What to Do in Kyoto for Your Vacation?
Here's a non-exhaustive list of what you should do in Kyoto: - Visit temples - Try karaoke
Here's a non-exhaustive list of what you should do in Kyoto:
- Visit temples
- Try karaoke
- Stroll through gardens & parks
- Dine at traditional Japanese restaurants
- Learn calligraphy, pottery and ikebana
- Bathe (nude) in hot springs
- Play sports: golf, sailing...
- Go shopping
- Meditate
- ...
Frequently asked questions
Kyoto is stunning in spring (March-April) for cherry blossoms and in autumn (November) for the colours of the maples. Summer is hot and humid, while winter can be cold but offers enchanting snow-covered landscapes around the temples.
A stay of 3 to 5 days is ideal for discovering Kyoto's main temples, neighbourhoods and activities. For a more in-depth exploration including the surrounding areas (Nara, Arashiyama), plan for a week.
Among the temples not to be missed in Kyoto are the Fushimi Inari Shrine with its thousands of orange torii gates, Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion), Ryoan-ji with its zen garden, and Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion).
Yes, karaoke is a very popular activity in Japan, including in Kyoto. You'll find numerous karaoke boxes in the city centre, often open late into the night, where you can sing in private rooms with your friends.
Kyoto and its surroundings have several onsen accessible to travellers. Some ryokans (traditional inns) offer private thermal baths. The Kurama area, accessible by train from Kyoto, is renowned for its open-air onsen.
