Unlocking Kyoto: Our 7 Day Kyoto Itinerary of Cuisine, Culture, and Temples

Let’s talk all things about Kyoto now and forever k?! I love recapping our adventures here on the blog and hopefully it inspires you to create your own Kyoto Itinerary! Kyoto is the third largest city in Japan and is a captivating blend of ancient traditions and modern vibrancy. Its roots trace back to **794 AD. We chose to spend 7 nights in this incredible place and we are so happy we did. Not only is Kyoto beautiful but the community truly captured our hearts. I hope you enjoy our adventure and find it useful to embark on your own!

This post like my other travel posts is going to provide you with an itinerary based on our own personal experience! We visited the Kyoto prefecture this March 2024 and plan on heading back next November to see some of that fall foliage. 🍂

When we planned this trip last summer, I did A LOT of research on how long we were staying and to make the most use of our time AND on budget! So our trip started with 2 days in Tokyo, then we took the Shinkansen (bullet train) from Tokyo (roughly 2 hours) cruising at around 200mph! 🚄

This is where our 7 Day Kyoto itinerary begins, I hope you are ready to buy your plane tickets! Welcome to Part II of our Japan adventure!

Day 1: Welcome to Flavor Town

One of my lessons learned when we travel is I ALWAYS regret not staying in one place longer! Japan has been on our list for so long that I didn’t want to feel rushed to do everything and truly be PRESENT in the moment for this trip. It’s why we chose to stay in one place in Kyoto.

Stay in a Ryokan

When going to new places I love to experience things in the most authentic way possible to “wade in the water” of the culture so to speak.
A Ryokan is a traditional eastern style inn where you have a host/hostess that prepares a breakfast, futons on the floor for bedding, and serene zen gardens.
Specifically you NEED to stay at Ryokan Mugen.

Our stay at Ryokan Mugen was an enchanting experience. Tome San, our host, immersed us in local culture and traditions. We learned about Shinto weddings, sampled Japanese whiskey, and heard the fascinating story of how Tome and Kazu (her husband)met, traveled, and eventually purchased the ryokan. Tome’s dream extends beyond providing a cozy stay; she connects guests with amazing food, local artisans, and the best koohi (coffee) spots in town.

Every morning we were greeted with a “Ohayou gozaimasu!” And a light breakfast of yogurt,cereal, and fresh fruit + coffee or tea. Plus calming soft piano music playing in the background. Sipping hot tea while looking out on their private zen garden was my favorite part of the morning at Ryokan Mugen. 
We literally asked her every night - where should we eat tonight and she would respond with “What is your taste feeling tonight?” And would point us in the perfect direction to her friend’s restaurant close by. 
Honestly, I could eat at EVERY restaurant she suggested EVERY DAY forever and be soooo happy.
My friend, welcome to FLAVOR TOWN.
On our first night we told her we are interested in trying good tofu. She called and made reservations at Sekkei where we have homemade cold tofu, chicken hot pot, raw sea urchin, and shrimp tempura. SOOOOO GOOOOOD. 😋For someone who’s never had raw sea urchin before… there is no flavor comparison except I looked at Jake and said “It’s like eating a new color.” Mind BLOWN 🤯. It was buttery with umami bursts and a hint of spicy aftertaste. I want to go back JUST to have these meals on REPEAT.

Day 2: The Silver Pavillion, Hidden Tea Gardens, and Wagyu Beef Tour

We only had one solid plan for Day 2. The rest we left pretty open. Waking up from what I dubbed our “floor clouds” (those futons were SO COMFY), we were greeted by Tome San with a light breakfast and she knew our whole schedule and helped us fill in the gaps with her recommendations.

Sakura & Silver

We began our day with a leisurely walk, following Tome San’s recommendation to explore early blooming Sakura trees. She even let us borrow umbrellas and gave us hand warmers for the day! 🥹The delicate pink blossoms adorned the streets, creating a picturesque scene. I was also relieved that it was me + 20 other people taking a picture of this tree 🤣.

