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Dawn in Kyoto arrives softly. Incense smoke curls through the eaves of a wooden shrine, sunlight filters through avenues of vermilion torii gates, and rain beads on moss as temple bells ripple across quiet lanes. The scent of cedar and plum blossom hangs in the air.
Kyoto is Japan’s cultural heart. A former imperial capital, it has over 2,000 temples, shrines and gardens among wooded hills. The city is best enjoyed slowly, with respectful curiosity. Famous sights share space with hidden gardens, time-honoured rituals and traditional crafts.
In this guide to things to do in Kyoto in Japan, you’ll find both the icons and the quieter corners, plus gentle ‘how-to’ insights on rituals, crafts and timing to help you experience Kyoto well as a solo traveller.
And if you’d love everything arranged, you can savour many highlights over three nights on our Japan Revealed tour – the perfect choice for solo holidays to Japan – with bullet-train travel into Kyoto, guided sightseeing, a traditional tea ceremony and a visit to the historic sake district.
Kyoto lies in Japan’s Kansai region on the island of Honshu, just a short bullet train ride away from Osaka and Tokyo. The country’s imperial capital for over a thousand years, Kyoto is now the heart of traditional Japan. Fortunately, the city escaped significant wartime destruction, preserving a treasure trove of golden temples, Zen gardens, atmospheric neighbourhoods and cherry tree-lined lanes.
Famous for its geiko and maiko (geisha and apprentices), exquisite seasonal food and living crafts, Kyoto is where Japan’s spiritual rhythms – the hush of Zen and the purity of Shinto – quietly shape everyday life.
Here are just some of Kyoto’s many captivating highlights – perfect as a guide for any holiday to Japan. Our tour offers exciting excursions to the city’s major sights, but there are lots of things to do and explore in your free time.
Kyoto’s most recognisable sight is a profound Shinto shrine, dedicated to Inari, the deity of rice, agriculture, and prosperity.
Its countless torii – the traditional Japanese gates commonly found at Shinto shrines – mark the transition from the everyday to the sacred. They form a spiritual tunnel up Mount Inari, with fox statues (the messengers of Inari) peeking in from mossy corners. Walking along this pilgrimage path can be both invigorating and meditative. Travellers often pause at the smaller shrines along the route, soaking up the mountain’s stillness and the gentle sounds of prayer bells.
South of central Kyoto is Fushimi, a district famous for its soft, spring water and centuries-old breweries making sake – the traditional Japanese alcoholic drink made from fermented rice. To learn more about sake, visit the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum to better understand brewing traditions, or sample small-batch ginjo and daiginjo at a local tasting room.
This district is a sensory experience as you walk the canal-side streets lined with white-walled kura storehouses. It’s ideal for travellers keen to enjoy Kyoto’s heritage and flavour.
A Zen temple sheathed in gold leaf, Kinkaku-ji floats over its mirror pond like a vision. Once a shōgun’s villa, this shimmering UNESCO-listed pavilion embodies Japan’s spiritual elegance.
The looping path through its zen garden leads you through sculpted pines, intimate viewpoints, and stone lanterns. Take time to notice the details as you wander. You might pause on a quiet bench to enjoy the tranquil scene and reflect on the symbolism of gold in Japanese culture. It represents spiritual purity, enlightenment, and transformation.
This cliff-side Buddhist temple, which stands on towering wooden stilts, offers visitors panoramic views of Kyoto and the surrounding hills that change with the seasons.
Directly translated as ‘pure water’, Kiyomizu-dera’s name references the sacred Otowa waterfall below. Legend says a sip of water from one of its three channels promises health, longevity, or love.
While here, visit the Jishu Shrine, which is dedicated to the deity of love and matchmaking. The shrine is adorned with charms and ema (prayer plaques), where visitors write their wishes for romance and stronger relationships.
If you have free time on your Just You tour, you might consider visiting Nishiki Market. Dubbed ‘Kyoto’s Kitchen’, Nishik is a century-old arcade of artisans selling seasonal bite-sized delights – tsukemono (pickles), creamy yuba (tofu skin), tofu doughnuts, grilled eel skewers, and jewel-like wagashi sweets.
