The Best 2-Day Kyoto Itinerary For First-Time Visitors

I spent two full days and 3 nights in Kyoto. Here’s everything I did plus tips for visiting Kyoto for the first time, including how to get around, top places to visit, day trips like Inari Shrine and Kinkaku-ji, plus views at night.

There’s so many things to do in Kyoto and I went during cherry blossom season, so I researched and prioritized the top Kyoto attractions.

Save this 2-Day Kyoto Itinerary for your next trip.

You can also do a Combo Day Tour and choose cities from Kobe, Osaka, Kyoto & Nara.

Book before your Japan trip:

▢ Local sim card or Japan eSIM card

▢ Ride to/from the airport: prebook a ride

▢ Book discounted hotels in Kyoto (what I use)

▢ Hire a private driver for a day for a custom tour

▢ Book the most popular Kyoto tours

Table of Contents

Getting Around Kyoto

Fushimi Inari Taisha, Kyoto, Japan: A close-up shot of the vibrant red torii gates at Fushimi Inari Taisha, each adorned with black kanji inscriptions, leading down a forested path. Top of main things to do in Kyoto

Bus

I mainly took the bus to get around Kyoto. The bus system is extensive and shortens walking time versus only taking the train.

Within Kyoto, the bus fare is a flat rate of 230 yen ($1.60 USD). You enter the bus from the back and exit through the front. Stops are announced on a screen.

I payed with my Suica card on my phone.

You can also do the Kyoto open-air hop-on hop-off bus.

Subway

Kyoto’s subway system has two main lines Karasuma and Tozai.

Sometimes when a transfer is needed, you have to tap out of the station and tap into a different line.

For some sites like Kinkaku-ji, you’ll have to take the bus or taxi.

Day Trips

Kyoto is well-connected by JR and private railways for day trips to nearby cities like Nara, Kobe, and Osaka.

Purchase a Kansai Area Pass to save time and money if you’re planning multiple day trips.

Walking

Kyoto is a pretty walkable city, and many temples, shrines, and scenic spots are clustered together. Still, you’re gonna be walking a lot.

Make sure to pack some good walking shoes!

2-Day Kyoto Itinerary Summary

Day 1: Fushimi Inari Taisha, Heian Shrine, Yasaka Shrine, Kiyomizu Temple, Gion district

Day 2: Kinkaku-ji, Botanical Garden, Downtown Kyoto, Imperial Palace Gardens, Maruyama Park, Higashiyama district

Kyoto Itinerary Tips

Google Maps works just fine in Kyoto.
While you can visit shrines and temples lit up at night, it’s mostly viewable from the outside. Many close at 5pm.
You won’t be able to visit all the main sites in a 2-day Kyoto itinerary. It’ll require multiple trips.
While cherry blossom season and autumn are the most popular times to visit nature sites in Kyoto, there are still many other seasonal flowers to check out.

Tours to Explore Kyoto:

Shirakawa Dori (Shirakawa Street), Kyoto, Japan: A quiet street lined with cherry blossom trees in full bloom and traditional lanterns, with a backdrop of historic buildings in Kyoto.

If you want to make your 2-day Kyoto itinerary easier, join a day tour that provides transportation to and from the sites. It would lessen some travel burnout and allow you to enjoy the sites more.

If I didn’t go during cherry blossom seasons, I would have done a tour instead.

🎫 8-hour Kyoto 1-Day Group Tour: stops at Kyoto’s most popular temples, shrines, and attractions.

🎫 Private Kyoto Tour with a Local: Highlights & hidden gems + you can personalize it.

🎫 Hidden Kyoto E-Biking tour: Most-famous sights + lesser-known sites, likely to sell out.

Full 2-Day Kyoto Itinerary

Cherry Blossom Park Scene, Kyoto, Japan: A park in Kyoto during cherry blossom season, with people gathered under the blooming trees. Two women wearing traditional kimonos walk past as others sit and enjoy the serene setting beneath the pink blossoms. A red-roofed shelter and traditional Japanese buildings can be seen in the background.

Day 1 of Kyoto Itinerary:

Morning (2-4 hours)

Fushimi Inari Taisha

This is the most popular place to visit in Kyoto. The shrine is dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice and prosperity.

Entrance is free and open 24 hours. I went during cherry blossom season PLUS at lunch time.

It does get crowded in the beginning of the route, but if you keep walking up, which many people don’t, it becomes pretty empty!

The estimated hike up is 40 minutes and 12,000 steps, but the view is thousands of torii gates, a few open city views and through a forest. I loved visiting!

Noon (1-2 hours)

Gion District

Kyoto is famous for its Gion district, known for its well-preserved cultural heritage.

Along with Inari Shrine, Gion is a must for your 2-day Kyoto itinerary.

Parts have understandably been closed off due to tourists harassing geishas.

You can still visit the streets with traditional architecture and wooden machiya houses, especially around Hanamikoji Street.

Grab lunch in this area.

