What to do in Kyoto in 6 hours

3 self-guided 6-hour routes through Kyoto — every stop timed, mapped and in the order that works on the ground.

6h Mid-range

Fushimi Inari to Gion in six hours

Ten thousand torii gates at dawn, the temple on stilts, the preserved lanes below it and the geisha quarter at dusk.

Fushimi Inari Taisha · Kiyomizu-dera · Sannenzaka · Yasaka Shrine · Gion

1.3 km on foot 5 stops 4h 23m total

6h Mid-range

Kinkaku-ji and the northern temples in six hours

The Golden Pavilion, the rock garden of Ryōan-ji, Ninna-ji's late cherries, the shrine of scholars at Kitano, and the Zen gardens of Daitoku-ji with grilled rice cakes at its gate.

Kinkaku-ji · Ryōan-ji · Ninna-ji · Kitano Tenmangū · Daitoku-ji · Imamiya Shrine

2.3 km on foot 6 stops 4h 31m total

6h Budget

Nijō Castle and the Imperial Palace in six hours

The shogun's castle with its nightingale floors, the old imperial palace in its park, the turtle stepping stones where two rivers meet and the ancient forest of the Shimogamo Shrine.

Nijō Castle · Kyoto Imperial Palace · Kyoto Gyoen · Kamogawa Delta · Shimogamo Shrine

3.9 km on foot 5 stops 4h 21m total

Planning the rest of the trip

These routes cover the walking. The Kyoto guide has where to stay, what a day costs at each tier, and what to book before you go.