3 Days in Kyoto Itinerary: A Fun Culture-Filled Experience

I am a participant in affiliate programs, so basically I earn a small commission if you use any of the affiliate links on this post - at no extra cost to you! Dope right?

In November 2023, I went to Japan with my partner and three other close friends. After a few days in Tokyo and Fujiyoshida, our itinerary led us to the culture capital (and previous political capital!) of Japan – Kyoto. We only had a total of two weeks in Japan, so after much debate we landed on spending a total of 3 days in Kyoto.

Which, at the time, seemed like it would be enough.

We were wrong.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Most visitors either fly into Tokyo or Osaka, and if you’re staying more than four days in Tokyo or even two days in Osaka, then I say it’s worth it to at least pop over to Kyoto for a day trip. If you have the room in your itinerary though, I would say it’s definitely worth it to stay overnight in Kyoto and you could even stay 5+ days and still find new things to do.

Our 3 days in Kyoto was a solid amount of time that felt full (and fulfilling), and left us wanting more. If you’re looking to plan your own 3 days in Kyoto, here’s a short itinerary of our stay!

How to Get to Kyoto

To start off your 3 days in Kyoto, first you’ll need to get there. Thankfully, Kyoto is one of the major cities in Japan, so getting there is pretty straightforward. From Tokyo, which is where we departed from, you will head to Shinjuku Station. Since Kyoto is a good distance away, I recommend getting a bullet train (the “shinkansen” in Japanese) to Kyoto.

On a bullet train, the ride to Kyoto will take you about 2.5-3 hours, and the price will vary depending on the day, time, and currency rate. When we visited in 2023, a one way shinkansen ticket from Tokyo to Kyoto was the equivalent of $80 USD. On average, it’s usually between $70-$110 USD. It’s pricey for sure, but in my opinion worth it. The shinkansens are very nice!

If you have luggage with you and will be staying in a hotel, then you can choose to have your luggage shipped straight to your Kyoto hotel without having to lug it around with you on the train. I’ll eventually have a post on how to ship your luggage in Japan, but basically you ship it (usually via your hotel) the day before your departure and will we arrive at your next hotel the following day.

But if you will have your luggage with you for your 3 days in Kyoto, just know that you gotta move FAST to get on and off.

After you buy your shinkansen tickets at the train station (there is a specific shinkansen booth, kiosks have an English option), you should pick up an ekiben for the train ride. An ekiben is a packaged meal made specifically for train rides, and you’ll find various ekiben booths around the train station. Train stations even have specific meals dedicated to the destination, so getting a Kyoto ekiben is the perfect start to your 3 days in Kyoto!

Where to Stay in Kyoto

Now that you’ll be staying 3 days in Kyoto, you’re gonna need accommodations. My personal recommendation is to stay in a ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn, to maximize the cultural experience. However, just because a hotel is a ryokan doesn’t mean it’s “old.” I had a few friends chime in on what they considered to be the best ryokan in Kyoto, so you can get some examples!

Since we had been traveling through Japan for a week in separate hotel rooms, we opted to stay in a shared house while in Kyoto, though still with all the ambiance of a ryokan.

Honestly though, they’re all beautiful and you can’t really go wrong.

What to Eat in Kyoto

Everyone’s favorite subject – food! If you’re spending 3 days in Kyoto, you’re going to be eating at least a few meals. In our travel group was the famous food blogger Michael B, who is also a close friend of mine, so he already had a long list of amazing restaurants for us to try and they did NOT disappoint!

Breakfast

One thing to note about Japan, and something you’ll definitely encounter over your 3 days in Kyoto, is that breakfast…is not a very big thing in Japan. At least, not how Americans know it. I had SUCH a hard time finding breakfast in Tokyo that I thought I was losing my mind, but no…that’s just part of the culture. Most restaurant-restaurants open 11am…MAYBE 10am if they’re super popular, and the line will be around the corner before they even open their door. You won’t find too many casual “breakfast” places that you can stroll into at at 8am for a hearty sit down.

You’re gonna find coffee shops with bites.

Just to prepare you! In general, I’d recommend popping into a local konbini (convenience store like 7-11 or Lawson’s or Family Mart) to grab some food if you’re someone that wakes up early. And the food is actually really good too! It’ll keep your belly satisfied while you wait in whatever long lunch line you dedicate yourself to haha.