Afternoon (2-4 hours)

Kiyomizu Temple

Kiyomizu-dera Temple Gate at Night, Kyoto, Japan: The illuminated gate of Kiyomizu-dera Temple at night, glowing warmly under a dark blue sky with the temple buildings visible in the background.

Kiyomizu-dera is one of Kyoto’s most iconic temples and famous for its wooden stage that offers panoramic views of Kyoto. The temple is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

This temple closes at 6pm and I was only able to visit at night. This is the main site in my 2-day Kyoto itinerary that I regret not visiting during the day.

Evening (2 hours)

Heian Shrine

Heian Shrine is a grand Shinto shrine in Kyoto, built in 1895 to commemorate the 1,100th anniversary of the founding of Kyoto.

Okazaki Canal Cherry Blossom, Kyoto, Japan: A scenic view of the Okazaki Canal lined with cherry blossom trees in full bloom, their reflection visible on the still water under a partly cloudy sky.

Heian Shrine closes at 6pm, but the surrounding areas are also beautiful, including the massive torii gate and Okazaki Canal, which I enjoyed walking down at sunset.

There are many restaurants around the area for dinner.

Day 2 of Kyoto Itinerary

Morning (2-3 hours)

Kinkaku-ji

One of the other most popular sites in Kyoto is Kinkaku-ji or the Golden Pavilion temple. It’s also a UNESCO World Heritage site.

It closes at 5pm and costs 500 yen, or $3.50 USD.

It’s really beautiful, but set your expectations: it is smaller in person than shown online and can get pretty crowded!

You walk along the pavilion then follow a path going up that leads to gardens and souvenir shops.

If you wanted to visit the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, now would be the time to add it.

Noon (2-3 hours)

After grabbing lunch, choose one of the two (or both!) for some nature strolling:

Kyoto Imperial Palace + Gyoen National Garden

The Kyoto Imperial Palace was the residence of the Japanese Imperial Family until the capital moved to Tokyo in 1869.

Tour the palace grounds, which include gardens, pavillions, historic gates, and traditional architecture.

Join a guided walking tour of Kyoto Imperial Palace & Nijo Castle.

While the garden is open 24 hours, the palace closes at 4:30pm.

Admission for both are free.

Botanical Garden

The Kyoto Botanical Garden is Japan’s oldest public botanical garden with over 12,000 species of plants.

I went during cherry blossom and it was a popular spot to see sakura, but they had a lot of other exhibitions too including a rose garden, bamboo grove, and bonsai collection.

Right next to the Botanical Garden is Kamo River, which is a nice place to take a walk.

Tickets are 200 yen, or $1.39 USD.

Afternoon (2 hours)

Downtown Kyoto

Downtown Kyoto has mix of modern shopping and traditional markets.

If you want to buy souvenirs, this would be a good place to look.

Visit Kawaramachi Street, Nishiki Market, and Teramachi-dori, a covered shopping street with local shops and cafes.

Evening (2 hours)

Maruyama Park

Maruyama Park is Kyoto’s oldest public park, located in the Higashiyama district. The park is especially popular for its weeping cherry tree during sakura season.

Sometimes there are night markets and events.

Higashiyama District

Ninenzaka is a beautiful, sloping street lined with traditional shops, teahouses, and wooden buildings.

Sannenzaka is another picturesque, sloping street near Ninenzaka, famous for its traditional architecture. Kiyomizu-dera is beautifully lit up at night as well.

Sannenzaka Path Night, Kyoto, Japan: A nighttime view of Sannenzaka Path, with dimly lit traditional wooden buildings on both sides and a few people walking along the narrow street under the soft glow of lanterns.

Yasaka Pagoda, also known as Hokan-ji Temple, is a five-story pagoda and one of the most recognizable landmarks in Kyoto’s Higashiyama district.

Yasaka Pagoda (Hōkan-ji Temple) at Night, Kyoto, Japan: The Yasaka Pagoda, beautifully illuminated at night, rises above the surrounding traditional wooden buildings, creating a striking contrast against the cloudy sky.

More Things to Do in Kyoto

Shrine Torii Gates Cherry Blossom, Kyoto, Japan: A picturesque scene of a shrine's torii gate framed by vibrant green foliage and cherry blossoms in full bloom, with traditional lanterns softly lighting the path.

For more things to do in Kyoto, read my Kyoto attractions blog post next.

Visiting the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest is another popular place.

I chose not to go since I knew it’d be very packed and will save it for next time.

If you decide to fit it in, visit the bamboo forest right after Kinkaku-ji, or vice versa which will take about 50 minutes on public transit.

Visiting all these popular sites will be easier if you join a tour like this one that combines them all or by hiring a driver for the day.

I hope this 2-day Kyoto itinerary was hopeful. Have a nice time in Kyoto!

Top Kyoto tours to book:

🎫 8-hour Kyoto 1-Day Group Tour

🎫 Combo Day Tour: Kobe, Osaka, Kyoto & Nara

🎫 Hidden Kyoto E-Biking tour

The Best 2-Day Kyoto Itinerary For First-Time Visitors

Getting Around Kyoto