Best Day Trips from Kyoto

Tired of similar shrines or temples in Kyoto, here are some day trips from Kyoto in Nara, Uji, Arashiyama, and so on for you to choose from. These trips will give you different experiences, and you may taste different food, like feeding deer in Nara, participating in a tea ceremony, and tasting sweet Matcha desserts in Uji.

1. Nara: Feed Deer, See Nara Panorama, & Taste Persimmon Sushi

Distance: 40 km (25 mi)

Recommended trip hours: from 8:00 a.m. to 16:00 p.m.

Recommended attractions & visiting order: 
Nara Park (1 hour) → Nara National Museum (2 hours) → Hiraso Restaurant (1 hour for lunch here) → Higashimuki Shopping Street (1 hour) → Kofuku-ji Temple (30 minutes) → Kasuga Taisha Shrine (30 minutes) → Mountain Wakakusa (1.5 hours)

These attractions are close to each other, and you can walk from one to the next one within 10 minutes.

Tour planning

Depart from: Kyoto Station
Take train: Kintetsu Limited Express train
Arrive at: Kintetsu-Nara Station
Time needed: 35 minutes
Ticket price: 1,280 yen (All tickets in the article refer to one-way tickets.)

Attraction highlights

1. Nara National Museum

In the museum, the bronze Buddha statues with either solemn or gentle expressions, as well as ancient bronze ware should be seen first.

2. Nara Park

The must-do things include feeding cute deer in the Park, and visiting the famous Todaiji Temple and Kasuga Taisha Shrine.

3. Hiraso Restaurant

In Hiraso, you can taste Kakinoha-zushi – a kind of Sushi unique to Nara. The taste of mackerel and rice would be enriched by a hint of fragrance of persimmon leaves wrapped.

4. Mountain Wakakusa

At the end of your Nara journey, it’s suitable to see the panorama of Nara sitting on the spacious grassland of Mountain Wakakusa.

For a detailed day trip to Nara, please read Nara Day Trips from Kyoto.

2. Uji: Learn Tea Ceremony & Taste Matcha Desserts

Distance: 13 km (8 mi)
Recommended trip hours: from 8:00 a.m. to 14:00 p.m.
Recommended attractions & visiting order: 
Byodo-in Temple (1 hour) → Takumi-no Yakata (1 hour) → Uji Shrine （1 hour) → Ujigami Jinja (half an hour)→ Tale of Genji Museum (1 hour) → Uji River and Uji Bridge (half an hour)

Like Nara’s, there are only 500 meters (550 yards) on average between one attraction to another.

Tour planning

Depart from: Kyoto Station
Take train: JR’s Nara Line
Arrive at: Uji Station
Time needed: 22 minutes
Ticket price: 240 yen
Return to Kyoto before 15:00 p.m.

Attraction highlights

1. Byodo-in Temple

It is one of the most symbolic Buddhist temples in Uji and is famous for 2 bronze phoenixes on its roof.

2. Takimi-no Yakata

To learn about traditional tea ceremony and drink Matcha tea, Takimi-no Yakata is the best place.

3. Uji Shrine & Ujigami Jinja

Uji Shrine and Ujigami Jinja are two shrines close to each other. Uji Shrine is featured by its huge red torii gate and cute bronze rabbit sculptures. Ujigami Jinja is the most ancient shrine in Japan whose halls can date back to Kamkura Period (1185 - 1333).

4. Tale of Genji Museum

The theme of the museum is Genji– one great Japanese literary work and its displays aristocracy’s clothes, furniture, agricultural tools, and houses.

5. Uji Bridge

The 153-meter-long Uji Bridge is one of the most ancient wooden bridges in Japan. On the one side of the bridge stands a sculpture of Murasaki Shikibu – the author of Genji.