The Silver Pavilion (Ginkaku-ji)

Next, we hopped on a bus and made our way to the Silver Pavilion, also known as Ginkaku-ji. The temple’s elegant design and tranquil surroundings left us in awe. We also realized why we recognized a lot of plants in the gardens here… we have most of these ornate plants in our own backyard (including the moss!). The previous owner of our home was a master gardener (a big selling point when we bought our house) and it’s now clearly obvious she visited Japan and wanted to bring it back too! We now have plans to add even more zen to our space!

Getting back to the Silver Pavilion. We walked the winding paths to the top and got a very pretty view of the surrounding area.

Murin-An: A Serene Tea Garden

Murin-An, a hidden gem, captivated our senses. Its design cleverly mimicked the mountainous terrain of Kyoto, creating a harmonious blend of nature and architecture. We sipped matcha tea, surrounded by meticulously raked gravel and carefully placed rocks. The serenity of Murin-An transported us to another realm—one where time seemed to slow down. It was so NICE to sit on the heated mats on the floor with a blanket and sip on hot tea + a pancake stuffed with bean paste (it’s lightly sweetened but very good!).
They had strict rules of very minimal photos as they wanted guests to be present and simply enjoy the garden. 😌

PRO TIP- make a reservation before visiting this garden and wear shoes that are easy to take on/off. They do not allow you to wear shoes inside but need to put them back on if walking the gardens.

Gion District 🏮

After viewing the tea garden we made our way back in the rain to the Ryokan to get ready for our Wagyu Beef tour with Airbnb Experiences. 🥩

We met our guide,Keita, in the Gion District after experiencing the MOST AUTHENTIC bus ride in Kyoto ever. When I sat there could NOT be any more people on this bus… there could NOT be any more people on this bus 😆. 🚍 Keita took us to a hole in the wall place where only locals go and do not speak any English. But they had the BEST beef we’ve ever had. He prepared it on a grill and we snacked on fresh kimchi and sipped plum wine 🍶.

Next he took us to a secluded bar off the beaten path near Pontocho. There never has been so many bottles of various elixirs anywhere all at once! There also was no menu. They tell you a list of seasonal fruit and they whip up a concoction that is PERFECTION. I told them blood orange… 😍

Day 3: Mount Inari, Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, and Fire Ramen 🔥

The next morning we woke up bright and early (even before Tome San)! We didn’t trouble her for any coffee as we did not want to wake her! So we had some Starbucks at Kyoto Station instead.

Next we met Yuko San who gave us a personalized tour for the day! She took us to one of my top must-do’s for Kyoto - Mount Inari. We tried to beat the crowds by getting there as early as possible. It was still pretty crowded but since we hiked all the way to the top there was less and less people as we kept going. It is a HIKE. Once you think you’ve reached the top there were more stairs 🙃.
Boy was it worth it though. Hiking amongst ancient stones, family shrines, and the Tori gates.
Once we reached the top the sun popped out and it simultaneously started to snow! Yuko commented that it is very special to have that combo of weather!

Next stop: the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. Those towering stalks and rickshaws glided by. Lunch was simple—toast and salad—fuel for more hiking. Yuko San’s dedication took us to the hidden gem of Tenyru-ji Temple. She truly went above and beyond. We hired her for a 6 hour day but she ended up staying with us for 8 hours because she really wanted us to see the temple and experience it with her! She’s also a Japanese/English teacher and she made really helpful “cheat sheets” with useful Japanese phrases. We are so grateful for her! We’re definitely going to be hiring her as our sensei for learning more Japanese for our next trip!

