You could stay in Kyoto for a year and not see everything. I say this literally, having lived there for almost a year when I studied Japanese.
By contrast, no matter how many days in Kyoto you decide to spend, there’s an argument to be made that you should get out of town. Kyoto, after all, is not just Japan’s erstwhile capital—it’s one of the major anchors of the Kansai region, which is perhaps the most attraction-rich part of Japan.
Below, I’ll list some of my favorite day trips from Kyoto, as well as how and why to take them. The hardest part? Selecting just a couple—you’ll want to take them all!
How to Fit Day Trips into Your Kyoto Itinerary
As I alluded to in the intro to this post, Kyoto is hard to get away from. At a minimum, you’re going to spend a day each amid the temples of Higashiyama and the lush bamboo forest of Arashiyama, and potentially one under the vermillion gates (or drinking in the sake breweries) of Fushimi. At a minimum, you’ll need three days in Kyoto to justify taking day trips from the city.
Now, obviously, I’m a huge advocate for staying as long as you can in Kyoto. Specifically, four or five days in Kyoto allows you the possibility for one or two easy day trips, and more if you plan your stay efficiently (ideally, with my help). The second is to start with efficiency: By combining Higashiyama and Arashiyama (or maybe even Fushimi) into one of your three days, you open up the others for day trips.
The Best Day Trips from Kyoto
Nara
Nara is definitely among the best day trips from Kyoto, whether you go there to feed the city’s population of urban deer, or marvel at some of the oldest and most impressive wooden architecture on the planet, including the Kofuku-ji five-story pagoda and the Todai-ji Great Buddha Hall. Even better, it’s a straight shot to get to and from your Nara day trip: Simply ride the JR Nara Line from Kyoto Station all the way to Nara Station.
TIP: You can couple your day trip to Nara from Kyoto with a hike up Fushimi Inari Shrine, though you should take care. Whether you stop at the shrine on the outbound or inbound portion of your journey, you’ll need to take the Local JR Nara Line train, as this is the only variant of the service that stops at Inari Station.
Kyotango
Does Kyoto have beaches? Kind of, although this declaration comes with a couple of caveats. First, that the “bridge to heaven” known in Japanese as Amanohashidate is technically in Kyoto Prefecture, but it’s not in or near the city. Secondly, that while it’s pine-reinforced isthmus is gorgeous, it’s not suitable for swimming the way spots in, say, Okinawa are.
Which is not to say that Kyotango (the collective name for “Kyoto by the Sea,” which also includes Ine Fishing Village) is not worth visiting. However, if you’re expecting a day of sun and surf, even in the hottest part of the summer, you might be disappointed. A trip to Kyotango, its cultural and culinary appeal notwithstanding, is much more about scenery than suntan.
Uji
In my opinion, more people’s lists of day trips from Kyoto would include Uji if they knew how convenient and rewarding it was. In fact, it’s right on the way from Kyoto to Nara, which means that unless you’re super-pressed for time as you make your way to Japan’s deer city, there’s really no reason not to stop here en route.
As far as what to do in Uji, the town has three main claims to fame. If you have a car, drive to the tea plantations of nearby Wazuka Town. If not, explore Uji’s center on foot. The highlight is Byodo-in, which you might recognize from either the ¥10 coin, or from a replica built on Oahu island in Hawaii. Along Omotesando, the pedestrian street that leads to the temple, you can buy locally-grown Matcha, and savor both sweet and savory foods made with it.
Lake Biwa
Want to visit a “floating” shrine without going all the way to Hiroshima? You’ll want to head to Takashima, a town on the western shore of Lake Biwa, located in Shiga prefecture just northeast of Kyoto’s city center. And while Takashima is interesting enough to spend a whole day, the Shirahige Shrine notwithstanding, you’ll almost certainly pair it with one of the other destinations that circle the lake.
Many travelers pair this shrine with Enryaku-ji, a temple with a brutal history and stunning lake views, or with Ukimido pavilion, which are both accessible from Otsu Station. From here, you could also ride a JR train to the former Samurai town of Omi-hachiman, then continue counter-clockwise to the castle towns of Nagahama and Hikone.
TIP: Want to take a “night” trip to Biwako instead of a day trip? If you happen to be in Kyoto in early August, consider visiting for the annual Biwako Fireworks Festival, one of the most spectacular in all of Japan.
