Fushimi Inari Taisha / Saigen Jiro · CC0
ITINERARY
One Day in Kyoto: An East Kyoto Route from Kyoto Station5 stops, in the order with the least travel time
With only one day, stay on the east side close to Kyoto Station — Sanjusangen-do, Yasaka Shrine and Kiyomizu-dera — add Fushimi Inari Taisha, and have lunch at Nishiki Market. Arashiyama, Kinkaku-ji and the rest of western Kyoto fit far better into the 2-day itinerary.
Planned and checked by Waka Travel (Japan) ·
- Trip
- Day trip
- Stops
- 5
- Total travel
- 2 h 44 mintrain & bus
Assumes you arrive at Kyoto Station at 10:00 and leave Kyoto Station at 18:00 (a typical schedule for a day trip from Tokyo by shinkansen).
Kiyomizu-dera is open 6:00–18:00 (until 18:30 in July and August). In the autumn-leaf season (November) and the cherry-blossom season (April), the slopes around Kiyomizu-dera and the city buses get very crowded, and getting around takes much longer. Many shops at Nishiki Market close in the early evening, so if you're running late, go there earlier.
Route and arrival times
All times are Japan time (JST), in 24-hour format.
Day 110:00–17:44 · travel 2 h 44 min
- 10:00Kyoto Station 京都駅Depart
- ↓ Travel 25 min
- 10:25Sanjusangen-do 三十三間堂45 min
- ↓ Travel 28 min
- 11:38Nishiki Market 錦市場45 min
- 12:23Lunch 1 h
- ↓ Travel 23 min
- 13:46Yasaka Shrine 八坂神社30 min
- ↓ Travel 23 min
- 14:39Kiyomizu-dera 清水寺1 h
- ↓ Travel 33 min
- 16:12Fushimi Inari Taisha 伏見稲荷大社1 h
- ↓ Travel 32 min
- 17:44Kyoto Station 京都駅Arrive
Travel times are estimates based on straight-line distance. They don't include transfers, timetables or opening hours (how far off they can be).
If you stay overnight in Kyoto (general guide)
| If you're mainly visiting | Area to stay |
|---|---|
| If you have another day (easy to get around from Kyoto Station) | Around Kyoto Station 京都駅周辺 |
| Close to Kiyomizu-dera and Yasaka Shrine | Gion-Shijo 祇園四条 |
| To stroll Nishiki Market and Kawaramachi in the evening | Shijo-Kawaramachi 四条河原町 |
| Day trip from Osaka or Tokyo | No overnight stay 宿泊なし |
General guidance, not calculated by this site.
If you have time
- Ginkaku-ji 銀閣寺
- Nijo-jo Castle 二条城
- Kinkaku-ji 金閣寺
- Kodai-ji 高台寺
Left out to keep each day manageable.
Why this order
3 notes
- From Sanjusangen-do you head up to Nishiki Market on Shijo-dori for lunch, loop through Higashiyama via Yasaka Shrine and Kiyomizu-dera, and finish by heading south of Kyoto Station to Fushimi Inari Taisha.
- Kiyomizu-dera closes its gates at 18:00 (18:30 in July and August), and many Nishiki Market shops close in the early evening, so both come earlier in the day.
- On the last day you finish at Fushimi Inari Taisha and get back to Kyoto Station in 32 min (arriving 17:44).
FAQ
Can you see these 5 classic Kyoto sights in a day?
Yes. In this order, even the longest day ends around 17:44, and travel adds up to 2 h 44 min in one day (travel times are estimates based on straight-line distance).
Can I visit Kyoto as a day trip from Tokyo by shinkansen?
Yes — this itinerary is built for it. The times are a guide for a shinkansen day trip from Tokyo: arrive at Kyoto Station at 10:00 and leave at 18:00. The route itself gets you back to Kyoto Station at 17:44. Check the timetable for your own trains.
What time does Kiyomizu-dera close?
Kiyomizu-dera is open 6:00–18:00, and until 18:30 in July and August. On this itinerary you reach it at 14:39.
Can I add Arashiyama or Kinkaku-ji to a Kyoto day trip?
Adding Arashiyama means a round trip to the west side of the city, the opposite direction from Higashiyama, so you'd likely get back late. To include Arashiyama and Kinkaku-ji, take the Kyoto 2-day itinerary instead.
Kyoto: 2 days, 1 night (6 stops) →
Kyoto: 3 days, 2 nights (10 stops) →