21 Fun Things to Do in Kyoto, Japan, as a First-Time Visitor

Before I visited Kyoto, everyone I knew who had visited it spoke about the city with unanimous love. And when doing research in the lead-up to my trip, the same was true from others online. 

I’ll be completely honest with you: I did not feel that level of adoration toward Kyoto. For the first few days I was there, I felt deeply disappointed that it’s not—contrary to popular belief—a whir of old Japanese architecture on every street corner. In fact, large parts of it felt pretty utilitarian and kinda ugly. The public transport was worse than what I had just experienced in Tokyo, too, and it’s difficult to get around because it’s so spread out. 

That said, I am definitely not going to tell you to skip Kyoto. That would be foolish. By the end of my 5 days in the city, I started to like it and would happily have stayed for longer. And for what it’s worth, the beautiful parts are some of the most stunning places you’ll see anywhere. 

You’ll find plenty of fun things to do in Kyoto, and while I was there, I covered *a lot*. We went to many of the popular spots (and skipped some of the others), along with finding lots of other interesting places that we didn’t know about beforehand. Based on those experiences, I’m giving you this full guide with my top recommendations for stuff to do in Japan’s former capital. 

1. Visit the Kyoto Tower Observation Deck

I knew about the Nidec Kyoto Tower before I found myself in the city. But to be honest, it was initially a “let’s see if we have time” activity. As it turns out, we did indeed have the time to visit. And as someone who loves seeing places from above, I’m so happy we did. 

The Kyoto Tower is right next to the city’s main train station and therefore super easy to find. It was also relatively quiet when we visited; there were a few other couples and a school group, but there was otherwise nobody else. We did visit in the middle of the day, though, so your mileage may vary if you go there around sunset or another peak time. I was going to say that this was a huge contrast compared to when we visited the Skytree in Tokyo, but we did go there at Golden Hour, so… yeah. 🤣

From the tower’s observation deck, you’ll get excellent views of Kyoto from all angles. You can see some of its numerous temples, such as the pagoda at To-ji and the nearby Higashi Hongan-ji Temple. On top of that, you’ll get some nice views of the mountains surrounding the city. 

We had a sunny day, and it was pretty bright. While not necessarily the best for photography, I didn’t really care so much. For what it’s worth, though, the observation deck did get quite warm (and it’s also relatively small). It’s inside, so you’ll need to keep this in mind. I don’t really think there’s a bad time to go to the tower; do so whenever you have the time to. 

2. Go to a Tea Ceremony in the City

Even before I had visited Japan, I already had a deep interest in the country’s culture. Yeah, I know, me and everyone else. 🤷🏾‍♂️

While in Kyoto, I wanted to delve deeper into the local culture. However, I wanted to do so in a way that I would find interesting rather than doing something for the sake of it. Joining a tea ceremony seemed like “a way that I would find interesting”, and so we decided to do precisely that. 

You can choose from several tea ceremonies in Kyoto, but we attended this one at Jōtoku-ji Temple. It’s a relatively small temple compared to some of the others in the city, but it’s still scenic and also a really enjoyable experience. The ceremony was an evening one and lasted for just over an hour. 

During the ceremony, we learned about the rituals surrounding tea ceremonies in Kyoto and also got to make our own matcha. We learned how to correctly whisk matcha, which—considering mine are definitely not as good as what I find in cafés—was nice. 

We were accompanied by a small group for the ceremony. I personally found it super interesting, and it was also nice to see the inside of the temple. 

A Useful Tip From Me 🗣️: If you attend a tea ceremony, wear comfortable bottoms. You will be sitting or kneeling on the floor. I wore stretchy pants, which—as it goes—was a good idea. I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable or get an avoidable cramp. 🙂

3. Enjoy Brunch at Bread, Espresso, &

That looks like a typo, but it’s not. This was the name of the café we went to, and it’s a really nice place to have brunch in Kyoto. Bread, Espresso, & (Google Maps location here) was very close to our hotel. We decided to go here for food one morning before starting our day, and we did not regret it. 

The food was great; we shared some sandwiches and pastries. We also chose to have the full Japanese experience by sitting on the floor, which was pretty cozy. I felt like there was enough space for us and everyone else, and we didn’t have to wait too long to get served. 

