Kyoto

Booked

Dates Apr 15 - Apr 20, 2026

Purpose Temples, gardens, tea houses, cherry blossoms

Stay Hotel Monterey Kyoto (Apr 15-17) + Ina House Gion (Apr 17-20)

All Kyoto Locations

15 locations

6 Days in Kyoto

Japan's spiritual heart — 1,600+ temples, Zen gardens, cherry blossoms in peak season, the geisha district of Gion, and a day trip to Nara with its sacred deer and Great Buddha.

Day 1 Wed, Apr 15

Central Kyoto from Hotel Monterey (Rain PM)

Walk-from-hotel day: imperial park and castle dry, museums and arcades in the rain

Central / Karasuma 4-5 mi

Kyoto Imperial Palace Park + Gosho
Nijo Castle + nightingale floors
Nishiki Market covered arcade
Museum of Kyoto
Teramachi arcade
Dinner Pontocho

Day 2 Thu, Apr 16

Northwest + Philosopher's Path

Golden Pavilion, famous rock garden, canal-side Zen walk south

NW + N. Higashiyama 5-6 mi

Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)
Ryoan-ji rock garden
Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion)
Philosopher's Path cherry blossoms
Nanzen-ji + Aqueduct
Jazz at Hello Dolly

Day 3 Fri, Apr 17

Move to Ina House Gion + Higashiyama Temple Loop

Check out Monterey, then walk the iconic Higashiyama temples from your new doorstep

Higashiyama / Gion 5-6 mi

Check out Monterey → Ina House Gion
Kiyomizu-dera
Sannenzaka & Ninenzaka
Kodai-ji + Ishibei-koji
Kyoto National Museum
Sanjusangen-do 1001 Kannon
Chion-in + Maruyama Park at dusk

Day 4 Sat, Apr 18

Fushimi Inari at Dawn + Uji Day Trip

Dawn torii gates in solitude, then Japan's matcha capital

South Kyoto + Uji 5-6 mi

Fushimi Inari Taisha at dawn
Byodo-in (the 10-yen coin temple)
Kosho-ji bamboo path (no crowds)
Matcha tea ceremony
Tale of Genji Museum
Tea street shopping

Day 5 Sun, Apr 19

Nara Day Trip — Great Buddha + Sacred Deer

Ancient capital, world's largest bronze Buddha, 1,200 deer

Nara 5-6 mi

Todai-ji Great Buddha
Nara Park sacred deer
Kasuga Taisha 3,000 lanterns
Nara-machi old quarter
Farewell Kyoto kaiseki dinner

Day 6 Mon, Apr 20

Kyoto Railway Museum → Osaka

Trains in the morning, then the short hop south to Osaka

Umekoji / Kyoto Station 2-3 mi

Check out Ina House Gion
Kyoto Railway Museum (53 trains)
Lunch at Kyoto Station
Local train to Osaka

Quick Reference

Accommodation

Hotel Monterey Kyoto (Apr 15-17)

Karasuma/Nakagyo — central Kyoto

2 nights — walkable to Nishiki & transit

Open in Google Maps

Ina House Gion (Apr 17-20)

44-24 Bishamoncho, Higashiyama Ward

3 nights — Gion location

Open in Google Maps

Getting There

Already arrived

At Hotel Monterey Kyoto

Karasuma / Nakagyo, central

Departure

Apr 20 → Osaka

Local train (~30 min)

~¥600, easy transition

Must-Do

Fushimi Inari at dawn

Kiyomizu-dera early morning

Arashiyama bamboo grove

Nara day trip (deer + Buddha)

Kaiseki dinner (splurge!)

Kyoto

At a Glance


Dates	Wednesday, April 15 - Monday, April 20, 2026
Nights	5
Focus	Temples, gardens, tea houses, cherry blossoms
Status	Booked

Why Kyoto?

