May 2025
Perfect 5 Day Itinerary for Kyoto, Japan
Congrats! If you are reading this, that means you are considering or booked a trip to Japan and you are going to love it. Kyoto is one of those cities that is not to be missed and is practically a requirement to at least visit once while exploring Japan. If Tokyo is the pulse of Japan, Kyoto is the heart. Kyoto is not only the cultural capital of Japan, it used to be the actual capital of Japan for over 1000 years. With over 3,000 temples and shrines, and 17 UNESCO sites, Kyoto is one of the best preserved cities in Japan making a visit here like a step back in time.
Planning a trip to Japan can be daunting and I will say, it was certainly the most time consuming trip from researching and planning a trip to date. Thankfully, I have everything you need to know here and we will go through each topic in this post so you know exactly what to expect when visiting Japan for the first time.
What to expect for your first trip to Japan including numerous planning tips and tricks – here!
How to Get There
Getting to Japan can be the biggest hurdle for people since for most of the world, it is pretty far away. For us flying from the northeast part of the US, we flew 14 hours non-stop to Tokyo. I know some people cringe at a 14 hour flight but it was 100% our preference. If you also have to fly that far, consider layover options or even spend a day or two in California or Hawaii to break up the trip.
There are three airports you should look at when searching for flight routes – Haneda and Narita in Tokyo, and Osaka. Having three airport options increases flexibility and options for the itinerary that fits your trip best. We flew into Haneda and it was close to downtown Tokyo and easy to get there. Narita is the larger airport so it will have the most flight options. Both Tokyo airports are extremely well connected via public transit so you can’t go wrong with either.
Get the Free DESKRIB Guide to learn how to use Google Flights to find the best flight deals – sign up here!
When to Visit
Japan experiences all four seasons so it is important to know what kind of trip you want and things you wish to do to find the most ideal time to visit.
- Spring is very popular for the cherry blossoms – the famous sakura trees! There are also lots of festivals this time of year to celebrate the sakura blossoms. If you are chasing the perfect peak for cherry blossoms, use a tracker to follow the blossom to get the best timing.
- Summers get hot and humid and while that is not everyone’s preference, it does have advantages like lower crowds and the most beautiful beaches in the south of the country. Did you know Japan has over 260 inhabited islands in the archipelago? This is also the only time of year to climb Mt Fuji so if that is on your bucket list, you will be visiting from July to September.
- Fall is another popular time of year due to the fall foliage, especially if you want to visit the countryside.
- Winter is cold and depending on where you visit, you can experience some of the world’s best winter sports such as skiing in Nagano.
- Avoid major Japanese holidays and breaks, especially the end of April and beginning of May. This period is known as Golden Week where several holidays fall. Schools are closed and locals take this time off to travel the country. This is also cherry blossom season in certain parts of the country so it can be extremely crowded.
- We visited at the end of May after the Golden Week crowd which is a shoulder season for Japan. It was fairly crowded at certain times due to pent up demand from pandemic but indicators – such as tickets to theme parks – did reflect it was generally a slower time. We did purchase as many tickets ahead of time as possible and when we went to use them, same day ticket purchases were not possible.
Where to Stay
Japan offers typical accommodation options for visitors with a few unique options to be aware of.
- There are standard hotel rooms but on average, they are smaller than western hotel rooms so keep that in mind, especially if you are traveling in a group larger than two people.
- There are Airbnbs which can offer more room and amenities for longer stays. Airbnbs are licensed here so they are legitimate rentals.
- Ryokans are traditional Japanese inns that feature beautiful wood features and hospitality. This accommodation is often accompanied by meals, including kansei style, yukata (casual kimonos), and onsens, which are hot springs.
- Capsule hotels are a unique accommodation where you rent what is equivalent to a capsule – like a medication capsule. You have a bed that you climb into and some space in your tube for a light, outlet, and maybe a shelf. These are typically affordable options.
Japan is a large country so depending on where you are going will help dictate which options are best for you.
- In Kyoto, we stayed in this Airbnb and it was a perfect location and accommodation. This gave us a more affordable option for accommodations and we were able to stay in the less tourist areas which is how we like to travel. It also gave us an opportunity to ask a local for recommendations and advice. We stayed in Shimogyo Ward on the west side of the Kamo River and the popular Gion district. The train station stop Karasuma was literally around the corner, as were bus stops.
It is important to book accommodations early, much earlier than you would for other trips. For the number of people plus the tourists – there are not enough accommodations during busy times of year. I found the Airbnbs with a generous cancellation policy and I booked them in December when we first started talking about taking this trip and I am so glad I grabbed them when I did.
To get the Free DESKRIB Guide “How to Find the Perfect Airbnb” – sign up here!