Although this was one of our more expensive meals in Kyoto, it was still worthwhile, in my opinion. I would happily have come back here for breakfast on another day, and when I’m in the city again, I’m sure I will stop by. If you don’t want to sit on the floor, you’ll find some ordinary seating areas as well. 

In addition to the Bread, Espresso, & location we went to, you’ll find another one close to the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. There are a few other locations in the city, too, along with some in Tokyo. You’ll also find a roastery in Osaka. 

4. Walk Along the Philosopher’s Path

The Philosopher’s Path was one of the top things I wanted to see before we visited Kyoto, and it very much lived up to expectations. We did this walk after spending the morning at a nearby temple, and I really enjoyed being here. Since we visited on a Wednesday in December, it wasn’t too crowded, either. 

We used the path as a main artery before branching off to explore the various shrines along the way. While it would’ve taken no longer than 40 minutes if we had gone from one side to the other, we spent much longer. Each shrine we went to was lovely, and we also had some nice conversations with locals there. 

I’m not going to name the shrines we went to because I think the best way to do the Philosopher’s Path is by going wherever takes your fancy. In addition to these, you’ll find a handful of restaurants nearby—along with some nice shops that are worth browsing. 

Although the Philosopher’s Path wasn’t very busy when we were there, it does get crowded during the cherry blossom season. We started the path from Nanzen-ji. We took the Subway to Keage Station, which was a short walk from there.

5. Hike the Fushimi-Inari Shrine Trail

You will almost certainly have seen *those* orange gates at the Fushimi-Inari shrine if you’ve done any research for your Kyoto trip. When I visited Japan for the first time, I knew I wanted to see them—even though I also knew it would be touristy. Then again, some things are popular for a reason. 🙂

I can confirm that the gates look just as beautiful in real life. But instead of staying at the bottom, the actual highlight of being here was to walk the full trail to the top. This was the closest thing we did to hiking in Kyoto on our first trip to the city, and it was a nice way to spend the afternoon.

The gates at the bottom are very crowded, which I already knew would happen since everyone complains about this. But to be totally honest, the crowds were much smaller after we had been walking for around 15-20 minutes. I wasn’t particularly interested in getting there before 7 am, as most people suggest, and making the extra effort to leave the ones at the bottom was worth it. 

You can get some nice views of Kyoto on the way up. It took us a bit longer than most people to complete the trail as we were taking a lot of photos; while the whole trail wouldn’t take you longer than two hours normally, you will also want to stop and admire the shrines. So, I’d allocate some additional time and keep your schedule flexible. 

Once you get to the bottom, the rest of the shrine’s area is also worth seeing. I also really liked the area just outside, which looked particularly beautiful around sunset. Getting here is very easy; you can take the train to Fushimi-Inari Station and walk from there. 

The trail is open 24/7. However, you should be careful at night and stick to the path, since there are wild boars in the area (you should stick to the path in any circumstances, anyway). While I wore hiking boots, some comfortable shoes will be more than good enough. 

6. Take a Day Trip to Uji

Although Nara gets most of the attention for day trips from Kyoto (which I have written my honest thoughts about in a separate article), I actually enjoyed Uji much more. This could have simply been because my expectations were lower, but I would have loved to spend some more time here. 

Since my girlfriend and I both like matcha, Uji was a logical place to visit. It’s famous for the stuff, and you will find it *everywhere*. We got some nice (albeit expensive) souvenirs, along with trying matcha ice cream (which was delicious). Ironically, the hot matcha we had there wasn’t actually great—but there are plenty of places to try it and get a better cup. 

For me, though, Uji’s main appeal was the riverfront area. You’ll find some beautiful Japanese-style homes lining the water, and we also went to a nice little shrine after crossing the bridge. If you’re into photography, the town is incredibly picturesque, too.

Uji is very easy to reach from Kyoto, and you could also visit on a day trip from Osaka if you’d prefer. The train from Kyoto takes around 25 minutes. You can pay with an ICOCA card by tapping your card at the barrier.

7. Visit the Higashi Hongan-ji Temple

Of all the temples we visited in Kyoto (and there were many, as you’re probably starting to realize), Higashi Hongan-ji was one of my favorites. It’s a pretty big temple which isn’t too far from our hotel, and it’s also easy to reach from Kyoto Station and the Kyoto Tower. We spent a full morning here. 

