Temples, torii and geisha districts: Kyoto's greatest hits without the rush.
Kyoto packs over a thousand temples and shrines into a walkable, bike-friendly city. Three days, organized east-west, let you hit the unmissable sights, the torii tunnels of Fushimi Inari, the bamboo of Arashiyama, the gold of Kinkaku-ji, while leaving room to wander the old lanes of Gion. Start each day early; Kyoto's icons get crowded by mid-morning.
Arrive at opening to walk the famous vermilion torii tunnels before the crowds.
A hillside temple with a vast wooden veranda and city views.
Preserved stone-paved lanes of teahouses and craft shops below Kiyomizu.
The historic geisha quarter, Hanamikoji street and the Shirakawa canal are loveliest in the evening.
Go first thing for the quiet, cathedral-like walk through towering bamboo.
A UNESCO Zen temple with one of Japan's finest garden views.
Riverside scenery and a hilltop troop of wild macaques.
The gold-leaf pavilion mirrored in its pond, Kyoto's signature image.
Finish downtown at 'Kyoto's Kitchen' for street snacks and local specialties.
The Silver Pavilion and a canal-side cherry-tree walk.
A shogun's palace with 'nightingale' floors that chirp to warn of intruders.
45 minutes away, bowing deer in the park and the Great Buddha of Todai-ji.
Yes, three days covers Kyoto's headline temples and districts plus a Nara day trip. Temple lovers could spend a week, but three days delivers the essentials.
Kyoto is the better base for temples and traditional Japan; Osaka for food and nightlife. They're only ~15 minutes apart by rapid train.
Nara (deer and the Great Buddha) is the classic at ~45 minutes. Osaka, Himeji Castle and Uji (matcha country) are also easy.