How to Get Around
The transportation in Japan is absolutely incredible and impressive. It is the most ahead of its time or rather everywhere else in the world is behind. The country and cities are so well connected and everything is immaculate. Figuring out all the public transportation can be daunting – and it is something I spent a lot of time researching to ensure I really understood the options. Let’s break everything down.
- Public transportation such as trains, subways and buses are available and can get you everywhere
- Shinkansen “Bullet Trains” move millions of people quickly across the entire country reaching speeds up to 300 km/hour.
- Taxis and ride share options are available but are typically expensive compared to the public transportation routes.
- As a tourist, there is little need to rent a car unless you are traveling to some distant spots in the countryside. If you are renting a car, you will need an international drivers license. They also drive on the left hand side so that is something to note if you are renting a car.
I have so much information on using the public transportation and Shinkansen trains – I have another blog post for Navigating Japan’s Transportation with so many details that will make your trip go smoothly. But as a quick summary:
- You will want an IC card to ride the public transportation. IC card is the general name for a metro card. There are several companies that issue IC cards but they all work the same. We went with Suica and it works in all the cities we visited.
- IC cards work on the trains, subway, and buses – and even vending machines and convenience stores.
- You will need to Shinkansen tickets separately, just as you would for any high speed rail.
- Follow etiquette on all transit – there is no talking at all – you can hear a pin drop. It is a clear indicator you are a tourist if you are talking on transit. Be respectful of the place you are traveling to and follow their lead. Do not disturb the peace.
Check out all the details around navigating Japan’s transportation here!
Where to Eat
The food in Japan was amazing and I have an entire guide on food. There are so many options here and the goal on my trip was to try one of as many different types as possible. In addition to familiarizing yourself with all the delicious food, here area few things to know ahead of time:
- If you make dining reservations, you must be on time – not early, not late but on time. We typically make reservations for every night of a trip and this trip was the complete opposite. For two weeks, I made only two dinner reservations! So why the change?
- Many places either did not take reservations or it was difficult to figure out how to make a reservation. While I could find phone numbers, calling in English was not a viable option.
- I was nervous about being late for reservations – I read that some places will give up your table if you are a few minutes late. I did not want to worry about being late for a reservation if we were exploring or having a good time elsewhere.
- By not having reservations, it kept our options open and instead I created a list of restaurants I wanted to eat at and sorted them by area so depending on where we were, we could eat at one of the places on the list.
Some of our favorite dining in Kyoto:
- Teppan Tavern Tenamonya
- Nishiki Market
- Ichiran Ramen
- Niigata Katsudon Tarekatsu
- Tsujiya Shijogokomachiten
I explain more in the food guide, but convenience stores are next level when it comes to snacks and food. Vending machines have drinks of all sorts – including hot and cold beverages. While we are on the topic of food, now is a good time to mention despite Japan being exceptionally clean, there are no trash cans to be found. So, if you purchase a drink or a wrapped food item, that trash is going on a journey with you for quite some time until the unicorn of a trash can appears.
PRO TIP: When searching for places to eat, look at reviews in Japanese to see how liked the restaurant is by locals. Also, search for key words in Japanese characters – look up the word in Google Translate before seraching in Google Maps.
What to Do
There is so much to do in Kyoto but it also serves as a great base for exploring the surrounding area as well. It would be impossible for me to capture all the possibilities on how you can structure your trip. That being said, I will highlight some of the popular attractions at the major stops and you can pick and choose what to incorporate into your trip. Regardless, do not over plan your trip. There are so many shops, museums, food, and more – do not forget to have time to simply wander around as well!
- Explore the various areas including: Higashiyama District and the famous Gion District
- Fushimi Inari Taisha (hint: go early or late in the day to avoid the crowds)
- Nishiki Market
- Traditional tea ceremony
- Day Trips
- Take a trip into the countryside to Kurama and Kibune walk
- Arashiyama Bamboo Grove with Sagano Scenic Train, and Hozugawa River Cruise
- Universal Studios Japan Super Nintendo World
- Osaka and the famous food of Dotonbori
- Kobe including the Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum and Kobe wagyu beef
Perfect Itinerary
This is just one example of how to structure your trip – feel free to mix and match to make it your own.
| Activity | |
| Day 0 | Travel to Japan Arrive in Kyoto |
| Day 1 | Explore Kyoto – Higashiyama District and the famous Gion District – Imperial Palace |
| Day 2 | Fushimi Inari Taisha Nishiki Market Traditional tea ceremony |
| Day 3 | Day Trip: Kurama and Kibune walk or Arashiyama Bamboo Grove |
| Day 4 | Day Trip: Osaka or Kobe or Universal Studios Japan Super Nintendo World |
| Day 5 | Depart |