Illustration: a pagoda and cherry blossom above a stone lane at dusk

Destination Guide

Kyoto

Temple districts, wooden townhouses and the quiet hospitality of a ryokan.

Kyoto, Japan

Kyoto is a city of about 1.4 million people, distinct from the wider Kyoto Prefecture. Seventeen sites are inscribed as the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto, most of them within the city, and districts such as Gion, Fushimi and Ohara each have a character of their own.

At a Glance

  • World Heritage

    17 inscribed sites, most within the city.

  • Districts

    From Gion to rural Ohara and Keihoku.

  • Japanese inns

    Ryokan, machiya, temple stays and minshuku.

Illustration: a narrow stone lane between wooden townhouses with paper lanterns and red maple leaves
Illustrative image: a Kyoto-style lane of wooden townhouses.

Where to Base Yourself

Kyoto’s official travel guide describes the city by area; here are seven.

  • Gion & Kiyomizu
  • Fushimi
  • Ohara
  • Takao
  • Nishikyo
  • Yamashina
  • Keihoku
  • Illustration: a rising stone street of wooden houses with a pagoda in the distance

    Gion & Kiyomizu

    Around Yasaka-jinja and Kiyomizu-dera

  • Illustration: a canal lined with white-walled, dark-timbered storehouses and a willow

    Fushimi

    Canals and sake breweries

  • Illustration: a low wooden hall in a moss garden below forested hills

    Ohara

    Rural temples, gardens and hot springs

Area names follow the city’s official travel guide; this is a selection of three.

When to Go

The city describes its seasons, including a rainy season in June and July.

  • Illustration: cherry blossom over a canal with a wooden footbridge

    Spring (Mar – May)

    Cherry blossom season.

    Average temperature in April: avg 14 °C

  • Illustration: a stone path through a bamboo grove and moss garden

    Summer (Jun – Aug)

    Hot; Gion Matsuri in July.

    Average temperature in July: avg 27 °C

  • Illustration: red maple leaves around a tiled wooden gate

    Autumn (Sep – Nov)

    Autumn leaves, mostly Nov.

    Average temperature in October: avg 18 °C

  • Illustration: light snow on a tiled roof and a pine tree

    Winter (Dec – Feb)

    The coldest months.

    Average temperature in January: avg 5 °C

Temperatures: monthly averages for April, July, October and January in Kyoto (Japan Meteorological Agency, 1991–2020). The city gives no fixed dates for blossom or autumn leaves.

Things to Do

Temples, festivals and districts with their own character.

  • Visit World Heritage sites

    Kiyomizu-dera, Nijo-jo, Rokuon-ji and Ryoan-ji are among the 17.

  • See Gion Matsuri

    Held 1–31 July at Yasaka Jinja, with processions on 17 and 24 July.

  • Explore Fushimi

    A river-port district of canals and sake breweries.

  • Head for rural Ohara

    A rural area of old temples, gardens and hot springs.

Kinds of Stay

Traditional kinds of lodging the city describes.

  • Illustration: a tatami room with futon bedding and screens open to a garden

    Ryokan

    Japanese rooms and futon, with dinner and breakfast.

  • Illustration: the latticed timber front of a traditional townhouse

    Kyo-machiya

    Traditional wooden townhouses fitted out for stays.

  • Illustration: a wooden veranda beside a moss garden with a stone lantern

    Shukubo

    Temple lodgings serving shojin-ryori.

  • Illustration: a small guesthouse entrance with a plain cloth curtain and potted plants

    Minshuku

    A family-run guesthouse in the owner’s home.

Stay styles are inspiration, not listings. The city asks visitors to stay only in licensed accommodation.

Good to Know

A few helpful tips for planning your visit.

  • Getting there

    Tokyo to Kyoto Station takes about 130 minutes by Tokaido Shinkansen.

  • Getting around

    The city asks visitors to use trains and buses; traffic can double journey times.

  • Local tips

    Do not photograph or follow geiko and maiko without permission.

Explore Kyoto

Discover Kyoto

Be inspired by the city and explore B&B stay styles. Bookings are not yet available.

Explore stay styles

Sources

Official sources used for this guide, for further information about Kyoto.

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