Day 1: The Best of Kyoto in 24 Hours
Fushimi Inari & Kiyomizu-dera
Start at Fushimi Inari Taisha by 6:30am, when the tunnel of 10,000 vermillion torii gates is nearly empty. Walk the first 30 minutes up Mount Inari for stunning city views, then descend and bus to Kiyomizu-dera (¥400). The wooden terrace jutting out over the hillside is breathtaking. Walk down through the preserved lanes of Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka, lined with tea houses and ceramic shops.
Golden Pavilion & Arashiyama
Bus to Kinkaku-ji (¥500). The Golden Pavilion reflected in its mirror pond is one of Japan's most iconic images. Then taxi or bus to Arashiyama for the bamboo grove, towering green stalks creating a natural cathedral. The grove is small but unforgettable. Cross Togetsukyo Bridge and lunch at a riverside restaurant on yudofu (simmered tofu, a Kyoto speciality) for ¥1,500–2,000.
Gion & Pontocho Dining
Walk through Gion at dusk. The wooden machiya along Hanamikoji Street glow warmly and you may spot a maiko (apprentice geisha) hurrying to an evening engagement. Cross to Pontocho alley, a narrow lane of restaurants perched above the Kamogawa River. In summer, restaurants extend wooden platforms (kawadoko) over the water. Even on a budget, obanzai (Kyoto home-cooking) sets run ¥1,500–2,500.
