Kyoto is a charming city where you get a taste of the more traditional Japan mixed with the modern. I loved getting to see the old wooden houses in the Gion district and I even got to mingle with some monkeys at the Iwatayama Monkey Park. I definitely could have spent more time in Kyoto, but I’m glad we made even a small portion of our time dedicated to this incredible place. So, if you only have 48 hours (or less) in Kyoto, here are some of the top things to do!
1. Stay at a traditional Japanese Ryokan
This was by far one of the most amazing cultural experiences I have ever had. A ryokan is a traditional Japanese minimalist hotel. Upon arrival, we were shown around our property, given some delicious afternoon tea, and traditional kimonos to wear. We got fed breakfast and dinner (some delicious and some very strange food!) and then our room was converted to a bedroom with small mattresses on the floor for the night. A wonderful way to really immerse in Japanese culture and get out of the busy mindset of a tourist. We stayed at the Gion Yoshi Ima in Kyoto, but many Ryokans can be found all over Japan! A lot of Ryokans also have Onsens which are traditional baths or hot springs, so get ready to immerse and relax.
2. Arashiyama
This area of Kyoto is a little ways out from the center of town. We took a bus and it took us an extremely long time, so this is one of the rare times it may be worth it to loosen the purse strings and just take a cab. This area of the city has a lot to offer, including the famous bamboo forest and the Iwatayama Monkey Park.
The bamboo forest is incredible, but it is very well known. We heard people that got there at 7am to be greeted by huge crowds. When we were there, tour buses full of people were there, so if you are looking for that perfect Instagram shot, you better be there for sunrise! However, even with all the people, the forest is gorgeous and worth a stop.
We didn’t plan to go to the monkey park, but it was super fun! It is a bit of a hike up to the top of the mountain, but you get incredible views of the city with monkeys roaming around everywhere at your feet. You can even feed them! It does cost 550 yen, about 5 dollars, per person to enter the park, but definitely worth it in my opinion.
3. Fushimi Inari Taisha
This is one of Kyoto’s most famous shrines, and for good reason. Its thousands of torii gates make this an unbelievable sight! Once again, this place gets extremely busy! We actually did wake up for sunrise at the shrine and it was well worth the early alarm. Having the gates all to ourselves and just soaking in the quiet and peacefulness that surrounds the shrine was amazing. To hike through the entire shrine can easily take a few hours as the gates go all the way up the mountain. Plan to snap a few shots then just enjoy the feeling in the air as you walk through the sea of orange around you.
4. Yasaka Pagoda
This pagoda sits in the middle of a few very picturesque streets near the Gion district. Depending on the time of day you may see people rushing to work, taking pictures, and you will see people in beautiful traditional kimonos (you can even rent one yourself at several places around Kyoto). You can’t go in the pagoda, but it is a gorgeous sight to see with lots of yummy cafes and cute shops to stop in (peep the pic at the top of the page).
5. Jiggle the Pancakes
Kyoto is famous for its jiggly, fluffy pancakes. They literally taste like a cloud, and shaking them back and forth is more satisfying than I can describe. We tried them at Café and Dining Fleur. Be patient, though because when this place gets busy these pancakes can take over an hour to cook!
6. Gion District
This is where we stayed, and it definitely has the feel of old time Japan. Wooden buildings, temples around every corner, and this is one of the last places to have the chance to see a real geisha in person. This is a great place to take a stroll to get away from some of the busier attractions of Kyoto, and it gets even more amazing at night.
There it is! 48 hours in Kyoto! I wish we had more time here and hopefully someday I have the chance to go back to this amazing city! For more tips on Tokyo and Tokyo Disney, check out my other blog posts. Happy travels, fam!
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