Some more scenic shots we took during our day with Yuko San. I ended up walking around 24k steps! Which means we were STARVING for dinner which was a great thing cause we were going to the famous Fire Ramen restaurant for dinner! 🔥🔥🔥

Kyoto Itinerary MUST:
Fire Ramen

I’ll keep saying it. If you’re planning a trip to Kyoto I would add EVERYTHING I mention in this post but this is one that has become increasingly popular thanks to Instagram. It’s a very tiny Ramen shop that was roughly a 10 min walk from our Ryokan.
It’s an experience! Like he lights your ramen on FIRE 🔥🔥🔥.
Plus it was AMAZINGLY oishi desu! The owner is also incredibly kind and after a safety briefing he wanted to talk with all of us.

He even autographed our bag after we purchased some t-shirts!
Later, when we were sipping on sake with Tome San in her secret bar (yes, there’s a hidden bar at the Ryokan) she told us the humble beginnings of the Fire Ramen owner. He opened that shop 40 years ago. No one local understood his “fire” concept. They simply just didn’t get it. So for decades he kept persevering and believing in his dream.

Now, there is a line DOWN THE BLOCK to get in! His first purchase when he was making decent profit? A Japanese toilet 🤣. Tome San told us that in the local picture to announce their new-found success he posed sitting on his new toilet 😆😆😆.
I just LOVED getting to get to know the local community here in Kyoto.

Day 4: Kyoto Railway Museum,Nishiki Market, and a Secret Rooftop Bar

One of the early contenders on our Kyoto Itinerary was the Kyoto Railway Museum. This was such a great museum!

The Kyoto Railway Museum is a must-visit for train enthusiasts and history buffs. It’s located in the Shimogyo-ku district, close to Nijo Castle.

• What to Expect:
  • The museum showcases a vast array of steam, electric, and bullet trains, including some of the most revolutionary trains of their time.
  • You can get up close to historical trains, even peeking underneath to see their inner workings.
  • Explore the rich history of Japan’s railways and immerse yourself in the world of locomotives.
  • Bonus Tip: Use Asoview to reserve your tickets in advance and it really made our entrance to the museum much smoother and no waiting in lines! When booking through Asoview use the translate feature in your browser!
    

Jake had a BLAST here. He has always had a passion for trains and I loved seeing him explore them all!

After the railway museum we wandered over to Nishiki Market!
And it was claustrophobic level PACKED 🫣.
We didn’t stay too long. We grabbed a couple snacks (meat on sticks) and a few seasoning packets to bring back home! To me, it honestly wasn’t worth the hype 🤷🏻‍♀️.

Rooftop Bar with a VIEW 😍

Again “Tome San knows BEST”! This rooftop bar called K36 was another one of her recommendations and per usual it did NOT disappoint!

It was a tad challenging to find and when we got there we almost turned around because it was gated with guards! But we asked them about the rooftop bar and they stepped aside to let us through! 👀

After snapping a few pictures, we had a couple beverages while enjoying the sunset and shared a pork curry and a dessert. Japanese curry vs Indian curry is SO different. But so so so good. Kyoto is definitely FLAVOR TOWN.

We rode the bus back to the Ryokan for the night ✨.

Day 5: Rainy Day Crafting 🖌️

After another oishi asogohan by Tome San, we took a taxi to our Indigo Dye Experience at the Roketsu Studio. It rained all day so we opted to take a taxi vs walk in the cold rain! But it was perfect timing to have a rainy day since we had two craft experience planned indoors!

Indigo Dye Experience at Roketsu Studio

• Location: Roketsu Dyeing Studio YAMAMOTO, nestled in the heart of Kyoto.
• What to Expect:
  • Roketsu Dyeing is a traditional Japanese craft that involves dyeing fabric using natural indigo.
  • At Roketsu Studio, you’ll experience the entire process—from applying hot wax to the fabric to stirring it in a vat of indigo dye.
  • Watch a skilled artisan demonstrate the technique before trying it yourself.
  • Create your original indigo-dyed item—a unique souvenir from Kyoto.
• Visitor Tips:
  • Hours: Open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (last entry by 4:00 p.m.).
  • Pricing: Workshop duration is 90-120 minutes, and prices start from ¥2,900.
  • Dress Code: Wear comfortable clothing that you don’t mind getting stained.
  • Language Support: English was very minimal here. But the mother/son owners were very kind and helped us with every step!
    