Osaka
An Osaka day trip from Kyoto is a popular option, and while I personally recommend devoting at least a day and night to your Osaka trip, you can do it in a morning and afternoon. Begin your Osaka day tour by riding the Keihan Main Line from any station in Higashiyama to Osaka’s Kyobashi Station, then making walking southward to Osaka Castle. Spend the afternoon at Shi-Tenno-ji temple, then enjoy an evening of street food under the neon lights of the Dotonbori pedestrian street of the raucous Shinsekai area.
There are many other activities in Osaka, of course, but you’ll need to follow a longer Osaka itinerary in order to enjoy them. Go on and click that link—you know you want to!
Koyasan
From Kyoto as well as Osaka, doing Mt. Koya in a single day can be challenging. If you want to do a Koyasan day trip from Kyoto, to be sure, you won’t be able to hike. Rather, you’ll need to take the train (via Osaka’s Nankai-Namba Station), transfer at Gokurakubashi to the Mt. Koya Cable Car and ride it to the top, where you’ll have a few hours (at most) to explore.
Indeed, while many people consider Koyasan to be among the best day trips from Kyoto, it’s actually better as an overnight or weekend trip. This way, you can hike all the way up to the top (which takes 5-7 hours), spend your time there (and stay in a temple!) and perhaps even explore some of the attractions along the Kumano Kodo, such as the Nachi Taisha “Waterfall Pagoda.”
Himeji (plus Kobe)
Did you know that one of the best castles in Japan is just a short Shinkansen ride from Kyoto? Specifically, you’ll want to ride any Hikari bullet train from Kyoto Station to Himeji Station, which is 15 minutes due south of Himeji Castle on foot. While this place is at its most resplendent during cherry blossom season, as you can see below, it’s fantastic—and fascinating—any time of year.
TIP: Take a morning Himeji day trip from Kyoto, then spend the afternoon and evening in Kobe. To get here, ride the Shinkansen from Himeji Station to Shin-Kobe Station, then walk “down the hill” (ideally through the Western-style houses of Kitano-cho) to Sannomiya, which is Kobe’s de-facto city center.
Where to Stay in Kyoto
One of the main reasons I love taking day trips, rather than staying overnight in Nara (for example), is being able to call a hotel or ryokan home for a few days. As you might imagine, I’ve built up quite a list of amazing Kyoto accommodations over the decade-plus I’ve been exploring the city, from simple and spartan business hotels to high-end Machiya townhouses.
On the lower end, both the simple Ryokan Kyoraku near Kyoto Station and Sotetsu Fresa Inn near the Shijo-Karasuma intersection give you a comfortable stay for around or less than 100 USD per night. Over in historical Higashiyama, meanwhile, some of my favorite options include the five-star Dhawa Yura Hotel, charming Gion Ryokan Karaku and the understated but luxurious Hotel the Celestine. These are just a few of my favorites, of course—I recommend many more to my private clients.
Other FAQ About the Best Day Trips from Kyoto
Where can I go after Kyoto?
Once you’ve finished exploring the city center, some of the best day trips from Kyoto include the tea town of Uji, Nara (with its population of urban deer) and a two-in-one trip that combines ancient Himeji Castle with a wa-gyu beef lunch in Kobe. You can also visit Osaka, Japan’s second-largest city, on a day trip from Kyoto.
Can you do a day trip to Hiroshima from Kyoto?
You can technically visit Hiroshima on a day trip from Kyoto, though the logistics of this won’t be enjoyable. You’ll need to take the first westbound Shinkansen from Kyoto in the morning, and come back on one of the last heading back east; your total time in transit will be around four hours. Given that you’ll have eight hours in Hiroshima, at most, this is a very questionable return on investment—I recommend staying the night in Hiroshima, if you can.
How many days should I spend in Kyoto?
As many as you can! More particularly, I find that 2-3 days in Kyoto is a good amount to set for a minimum, while around a week in Kyoto is as long as most people want or are able to devote. Spending 4-5 days in Kyoto seems to be the “sweet spot”! Of course, no matter how many days in Kyoto you decide to spend, Japan’s erstwhile capital simply never disappoints.
The Bottom Line
Selecting the right day trips from Kyoto is at least as important as planning the city-center portion of your Kyoto itinerary. Ride the JR Nara Line southward to Nara or Uji, head east to Lake Biwa, west to Himeji and Kobe or north to Kyotango, aka Kyoto by the Sea. Kyoto, as you’ll see, isn’t just Japan’s former capital—it’s a key hub of Kansai, which is perhaps the most exciting and diverse region of Japan. Want to take your trip to Japan to the next level, in Kyoto and beyond? Join an elite group of travelers, and hire me to plan a custom Japan itinerary for you.