With all that in mind, let’s talk about the lunch and dinner spots I recommend during your 3 days in Kyoto!

Lunch

The only “lunch exclusive” places I would recommend are two food markets when usually close later in the afternoon (about 4:30pm-ish) so they aren’t available for dinner. The first is Nishiki Market, which is also just a fun place to walk around and window shop. Or actual shop. But they also have lots of food stalls and restaurants to snack on that showcase Kyoto’s unique flavors. The second is at one of my favorite locations in Kyoto, Fushimi Inari. Everyone goes for the red tori gates, and for good reason you SHOULD, buuut also in the afternoons, you’ll find booths opening up dedicated to great Japanese street food!

Dinner

The next thing you should be eating during your 3 days in Kyoto is a bowl of RAMEN. Two places I recommend are Men-ya Inoichi, a Michelin Bibbed establishment, and Kyo Tsukemen Tsurukame, a humble but KNOCKOUT little spot. If you haven’t had tsukemen, the broth and the noodles of the ramen are not combined so you eat the noodles by dipping them in the broth. It’s DELICIOUS. I know it sounds like the same thing but I promise you – you’ve gotta try it.

They’re basically down the street from one another so if one is busy, head to the other. That said, they are both incredible restaurants in Kyoto so I’d recommend eating dinner around 5 to beat the rush.

I’ll touch more on Arashiyama in the things to do portion, but for now I just wanted to highlight getting soba at Arashiyama Yoshimura while you’re in the area! It’s an absolutely stunning restaurant with large windows viewing the river. They also have an English menu available! However, if they are too busy (which was the case when we spent 3 days in Kyoto *sad face), there’s another soba spot down the street called Iwawo which we ended up eating at and wowww it was tasty. Thankfully we were able to beat the rush here because when we left a long line had also started to queue!

Dinner, but FANCIER

Lastly, if you save money for ANY splurge meal during your 3 days in Kyoto, make sure to make it a kaiseki meal! Kaiseki is a traditional multi-course Japanese dinner and the ever-changing menu focuses on seasonality and hospitality. What sets it apart from other “haute cuisines” of the world is the detail to Japanese cooking techniques showcased by the dishes, even at kaiseki restaurants that combine cuisines.

We chose to dine at Gion Hanasaki. We were a group of five, and we were given our own private room to dine in. Each course was delivered individually, and a chef would come in to cook the dish right in front of us. The atmosphere was amazing. However, they did stop taking our drink order after we finished two plum wines before the third course was out so…drink slowly hahah. A bonus was that a geisha performed in one of the other rooms, so while we couldn’t see her performance, we could hear the beautiful music.

We also saw her on our way out of the restaurant. We…were taking too long to put our shoes on and we were blocking her exit hahah. She called me “kawaii” tho so I think I can die happy now 🙂

Dessert & Drinks

There isn’t toooo much to say when it comes to drinks and desserts, but as always it’s Kyoto so there might be a line. We lucked out on all but one (we were 3rd in line and still waited 45 minutes!!) but it definitely was worth it. I hope you give these sweet spots a try during your 3 days in Kyoto!

• Fruit Hosokawa: tasty fruit sandwiches and parfaits!
• Maccha House: if you spend a whole 3 days in Kyoto, you GOTTA at least try some matcha! Well, if you like matcha (I don’t), but my friends recommend the tiramasu because we haven’t seen it anywhere else, but my friends also enjoyed the soft serve and drinks. The atmosphere is calming, even if you just sit and watch your friends eat haha.
• Ice at 21:00 – Kyoto Kawaramachi: delicious soft serve!
• Tsujiri Tea House: another spot for matcha but they sell out so try to get their closer to opening! They have cute knick knacks to buy for souvenirs or gifts!
• L’Escamoteur: GET HERE BEFORE OPENING. This is a super popular bar (with non-alcoholic options too!) with a fun steampunk vibe. Drinks are great, atmosphere is great, and the drinks…explosive. You’ll see what I mean.

Things to Do in Kyoto

Something you’ll definitely need to know during your 3 days in Kyoto, and probably the whole reason you clicked on this post, are all the fun activities to do in Kyoto. Aka – the things you do between all the delicious eating!