The grounds are lovely, but I also recommend going inside the main building. You can do so for free. It was pretty peaceful when we went, even though there were a few other people also in the area at the same time. 

From Higashi Hongan-ji, you’ll also get some nice views toward the Kyoto Tower. In addition to exploring the main building, you can go to the Shosei-en Garden; if you do, bring some cash. You should pay a minimum 700 JPY donation fee if you visit this part of the temple.

If you want to do even more temple exploring, you can also walk to Nishi Hongan-ji, which is just over 10 minutes away. 

8. Go for A Morning Coffee at Blue Bottle Coffee

I didn’t really care so much about going to Kyoto specifically for coffee, but I do like a good cup of the stuff and am all for visiting artisan cafés. Unsurprising when I live in Copenhagen, I guess. 

Anyway, we went to Blue Bottle Coffee on the morning that we explored Nanzen-ji (and later went to the Philosopher’s Path). Though it’s headquartered in the US, the brand is very popular in Japan. In Kyoto itself, you’ll actually find a handful of locations. 

The one we went to (Google Maps location here) was a bit hidden and set in a beautiful garden. The interior was also lovely, and the staff were super friendly, too. We got some cards with the coffee we ordered, which went into more detail about what we were drinking. This also doubled up as a nice souvenir. 🙂

In addition to coffee, we had a really nice breakfast here. The sandwiches are great, in particular. We also spent some time browsing the shop, which you might also want to do if you’d like to bring something home with you. 

9. Enjoy a Golden Hour Walk Along the Kamo River

The Kamo River runs right through Kyoto, and we used it as a pointer to figure out where we were in the city. This was pretty helpful when we got lost trying to find train and Subway stations, which happened more than I’d like to admit. 🙃 

Beyond that, though, the river is nice to walk along—especially at Golden Hour. We did precisely this after visiting the Fushimi-Inari shrine. Rather than taking the train back to our hotel (largely because I was already tired of Kyoto’s public transport system by this point), we decided to go for a stroll along the waterfront.

While some parts of the riverfront aren’t particularly interesting, others very much are. You’ll find some pretty old-style Japanese houses in some areas, along with various other kinds of architecture. Beyond that, the riverside is very peaceful. 

You will share the trail with cyclists, but they’ll ring their bell if you’re in their way. Even if you don’t specifically go at Golden Hour, I’d suggest spending at least some time strolling along the Kamo River. 

10. Go Shopping for Chopsticks and Bowls in Kyoto

When you go to Japan, it’s pretty much a guarantee that you’ll come home with some souvenirs. Even if you don’t usually buy them, this will be the case. Since my girlfriend and I both enjoy cooking Asian food (and especially Japanese food), buying some bowls and chopsticks was always going to happen. 

You will find plenty of places that sell chopsticks in Kyoto. Unlike in many places, you can still find some nice ones that are also good quality in the main tourist areas. We actually purchased some chopsticks close to Kiyomizu-dera and use them very frequently. 

To buy bowls, I’d recommend going to a ceramics store. You’ll find these throughout Kyoto; my top recommendation is Pottery Shop Toutensei Kawasaki. Besides the bowls we bought being really nice, the staff were helpful in assisting us to find what we wanted. 

11. Explore the Gion District

While I think that Gion is a bit overrated compared to other parts of Kyoto, I still enjoyed visiting. If you’re in the city for the first time, you definitely should spend at least a few hours here. 

Gion is one of the better places in Kyoto to see old-style Japanese architecture. It’s where many photos of the city appear on Instagram, too, and why I thought that the whole of Kyoto would look like that. So, if you felt a bit underwhelmed after stepping out of the station, a visit here might help you regain some faith in the city. 

Besides its architecture, Gion is famous for being Kyoto’s Geisha district. If you want to connect more deeply with Japanese culture, it’s possible to book tickets for a Geisha show. You may also see them walking around, but if you do, you should be respectful and not take photos of them. 

If you’re into photography, Gion is very picturesque. However, I also noticed that there are many spots where you explicitly are not allowed to take photos. You will see signs where this is the case. Thankfully, there are still plenty of other spots where you can point your camera without getting in trouble. 

