One day in Kyoto might seem to be too short as there are a lot of beautiful places and things to do there. We only had a day to spare before finding our way to Tokyo; so, even though there were TONS of places we wanted to see, we picked out the top spots that you can also check out if you ever find yourself in Kyoto to wander around for a day.
Tips:
*If you ever find yourself in a situation where you have to bring your luggage everywhere or if it is not time to check in at your accommodation yet and you don’t want the hassle of bringing your luggage everywhere you go, there are tons of coin lockers at Kyoto Station. They come in a range of sizes at fees of 300, 500 and 700 yen. If your luggage is too bulky or if ever there isn’t any available coin locker (this happened to us), there is luggage storage at the B1 Baggage Room that is open from 8am – 8pm at a fee of 700 yen per item for one day’s storage.
*Also take note that we used Kansai Thru Pass while going around Kyoto. It provides unlimited use of trains, subways and buses throughout the Kansai Region (that includes Kyoto) with the exception of JR trains. You can purchase this in advance through online travel platforms and claim it at Kansai International Airport or just buy it at the airport. You can either get a 2-day or 3-day pass.
First stop: Kinkakuji Temple
How to get there: Take the Karasuma Subway Line to Kitaoji Station and take a bus (10 minutes, 230 yen, bus numbers 101, 102, 204 or 205) from there to Kinkakuji.
Entrance Fee: 400 yen
Business Hours: 9am to 5pm
Also known as the Golden Pavillion, this is one of the most famous sites to see in Kyoto. With its top two floors covered entirely in gold leaves, this zen temple is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Be sure go early to avoid the crowds, though! 🙂
https://www.instagram.com/p/BcbY0VXjqwm/?taken-by=normanmirasol
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Second stop: Otani Mausoleum
How to get there: Get off at Kiyomizu-Gojo Station along the Keihan Railway Line. It’s a 15-minute walk from the station.
Entrance Fee: Free
Opening Hours: Daily from 5am to 5pm
If you’re planning on going to Kiyumizudera Temple, this place is just along the way. Since the entrance is free, why not take a detour before going to Kiyumizudera Temple? Plus, the view specially is ecstatic, especially in autumn. Just check out our photos:
The Exteriors
The Entrance Gate
Inside the Shrine
This is a mausoleum there, so be sure to respect the place and try not to be noisy, especially at the main hall.
This is just on the way to Kiyumizudera Temple. We personally decided not to proceed to the temple as it was kinda gloomy that day and we got out pretty late, too lol. The temple is several minutes away by walking, so we decided to head back to the station instead and proceed to our next destination.
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