Visit a Temple

We’re in Japan after all! You’ll find lots of temples during your 3 days in Kyoto, but my personal favorite was Tōfuku-ji Temple, especially if you are visiting in fall. The grounds are absolutely beautiful, and its grand entrance gate is the oldest zen gate in the country. It’s also close to Fushimi-Inari Shrine (more on that later), so you can knock out two things in one go!

While we’re on the topic, shrines and temples are different. In the most basic of explanations, shrines are for the Shinto religion (originated in Japan), and temples are for the Buddhist religion. Shrines will also have a single large gate at the entrance, called a tori gate, that separates the human world and sacred ground. Temples have a type of building called a sanmon at the entrance.

For temples, common etiquette from what I’ve observed (again, I’m no expert) is:

• burn incense at the front (the scent of incense is food for the Buddha). It is usually provided by the temple. Do not light your incense from someone else’s burning incense
• bow once your incense is burning
• donate coins into the incense box
• if there is a bell, you can ring it 2 or 3 times, just follow what others do
• bow again while putting your palms together (but not clapping) for a moment of prayer/acknowledgement/silence/what-have-you, and thank the Buddha.

Usually either at the entrance or exit of a temple, you’ll find booths where you can buy amulets, plaques, and fortunes. I’m not sure what each of them means, but many of the popular sites either had a poster or a helpful guide who could explain.

Fushimi Inari Taisha

Anddd the nearest shrine to Tōfuku-ji Temple is Fushimi Inari Taisha (Shrine), and a place you’ll definitely want to hit up during your 3 days in Kyoto. Due to its incredible collection of tori gates gifted by hundreds of donors, Fushimi Inari Shrine is definitely the most popular shrine in Kyoto and one of the most iconic sites in the entire country.

So, with that in mind, it is also the busiest place you will visit during your 3 days in Japan, so I recommend visiting EARLY if you want pictures without people in the background (8am or earlier), orrrr coming in the late afternoon when most of the crowds from tour buses have left.

9am-4pm, in my opinion, was too crowded to properly enjoy. So if you have the option on either end, take it. The shrine is open 24/7, so if you’re visiting in the summer you have the advantage of more daylight! If you do visit in the afternoon, be sure to stop by the food stalls outside the shrine for some classic Japanese street food!

Pontocho shopping

I’m a shopping squirrel, so you know I had to squeeze some in during our 3 days in Kyoto. And I mean like…shopping shopping, not for souvenirs or gifts. CUTE THINGS FOR ME!! My personal favorite thing to buy abroad is clothes, especially from small boutique shops that I can’t get anywhere else. They’re literally wearable souvenirs. Two-in-one deal!

In Kyoto, I’d recommend sticking around the Pontocho area for some good shopping. There’s even a Pokemon Center! Since it’s along the river and the theater, it’s Pontocho is great for sightseeing!

I ALSO recommend heading over towards the later afternoon time because the area really livens up at night. So, grab dinner, then head to Pontocho! Toward sunset hour, like 6pm-8pm ishhh, it’s a bit more common to see geisha (or maiko, geisha-in-training) walking around nearby Hanamikoji Street, usually moving between performances and whatnot – just remember your geisha etiquette!

Explore Gion District

My second favorite area we explored during our 3 days in Kyoto was the iconic Gion neighborhood. It’s full of great restaurants, cute boutique shops, and also cultural heritage sites. On top of all that, most of the buildings have a traditional look outside, and many inside as well.

My favorite thing I did in our 3 days in Kyoto was renting a kimono in the Gion area. Not only is it a fun activity in itself, but it also makes exploring the neighborhood that much more special and immersive. Even Japanese residents dress up to visit Gion and the amount of people in kimonos and learning more about Japanese culture is so beautiful.

Maccha House, one of the restaurants I listed above, is a great spot in Gion to try matcha in a cute cafe with lots of seating. Nearby you’ll also find an official Studio Ghibli store (Donguri Kyowakoku), a Peter Rabbit store, and an amazing incense shop where I bought a lot of my souvenir gifts. Sorry, I didn’t get the name haha, but if you’re walking around near the Studio Ghibli store you’ll see it!

A few cultural things to visit in Gion are Kiyomizu-dera, Yasaka Pagoda, and Yasaka Shrine. Be sure to keep a few small coins on you for offerings at the shrines!

