visitor fares and plan international flights separately.