We LOVE taking part in crafty things and especially making something that not only serves as a keepsake but immersed in the culture too! 💙

We made one for ourselves and a few for family and friends. I actually made one for Tome San… it was so touching when I gave it to her - probably my favorite memory 🥹.

In between one class and the other we stopped for a coffee pick-me-up 🤎

Kintsugi Experience with Wabanku

• Location: Wabanku Experiences offer authentic Japanese kintsugi experiences in Tokyo and Kyoto.
• What is Kintsugi?:
  • Kintsugi is the art of repairing broken ceramics using lacquer and gold, emphasizing the beauty of imperfection.
  • Rather than discarding broken pieces, kintsugi breathes new life into them, making them more beautiful than before.
• At Yamada Heiando Lacquerware:
  • Watch a skilled artisan demonstrate kintsugi techniques.
  • Repair your own broken ceramics using lacquer and gold.
  • Learn about the urushinoki tree sap used in the process.
• Visitor Tips:
  • Duration: The experience takes approximately 90-120 minutes.
  • Reservations: Book in advance to secure your spot.
  • Language Support: Interpreters are available to assist you during the workshop.

We met with our interpreter outside the small kintsugi shop where we met our sensei for the afternoon. She taught us the history of the use of the urushinoki trees in ceramics and how its used specifically in the kintsugi process.
It is definitely a skill set! You basically fill in the gaps with a very thin line of epoxy then apply another very thin line of the urushinoki sap and then you dab a sponge in gold powder for the final step!

For dinner (at this point we just let Tome San choose for us 🤣). She sent us to the BEST sushi place! The owner was HILARIOUS. He allowed us in because we were Ryokan Mugen guests (otherwise he was closing up) and we ordered various types of sushi and some warm sake to share and we clicked our drinks together and said “Kanpai” (Japanese version of cheers!). And he heard us and shouted “KANPAI!!!!” to the whole restaurant and then gave everyone a round of beer 😆 we don’t even drink beer but we certainly did this night! He then spoke into his phone (Google Translate) and showed us. It said “I could use all the drinks right now.” 🤣🍶🍣

Day 6: Nijo Castle Tour,Nintendo, and Yakiudon 🌸

We had another early tour booked at the Nijo Castle first thing in the morning so we skipped breakfast at the Ryokan and walked to another one Tome Sam’s coffee places(Cafe de Corazon). ☕️

The owner specializes in small batch drip coffee. He made it look like an art form! He also makes these GORGEOUS cakes from scratch daily! 👀 We split this cake and had a couple cups of koohi (coffee)

We hopped on a bus and met our tour group in front of the Nijo Castle!

• Location: Nijo Castle (Nijo-jo), a UNESCO World Heritage Site in central Kyoto.
• Guided Tours:
  • Nijo Castle offers daily guided tours led by Kyoto City-certified interpreter guides.
  • The tour route includes areas closed off to the general public, providing a thorough appreciation of history, art, architecture, and beautiful garden design.
  • Tours last approximately 60 minutes and start at 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.
• Tickets and Audio Guides:
  • Tickets are available online or at the tour desk near the East Main Gate.
  • For a self-guided experience, consider renting an English audio guide for ¥600 at the information desk inside the castle.
• Visitor Tips:
  • Arrive early to secure your spot and explore the castle’s rich history.
  • Lesson learned: While the Nijo Castle website can be confusing, they do indeed offer audio tours for English speakers.

Our tour guide walked us to the Imperial Palace to complete the tour. To be honest I wish I would have done the audio tours vs this tour guide group. It was a bit lackluster, but that’s part of the adventure right?!
We loved touring the palace gardens/grounds and laughing along the way!

After the tours, we made our way to downtown Kyoto to the Nintendo store! It is on the top floor of a mall and it was full of cute items and all the nostalgia for me!
Definitely got some neat things for my brothers!