3. Arashiyama – Stroll in Bamboo World & Shrines in Hills

Distance: 9 km (5.5 mi)
Recommended trip hours: from 8:00 a.m. to 14:00 p.m.
Recommended attractions & visiting order:
Sagano Romantic Train for sightseeing → Mikami Shrine (half an hour) → Jojakkoji Temple (1 hour) → Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple (half an hour) → Bamboo Grove (half an hour) →Tenryu-ji Temple (1 hour) → Togetsukyo Bridge (half an hour)

Tour planning

Depart from: Kyoto Station
Take train: JR’s San’in Line
Get off at: Umahori Station, 5 minutes’ walk from which is Kameoka Station to take Sagano Romantic Train
Time needed: 24 minutes
Ticket prices: 330 yen

Attraction highlights

1. Sagano Romantic Train

You can appreciate the scenery of Hozugawa River by mountains by taking Sagano Romantic Train. Remember to get off the train at Arashiyama Station.

2. Mikami Shrine – a shrine for people to pray for good health of their hair

3. Jojakoji Temple

The Temple is surrounded by mountains, thus quiet and famous for its natural beauty. 

4. Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple

The Temple’s 1,200 cute Buddhist stone sculptures with vivid expression are cute.

5. Bamboo Grove

The Grove is the must-see sight in Arashiyama and its dense bamboo forests make you feel like being a green sea.

6. Tenryu-ji Shrine

The Shrine owns a traditional Japanese Garden where you can feel the beauty of Zen.

7. Togetsukyo Bridge

It is another unmissable place in Arashiyama and the bridge is the best place to see the panorama of Arashiyama.

4. Nagoya

Distance: 130 km (80 mi)
Recommended trip hours: 8:00 a.m. – 15:00 p.m.
Recommended attractions & visiting order:
Atsuta-jingu Shrine（1.5 hours）→Osu Shopping Street & Osu Kannon Temple（2 hours）→ Nagoya City Science Museum（half an hour）→ Nagoya Castle (2 hours)

Tour planning

Depart from: Kyoto Station
Take train: Tokaido Shinkansen
Arrive at: Nagoya Station
Time needed: 33 minutes
Ticket prices: 5,910 yen

Attraction highlights

1. Atsuta-jingu Shrine

As the religious center of Nagoya, the Shrine owns about 6,000 valuable antiques, especially various swards.

2. Osu Kannon Temple & Osu Shopping Street

Osu Kannon Temple is an important Buddhist temple in Nagoya and a Kannon Statue is displayed inside. Next to the Temple is Osu Shopping Street where you can buy delicious Nagoya food, especially eel.

3. Nagoya City Science Museum

Exhibitions of 12 different themes and various interesting experiments in the Museum will bring you into a science world.

4. Nagoya Castle

The grand Donjon, delicate golden painting works, and samurai performance displayed won’t disappoint you.

5. Hike Mount Hiei & See Lake Biwa

Distance: 12 km (7.5 mi)
Recommended trip hours: from 8:00 a.m. to 17:00 p.m.
Recommended attractions & visiting order: 
Enryaku-ji Temple & Hiking in Mount Hiei (3 hours) → Biwako Valley (2 hours) → Shirahige Shrine (1.5 hours)

Tour Planning

Depart from: Kyoto Station 

Take train: JR’s Tokaido-Sanyo Line
Arrive at: Hieizan-Sakamoto Station
Time needed: 16 minutes
Ticket prices: 330 yen

Attraction highlights

1. Enryaku-ji Temple & Hiking Mount Hiei

The 1,200-year-old Enryaku-ji Temple locates in the beautiful Mount Hiei. Inside the classic red and brown wooden buildings, you can see 60 pieces of treasures. 

2. Biwako Valley

Having a casual walk along the clear Lake Biwa or taking Biwako Ropeway to see Mount Hiei and clouds in the distance, you will feel your body refreshed.

3. Shirahige Shrine

Next to Lake Biwa, Shirahige Shrine’s unmissable building is the red tori gate standing in Lake Biwa. 

Apart from places above, Osaka is also a good choice and it takes you less than 1 hour to go there by train from Kyoto.