How to experience it solo? Graze as you go; many stalls offer tasters. Look for signs in English, pay in small change, and try a sit-down spot at the market’s end for kyo-ryori, Kyoto’s refined, seasonal cuisine. Pack reusable chopsticks or ask for a fork if you prefer.
Gion’s lantern-lit lanes and wooden machiya houses are the heart of Kyoto’s geisha culture.
Spotting a geiko (a professional artisan) or maiko (an apprentice geiko) in full regalia is a highlight of exploring this area, but respect is essential – these are working artists en route to engagements. Visitors are encouraged to observe from a distance and avoid flash photography.
For a deeper experience of Gion, you might attend a theatre or dance performance or take a relaxing stroll during blue hour, when the ochaya (tea houses) glow and the district’s timeless atmosphere comes alive.
Just south of Kyoto, Uji is home to Japan’s finest matcha. Travellers can visit one of the city’s teahouses for a traditional tea ceremony, where each gesture is steeped in meaning.
In Uji, you’ll find opportunities at every turn to discover more about Japanese tea culture. Learn the difference between usucha (light tea) and koicha (thick tea). While here, you can savour the taste of freshly whisked matcha, which is far richer than anything you’ll find at home. You can buy tins of premium tea as a delicious reminder of Kyoto.
Experience the grandeur of Heian Shrine, built to commemorate Kyoto’s ancient imperial legacy.
The shrine’s grounds evoke the elegance of Heian-era court life, while the vast gardens behind it are beautifully tranquil and offer a peaceful escape from the city. Wander along winding paths past weeping willows, irises, and ponds featuring elegant stone bridges.
Kyoto’s beauty often hides in plain sight. You could seek out small temple gardens such as Shisen-do or Murin-an in your free time, where trickling streams, mossy stones and sculpted pines create intimate sanctuaries.
Many of these small temple gardens offer travellers a space for reflection, as they are often uncrowded. Take a moment to sit, listen to the birdsong, and admire the artistry that defines Kyoto’s garden culture.
Tempted to join a Just You tour? Discover our top ten tips for travelling solo.
Kyoto’s spiritual life is woven from Shinto and Buddhist traditions, each with its own rituals and customs.
Visitors to the city’s Shinto shrines may choose to purify their hands and mouth at the temizuya (water basin) before proceeding. You can then bow lightly at the torii gate, offer a coin at the haiden (worship hall), bow twice, clap twice and bow once more to complete the prayer ritual. Participation is optional, and many visitors simply observe quietly or take in the peaceful atmosphere.
Buddhist temples invite you to light incense at the entrance, bow before the main hall and sometimes listen to sutra chanting. The rituals encourage contemplation and reflection. You may even collect a goshuin – an intricate, hand-brushed stamp marking your spiritual journey.
Many cultural centres and shops in Kyoto allow visitors to watch artisans at work, giving a valuable insight into traditional Japanese arts such as kintsugi (repairing ceramics with gold), yuzen dyeing, incense blending or wagashi sweet-making.
Kyoto is captivating all year round, but Spring (late March – April) and Autumn (October – November) are particularly magical times to visit – and perfect as part of any plans for solo travel to Japan.
In March, the Higashiyama Hanatouro festival lights up the district with lantern-lit evenings, adding an atmospheric highlight to the season. Kyoto’s famous cherry blossom season (hanami) occurs from late March to early April, when thousands of sakura trees burst into delicate pink blooms, creating scenic views around temples, gardens and along canals. In November, the city transforms again as autumn foliage paints the landscape with brilliant reds and golds.
Exploring Kyoto as part of our solo Japan Revealed tour means you can enjoy a seamless travel experience, so you can focus on Kyoto’s iconic sites. You’ll enjoy shared meals with your fellow like-minded solo travellers, free time and expert-led experiences uncovering the best of Kyoto.
Discover our Japan tours for solo travellers, request a brochure, or speak to one of our friendly Holiday Advisors today.
From the natural beauty of Mount Fuji to the spectacular skyline of Tokyo, enigmatic Japan offers a unique holiday experience. Discover ancient temples, scenic landscapes and travel on the famous Bullet Train.