12. Have Lunch at Japanese Ramen YUKOU

We ate ramen for a very big chunk of our meals in Japan. It’s delicious, affordable, and fun, so… shrug emoji. While Kyoto was the place where we did this the least, we still had some great meals. My personal favorite in the city was Japanese Ramen YUKOU.

To be completely honest, we found this place by accident. We had just been to Kiyomizu-dera and were close to the Yasaka Pagoda when we started to get hungry. It was around lunchtime anyway, so we figured that we’d go wherever took our fancy. We found this ramen spot, and despite the queue outside, we decided to wait. 

As it goes, we didn’t have to wait too long. We were also served very quickly, and the food was delicious. I also enjoyed my matcha beer, which was the perfect drink to accompany my lunch. 🙂

While our ramen was one of the most expensive we had in Japan, it was very good and worth the money. You can find the Google Maps location here.

13. Visit the Face House and Its Shop

The Face House is arguably the most famous modern building in Kyoto, and I had it on my list of places to visit because I wanted to take photos. Since it was pretty close to our hotel, we decided to go there on a rainy afternoon toward the end of our stay in the city. 

The building looks just as cool in real life as it does in photos. What I was more pleasantly surprised about, however, was the shop inside. Since it was chucking it down with rain, we figured that it wouldn’t do any harm to go inside and look. You can buy tableware and various other interior design products here. 

The Face House is very close to Nijō Castle and easy to reach on the Subway. The streets close to the building are also worth your time. 

14. Take Morning Trip to Kiyomizu-dera

Kiyomizu-dera is *the* most famous temple in Kyoto, as you’ll see for yourself when you visit. The crowds are huge here, and this is one of the places that I would recommend actually visiting early in the morning. We came here around mid-morning one day, but decided to return at a later date because it was so busy. 

Still, Kiyomizu-dera is beautiful and well worth your time. I have the same opinion of Senso-ji in Tokyo, for that matter. The pagoda and temple complex at Kiyomizu-dera is about as quintessentially Japanese as you’ll get, and I recommend paying the small fee to explore the grounds behind. You’ll get some lovely views, and there are also a few nice walking spots. 

15. Photograph the Yasaka Pagoda From Its Nearby Streets

The Yasaka Pagoda is another place that features in several photos of Kyoto that you’ll see online. Even though I knew the streets nearby would be crowded, I still wanted to go and see it for myself. I’m really happy that I did, because it’s stunning. 

My main reason for wanting to see it are, if I’m truthful, for photography. It looks beautiful with the nearby wooden houses, and I also tried to use the crowds to my advantage. I don’t actually think you need to wait for the people to leave—or to wake up super early—to get some good photos. 

Since it’s super close to Kiyomizu-dera, it doesn’t do any harm to also stop by the Yasaka Pagoda while you’re in the area. 

16. Enjoy a Matcha Break at SEIVI

We actually went to SEIVI just after having ramen at Japanese Ramen YUKOU. We wanted a drinks break, and it seemed like a pretty nice place from the outside. Turns out that it’s also nice on the inside, too. 

We got both hot and cold matcha drinks here, which were very good. The views from the second floor were a nice bonus as well. If you want other drinks, such as hot chocolate, this is also possible. 

In addition to drinks, you can get various sweet treats here. I would probably have done precisely this if I hadn’t already been full from the ramen. 😄 

17. Check Out the Nanzen-ji Temple

Nanzen-ji is another of my favorite temples in Kyoto, and this is the place we went to before continuing on to the Philosopher’s Path. It’s a pretty big complex, and when we went there on an early morning, it wasn’t very crowded. The surroundings are beautiful, and the grounds are very spacious. 

You can visit more of the temple for an additional fee, along with climbing a tower if you’re happy to pay extra. Bring some physical cash in both circumstances if you wish to do these. If not, the free parts of the temple grounds are still worth seeing. 

In addition to wandering around the temple, we found a small forested path with some nice views of the nearby areas. You can visit at either the beginning or end of the Philosopher’s Path. The temple is a bit out of the way, but it’s worth your time; take the Subway to Keage and walk from there.