1600+ temples — Japan’s spiritual heart
Cherry blossoms — Peak season, mid-April perfect timing
Geisha district — Gion’s traditional atmosphere
Gardens — Zen rock gardens, moss gardens, stroll gardens
Day trips — Nara, Himeji Castle, Arashiyama
Food — Kaiseki, matcha, Nishiki Market

Getting There

From Takayama:

Hida Express to Nagoya (~2.5 hrs)
Shinkansen Nagoya to Kyoto (~35 min)
Total: ~4 hours, ~12,000 yen

Accommodation

Best Area: Higashiyama/Gion — walking distance to major temples

✅ Booked: Hotel Monterey Kyoto (Apr 15-17, 2 nights)


Property	Hotel Monterey Kyoto
Area	Karasuma / Nakagyo — central Kyoto
Dates	Wednesday, April 15 - Friday, April 17 (2 nights)
Map	Google Maps

✅ Booked: Ina House Gion (Apr 17-20, 3 nights)


Property	Ina House Gion
Address	44-24 Bishamoncho, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto 605-0812
Dates	Friday, April 17 - Monday, April 20 (3 nights)
Map	Google Maps

Suggested Itinerary

Day	Date	Activities
1	Wed 4/15	Central Kyoto from Hotel Monterey · AM (dry): Imperial Palace Park + Gosho, Nijo Castle · PM (rain): Nishiki Market, Museum of Kyoto, Teramachi arcade, dinner Pontocho
2	Thu 4/16	Kinkaku-ji, Ryoan-ji → Ginkaku-ji → Philosopher’s Path → Nanzen-ji → dinner + Hello Dolly
3	Fri 4/17	Move to Ina House Gion → Kiyomizu-dera, Sannenzaka, Kodai-ji, Kyoto National Museum, Sanjusangen-do, Chion-in, Maruyama Park
4	Sat 4/18	Fushimi Inari at dawn → Uji day trip — Byodo-in, Kosho-ji bamboo, matcha, Tale of Genji
5	Sun 4/19	Nara day trip — Todai-ji, Kasuga Taisha, deer
6	Mon 4/20	Kyoto Railway Museum → local train to Osaka

Temples & Shrines

Eastern Kyoto (Higashiyama)

Site	Type	Cost	Notes	Links
Kiyomizu-dera	Buddhist	400 yen	Iconic wooden stage	Map
Fushimi Inari	Shinto	Free	10,000 torii gates — GO AT DAWN	Map
Yasaka Shrine	Shinto	Free	Heart of Gion, lanterns at dusk	Map

Philosopher’s Path Area

Site	Type	Cost	Notes	Links
Ginkaku-ji	Zen	500 yen	Silver Pavilion, sand garden	Map
Nanzen-ji	Zen	600 yen	Massive gate, aqueduct	Map

Northwest Kyoto

Site	Type	Cost	Notes	Links
Kinkaku-ji	Zen	500 yen	Golden Pavilion	Map
Ryoan-ji	Zen	600 yen	Famous rock garden	Map
Nijo Castle	History	1,300 yen	Shogun’s residence, nightingale floors	Map

Arashiyama (West)

Site	Cost	Notes	Links
Bamboo Grove	Free	Go early to avoid crowds	Map
Tenryu-ji	500 yen	UNESCO, beautiful Zen garden	Map

Day Trips

Nara (Highly Recommended)

Distance: ~45 min by train, ~1,500 yen round trip
Todai-ji — World’s largest bronze Buddha
Kasuga Taisha — 3,000 lanterns
Nara Park — 1,200+ sacred deer

Himeji Castle (Optional)

Distance: ~50 min Shinkansen, ~6,000 yen round trip
Japan’s finest original castle

Onsen & Sento

Facility	Notes	Links
Funaoka Onsen	1933, Cultural Property — worth the trip	Map
Tenzan no Yu	Arashiyama, combine with bamboo grove	Map
Kurama Onsen	Mountains, 30 min train, outdoor sulfur springs	Map

Food

Nishiki Market — “Kyoto’s Kitchen”
Kaiseki — Multi-course traditional meal (splurge one night)
Matcha — Tea ceremony or sweets
Yudofu — Tofu hot pot (Nanzen-ji area)

Jazz

Venue	Notes	Links
Hello Dolly	Classic jazz bar	Map
Jittoku	Oldest live house in Japan	Map

Budget (Kyoto Leg)

Category	Estimate
Accommodation (Monterey 2 nights + Ina House 3 nights)	~$800-1,100
Temples/shrines (~10 sites)	~$50
Nara day trip	~$15
Onsen/sento (daily)	~$40
Food (7 days)	~$300-400
Local transit	~$40
Subtotal	~$1,495-1,945

Departure: April 20 (Monday)

To Osaka:

Local train (~30 min, ~600 yen)
Quick, easy transition

Luggage: No need for takkyubin — Osaka is only 30 min away. Just take your bags on the train.