SherryStay Destination Guide
Kyoto
Old capital of Japan — 1,000 years of temples, geisha alleys, raked-gravel zen gardens, kaiseki dining.
About Kyoto
Kyoto was Japan’s imperial capital for more than a thousand years, and the centuries left it their finest things. Spared the wartime bombing that flattened other cities, it keeps some 1,600 Buddhist temples and 400 Shinto shrines — seventeen of them together a UNESCO World Heritage Site — from the gold-leafed Kinkaku-ji pavilion to the endless vermilion torii gates climbing the hill at Fushimi Inari. Wander the towering bamboo grove at Arashiyama, take tea in a wooden machiya townhouse, sleep in a ryokan and eat a slow kaiseki dinner served like a poem. In the lantern-lit lanes of Gion you may glimpse a geiko or maiko hurrying to an engagement — greet them with distance and respect; the private alleys are theirs, not the camera’s. Come in cherry-blossom spring or fiery-maple autumn if you can bear the crowds, or off-season for the quiet that made this the soul of old Japan. Kyoto rewards reverence, and it rewards slowness.
Stay near Kyoto Station for transit access, or Gion / Higashiyama for old-town atmosphere. Cherry-blossom season (last week of March, first week of April) is magical but books up months in advance — prices triple.
Best For
Where to Stay
Gion / Higashiyama
Geisha district, wooden machiya houses, Yasaka shrine, walkable historic core
Kyoto Station / Shimogyo
Modern, transit hub, easy day-trips, taxi-friendly
Arashiyama
Bamboo grove, monkey park, river, west-side getaway
Pontocho / Kawaramachi
Lantern alleys, restaurants, nightlife, central Kyoto
Money-Saving Tips
- 1Buy the Kyoto City Bus & Subway 1-Day Pass (¥1,100) — most temples sit on a few key bus lines.
- 2Set kaiseki lunches at ryotei restaurants cost ¥3,500–6,000 — the same dinner is ¥12,000+.
- 3Coin lockers at Kyoto Station (¥600/day) beat luggage delivery if you're moving hotels mid-stay.
Getting Around
- 1Kansai International (KIX) → Kyoto: Haruka Express ¥1,800 with ICOCA Pass discount, 75 min, every 30 min.
- 2JR Pass holders can ride Shinkansen Kyoto ↔ Tokyo (2h 15m) and the Haruka for free.
- 3Bus is the workhorse of Kyoto transport — buy the 1-day pass, sit at the back, and tap your IC card on the way OFF, not on.
Most Common Mistake
Trying to "see" every famous temple in 2 days — pick 4–5 and savor them; the magic is atmosphere, not a checklist.
3–5 nights
- • Nara (40 min train)
- • Osaka (15 min Shinkansen)
- • Himeji Castle (1h 30m)
- • Mount Hiei (1h)
- • Uji tea fields (30 min)
Useful Local Hotel Phrases
Japanese- Helloこんにちはkon-nee-chee-WA
- Thank youありがとうa-ree-ga-TOH
- Pleaseお願いしますo-ne-gai-shi-mas
- Check-inチェックインchek-ku-in
- Check-outチェックアウトchek-ku-a-uto
- HotelホテルHO-te-ru
- Receptionフロントfu-ron-to
- Breakfast朝食choh-sho-ku
- Wi-Fiワイファイwai-fai
- TaxiタクシーTAK-shee
- Airport空港koo-koh
- Train station駅E-ki
- Help助けてtas-ke-te
- How much?いくらですかi-ku-ra-des-ka
- Where is...?どこですかDO-ko-des-ka
Kyoto at a glance
- Kyoto is in Japan.
- The nearest airport to Kyoto is Osaka Kansai (KIX); Itami (ITM) for domestic.
- Getting in from the airport takes 75–90 min from KIX.
- The best way in is Haruka Express from KIX to Kyoto Station.
- A day in Kyoto costs roughly $55–100 per person on a budget, $140–300 mid-range and $550+ at the luxury end.
- Sherry suggests 3–5 nights in Kyoto.
- June is usually the cheapest month to visit Kyoto, November is the busiest, and September offers the best value.
Common questions
- Where should I stay in Kyoto?
- Downtown (Kawaramachi/Gion) for walkable access; Higashiyama for temples; near Kyoto Station for transit.
- How do I get around?
- Buses, the subway and walking; rent a bike for the flat centre. An IC card works on transit.
- How many days?
- 2–3 days for Kyoto’s highlights; add more for day trips (Nara/Osaka).
- How do I avoid the crowds?
- Visit Fushimi Inari and Arashiyama at sunrise; explore quieter northern temples midday.
- When is the best time to visit?
- Cherry blossom (early April) and autumn leaves (mid–late November) are spectacular but busy.
Where to stay in Kyoto
Looking for hotels in Kyoto? It helps to decide on an area first — our guide to where to stay in Kyoto sets out which neighbourhoods suit which kind of trip.
Around Goshonishi the options include 【Forest Guardian Hotel Kyoto Goshonishi】7-minute tram ride from Kyoto Station, Resi Stay Jisco Hotel Kyoto Goshonishi and Tsurui Goshonishi.
Around Imperial the options include The Hotel Kiyomizu Imperial Palace West and THE JUNEI HOTEL Kyoto Imperial Palace West.
Around Ondokoro the options include Kyo no Ondokoro GOSHONISHI #6 and Kyo no Ondokoro TAKEYAMACHI #8.
Elsewhere in the city you will also find Kyo Machiya Hotel Shiki Juraku, Hotel Ninja Black, Shiki Homes - Sawaragi, Hotel Traveling Bridge Nijojo, MATERIAL Fuchomae, STAY Marutamachi, EX 6 Bedroom Japanese Flat in Central Kyoto, Kaya Kyoto Nijo Castle, The Palace Side Hotel, Marutamachi Crystal Hotel, RAKURO 京都 by THE SHARE HOTELS, Rakuro Kyoto, Tasaki-ya and W/ Nursing care to tour 163㎡!6BR nr Kyoto STA!.