18. Explore the Area Close to Ginkaku-ji

After we had finished on the Philosopher’s Path, we continued our afternoon around the same area. As part of this, we spent some time exploring the streets around the Ginkaku-ji temple. You’ll find a pretty big collection of old-style houses lining some lovely streets here, and if you’re into Japanese architecture, this is a great place to spend a few hours. 

The main street leading to Ginkaku-ji was pretty busy, but it was easy to avoid the crowds by going onto the side-streets. We actually found a lovely shrine that was a bit off the beaten path by doing this; since it’s quite small, I’m not going to share its exact name. Ginkaku-ji is also worth seeing, but to do so, you’ll need to pay 500 JPY to enter. 

While exploring the streets close to Ginkaku-ji, we found a nice coffee shop called Sanzuian. This was another nice place to get matcha, and you’ll find plenty of other hot drinks on the menu as well. The interior is very pretty, which is a nice bonus. 

19. Visit Nijō Castle (and Its Nearby Streets)

We stayed at KAYA Kyoto Nijo Castle while we were in the city, and as a side note, I definitely recommend doing the same. But whether you do or don’t, Nijo Castle itself is worth seeing when you’re in the city. 

Even from the sidewalk next to the castle, you can get some great views of the moat surrounding it. It’s also possible to see various parts of the castle and Honmaru-goten Palace. The amount you pay will depend on where you want to see, and you can find the respective prices here.

Once you’ve finished exploring the castle, I recommend checking out the neighborhood(s) nearby. We went to a nice coffee shop called here, for example; it’s just over 10 minutes away from Nijō Castle on foot. 

20. Have Dinner at Hana-Tanuki

Yep, that’s right—I’m going to mention yet another place that we randomly found while in Kyoto. After walking all the way back from Fushimi-Inari via the Kamo River, we were hungry, to say the least. Surprisingly, we actually found it quite hard to find somewhere to eat initially. 

Eventually, though, we discovered Hana-Tanuki via Google Maps. While okonomiyaki isn’t as big in Kyoto as it is in Hiroshima or Osaka, we still wanted to try it. Yes, we were going to Osaka later in the trip, but you can never have too much okonmiyaki—this is a fact that I’ve just made up, but it’s true. 🙂

We were pretty lucky to get served here as we didn’t have a seat, and it soon became crowded after we arrived. Despite having limited time, we achieved our mission of getting great food. This place is also very close to Kyoto Station, making it ideal if you’re staying somewhere nearby. 

While my Japanese was non-existent (I have since started learning it), we could communicate with the staff via translation apps. I strongly recommend booking a table in advance, and you can do so via Google Maps. 

21. Try Some Local Saké at 336

I’m not the biggest drinker anymore, but I do enjoy trying things from different countries when I’m there. Since Kyoto’s Fushimi district is where a lot of saké is produced, I wanted to try some of the stuff while we were in the city. 

I didn’t get to try it at the source in Fushimi as we ran out of time, but I did get some nice saké elsewhere in Kyoto. We went to 336, which is very close to Kiyomizu-dera. We were walking to the temple and wandered past this place, which looked very cozy. I hesitated about whether we should, but at some point, I thought “… well, we’re on holiday”. The “Brit abroad” inside of me is still strong, evidently. 

The saké was very good, and I may or may not have drank it a little too quickly. It doesn’t taste very strong, but let’s just say that you will feel it if you drink too fast 🤣. Better to sip on it instead. 

In addition to the drinks, we got some fermented vegetables. These were a nice extra on the side. It was a relatively laid-back spot, and I fully recommend stopping by before continuing to explore the area. I’ve included the Google Maps location for you here.

All the Best Things to Do in Kyoto in One Place for You

I had high expectations for Kyoto, and I have to say that it didn’t fully meet them. But at the same time, I still had a lot of fun and absolutely think that Japan’s former capital is worth spending a good amount of time in. It’s a great place for food and coffee, and you’ll find an endless number of wonderful shrines and temples here as well. 

Figuring out what to do in Kyoto is overwhelming, but I hope that my guide has made planning your trip easier. You’ll undoubtedly find your own gems as you explore this intriguing city, but even if you just try my recommendations from this list, I think that you’ll have a great time. 

If you have any further questions, you’re more than welcome to leave a comment, and I’ll help you out. 

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