Have a Tea Ceremony

Now, Kyoto is one of the best places for a tea ceremony. Unfortunately during our 3 days in Kyoto, we couldn’t squeeze one in. But if you want a cute spot for tea without the ceremony part, you can visit the cafe at Fukujuen Kyoto without a reservation.

There are a lot of places to experience a tea ceremony, both with and without dressing in a kimono, but something that is a bit harder to find is hands-on tea ceremonies. You see, most of the tea ceremonies you’ll come across will more be someone going through the steps and serving you as a guest, but you won’t actually get the experience of learning how to do it yourself. While I didn’t personally take this tour, I did have it bookmarked as an option for a hands-on tea ceremony workshop!

I’m definitely going to do it the next time I’m in Kyoto, but if you get there before I do, let me know how it is!

Visit Arashiyama

And last but ABSOLUTELY NOT LEAST, my top top top recommendation for things to do during 3 days in Kyoto is to visit the Arashiyama area, especially if you’re visiting in the fall. It’s stunning in Arashiyama, and it’s hands down my favorite area of Kyoto. It’s about 45 minutes away from Kyoto’s main city center, so at minimum plan to spend a half day there (3-4 hours), but if possible it is definitely worth a full day. In fact, I’d argue it deserves even longer and I’d love to stay in that area my next go around in Kyoto.

But alas, since we only had 3 days in Kyoto, we had to settle for a half day.

In those few hours, we managed to see the iconic Bamboo Grove, get a drink at Arabica Coffee, and taste some of the area’s famed soba noodles – which is still a pretty full (and fulfilling!) itinerary. A word about the Bamboo Grove though…if you are a photographer or are just looking to get nice photos without a crowd of people behind you, you’ll have to show up 8am or earlier.

We arrived at 8:30am and there were still a good amount of folks in the background. Any later than 9am, and it’ll be crowded. If it’s too busy when you visit but you still want good photos, you can take a rickshaw tour! They have exclusive routes so you can get pictures without all the other tourists.

A few other cool things in Arashiyama that we didn’t have time to do are the Sagano Scenic Train Ride (looks so beautiful!!!) and the Arashiyama Monkey Park!

Potential Kyoto Itinerary

But I know constructing your own 3 days in Kyoto itinerary isn’t for everyone, so real quick I’ve put my personal 3 days in Kyoto itinerary (with a few tweaks to make it better for you!) below so if you want, you can leave the planning to me!

Day 1:

• Arrive in Kyoto (in the afternoon), check into hotel
• Visit either Tōfuku-ji Temple or Fushimi Inari (for the street food)
• Shopping in Pontocho (Pokemon Center Kyoto is there!)
• Dinner at Men-ya Inoichi or Kyo Tsuke-men Tsurukame
• Grab dessert at Fruit Hosokawa or Tsujiri Tea House
• Continue shopping around Pontocho or see a show at Kaburenjo Theater (if available)
• Grab drinks at L’Escamoteur

Day 2:

• Wake up early for Fushimi Inari if you want photos without people
• Head to Gion neighborhood to rent a kimono and explore the area (return kimonos whenever you’re ready)
• Eat lunch at Nishiki Market and browse the various booths
• Attend a tea ceremony or stop by Maccha House for matcha desserts
• Head back to the hotel to freshen up for a kaiseki dinner (like Gion Hanasaki)

Day 3:

• Check out of hotel, but ask them to hold your bags
• Spend the morning in Arashiyama (eat lunch in Arashiyama)
• Grab a train (or flight) to your next destination!

And that’s a full 3 days in Kyoto right there! Of course, you can add more or remove things to fit your travel style and pace.

Conclusion: 3 Days in Kyoto

That wraps up this blog post on spending 3 days in Kyoto! Hopefully you’ve found it helpful in planning your own 3 days in Kyoto or have inspired you to add the city to your Japan itinerary! Kyoto is a beautiful city and you can easily spend more than 3 days in Kyoto and still have plenty to see, but 3 days in Kyoto will still give you a chance to see different parts of the city and leave you wanting to come back.

Have you ever been to Kyoto? What kind of activities or stops would you suggest adding to a 3 days in Kyoto itinerary? Let me know in the comments below!

Pin This Itinerary for 3 Days in Kyoto

Sharing is caring!