We also walked around and stopped in some bookstores as well as found a random anime store where we FINALLY found a Bleach comic book that my youngest brother requested! It was the ONLY copy😱.
Our last stop was swinging by the Ryokan to change for dinner and Tome San made us another reservation at maybe our FAVORITE meal of the trip - Yakiudon at Harumon Basically it’s grilled udon noodles with veggies and pork belly.
We also started the meal with wagyu beef that came with dehydrated garlic…. Just AMAZING.

Day 7: Koohii, Kyoto Flea Market, and Kitano Odori

Our last full day in Kyoto came WAY too fast! 😭

We started the last day of this Kyoto itinerary with another delicious (oishi) breakfast (asogohan) by Tome San. Then headed over to a flea market she recommended to shop from hundreds of local vendors and artisans before the Kitano Odori performance we had tickets for.

Kitano Ofodori Flea Market: Treasures Await

• Location: Kitano Tenmangu Shrine hosts a traditional flea market on the 25th of every month.
• What to Expect:
  • Hundreds of vendors sell traditional goods, antiques, kimono fabrics, jewelry, ceramics, tools, and toys.
  • Prices are reasonable, and you might find unique treasures.We found some cute ceramics and a couple cat things!
  • Food stalls offer festival-style treats like takoyaki (octopus balls) and Japanese sweets.
• Visitor Tips:
  • Arrive early to explore the market fully.
  • Bargaining is possible, especially for women 😉.
  • Take public transport to avoid parking issues.

There were also flower vendors that were sooooo beautiful. I WISH we could have taken some home!

Kitano Odori: A Springtime Spectacle

Overview

• The Kitano Odori is the first of Kyoto’s annual spring geisha performances.
• Performed by the geiko (the Kyoto word for geisha) and maiko (apprentice geiko) of the Kamishichiken district, it’s a celebration of tradition, elegance, and artistry.

Performance Highlights

1. Multi-Scene Story Play:
   • Each year, the Kitano Odori features a captivating story play.
   • Recent themes have included tales of romance, forest animals, love suicides, and even the woman who invented kabuki theater.
2. Kamishichiken Serenade Finale:
   • The grand finale—the Kamishichiken Serenade—is a highlight not to be missed. All geiko and maiko came out wearing all black kimonos and danced to a pretty recognizable tune.

Practical Details

• When: Kitano Odori runs from late March to early April, welcoming spring.
• Performance Times: Two performances daily at 14:00 and 16:30.
• Tickets: Cost ¥6,000 (regular ticket) or ¥7,000 (including a tea ceremony experience).
• Booking Options:
  • Purchase tickets online.
  • Procure tickets through travel agents.
  • Reserve with assistance at the Tourist Information Center in Kyoto Station.

It was incredible to get the opportunity to witness this performance that made us feel fully immersed in Japanese culture 🌸.

Mugen = Infinity 🫶🦋

As we were leaving Ryokan Mugen Tome San told me the word “Mugen” has a special meaning. “It means to the infinity like the sky. That no matter where we are in the world we are all connected like the infinity and that means we are never far apart.” 🥹 

To say I was NOT ok leaving was an understatement. Our flight got cancelled which meant we had to rebook and had to rush our final morning together 😩. She made us the most beautiful Japanese asogohan (breakfast). 

• Rice

• Fish beautifully seasoned

• Sweet kombu

• Pickled daikon

• Steamed veggies in a delicious broth with slivers of fresh yuzu

• Miso soup made from her regional favorite miso (white miso) and it was the BEST miso soup I’ve ever tasted. 

• Homemade sesame flavored tofu 

• O cha - green tea 

All of it was mecche oishi! 

I was holding it together until the taxi came and I then started ugly crying to which Tome San gave me a huge hug and kiss on the cheek 😭😭😭🥰. 

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Useful Resources I Used to Prepare for this Trip

• Just One Cookbook
• JW Magazine
• Ryokan Mugen
• Kyoto Travel