3 Days in Kyoto – Temples, Monkeys, Bars
If you’re a first timer to Kyoto hoping to see the main attractions as well as some off the beaten path restaurants, this is the post for you! I’ll share all the best things to do in 3 days in Kyoto.
Day 1 – Nishiki and Gion
For our trip, we arrived in Kyoto from Osaka. The best way to get between Osaka and Kyoto is on the JR line and if you time it right, you can take the special Kyo-train Garaku. It is the same price as other trains but each of the carriages is specially designed to reflect Japanese culture.
After checking into the hotel (we stayed at Hotel Forza), we went to Nishiki Market for lunch. It’s super fun to check out all the different stalls although unfortunately I don’t think we had the best picks for foods. Here’s what we had.
- Takoyaki at Karikari Hakase: 5/10. I’d pass on this, not enough filling and was soggy.
- Soy Donuts at Konnamonja: 10/10. This was so delicious, fluffy and savory!
- Soy Icecream Softserve at Konnamonja: 9/10. Light flavor and so nice on a hot day
- Jumbo Yakitori Skewer: 8/10. Good flavor, as expected.
- Wagyu Skewer: 7/10. It was fine but nothing special and it’s expensive!
As a reminder, eating and walking at the same time is frowned upon. So you have to finish your food at the stall before eating the next spot ๐
After lunch, we headed to Gion. Although this area is more famous for coming alive at night, it’s worth a visit in the afternoon for some beautiful photos against the traditional buildings. We wandered around the streets and ended up at the beautiful Yasaka Shrine. This shrine is free to visit and is very walkable from Gion.
For dinner, we first had a snack at Gyoza Anzukko which was excellent! Then we went for conveyor belt sushi at Kura which is a big chain across Japan. There was a very long wait (~1.5 hours) and the quality wasn’t the greatest. So if you’re also craving conveyor belt sushi, I’d suggest giving Musashi a try instead.
Day 2 – Fushimi-Inari Shrine and Kyomizu-dera
Start your day nice and early to the Fushimi-Inari Shrine. This iconic shrine is probably one of the reasons you’re visting Kyoto. With thousands of torii gates lined against the pathway, it is both spiritual and photogenic. You can keep climbing for an hour or two to reach the end but we probably only made it 1/5 on the path. If you have more than 3 days in Kyoto, you can have a more leisurely time to do this walk.
Tip: If you are here for the photo, the first set of torii gates is unfortunately the best ones. The poles are skinnier and closer together. As you walk further, the poles become much taller and thicker. Just be patient and you'll find a moment to yourself.
On our way back to the station, we stumbled on the BEST udon spot in Japan! I would highly recommend trying Kanoko after visiting the shrine! I loved the flavor of the udon and the tempura was top notch.
Next, take the train from Fushimi-Inari station to Kiyomizu-Gojo station. Wander the streets of Sannenzaka to get to Kiyomizu-dera. It was pretty crowded at Kiyomizu-dera by the early afternoon so if this is more of your priority than Fushimi-Inarai shrine, simply swap the order. Entrance fee ~$4 CAD.
There’s definitely a feeling of bliss and calm on the grounds of Kyomizu-dera. Once you get past the main view point, the crowds are a lot more manageable. After we finished with the beautiful temples, we wandered the winding streets around Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka.
Food and Snacks I’d recommend in the area:
- Fujinami: Very delicious dango!
- Ishidatami: Shaved ice, cute atmosphere
- Starbucks Ninenzaka Yasaka Chaya: I am not one to recommend Starbucks when traveling but the tatami mat room is a must see!
For dinner, we actually decided to buy take out from the department store. If you’re familiar with Japan, the basement floor of most department stores is food galore. It’s a fun activity and it’s cheaper than dining out.
If you’re into cocktails, make sure to check out one of the top-rated bars in the city. We went to Bee’s Knees which is ranked as one of the World’s Best Bars. The bar is hidden behind a Book Store storefront and we had beautiful presented and crafted cocktails.
Day 3 – Arashiyama Bamboo and Monkeys
On our actual day 3, we went to Nara but I’ll save that day trip for another post!
To finish off your 3 days in Kyoto, you’ll want to visit the other iconic attraction – the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. We took the Hankyu line but you can also take the JR line. The Arashiyama Bamboo Forest was a bit underwhelming for me. There’s only a small section that’ll get you the pictures you see all over Instagram. The rest of the area is more like a nature walk.
All is not bad though because right next to the bamboo grove is the Arashiyama Monkey Park! It’s a really unique area where you can interact with monkeys up close and in the wild! You can also feed the monkeys, but it’s like a reverse zoo as the monkeys are on the outside and humans are on the side. This was such a memorable experience and an amazing way to interact with animals up close! (If you like this experience, you may also love an elephant encounter in Thailand!)
After having lunch in the area, we took a bus to Kinkaku (the gold temple). I was originally planning on skipping this temple as it’s not close to any other attractions. But I would highly recommend going and taking the bus was surprisingly easy! The entrance fee is ~$5 and the whole loop only took about 30 minutes to complete. It’s such a beautiful temple though and one of my favorite parts of Kyoto.
