Top Things to Do Around Kyoto: Best Day Trips and Nearby Gems

[slug: Top-15-Things-to-Do-Around-Kyoto]

[Title: Top 15 Things to Do Around Kyoto for an Unforgettable Experience]

[Description: Discover the top 15 experiences in Kyoto that promise to make your visit memorable. From temples to cuisine, explore the best of this enchanting city!]

By Yuto Asano\ Eats, drinks, and cycles his way through the city.

After twenty-eight years of calling Kyoto, Japan home, I've learned something most visitors miss entirely. The best things to do around Kyoto aren't actually in Kyoto proper at all.

Sure, the golden temples like Kiyomizu-dera and bustling areas near Nishiki Market have their charm. But when I need to remember why I love living in Kyoto, I hop on my bike and head to the edges. That's where this ancient city shows its real personality.

These aren't your typical day trip destinations either. I'm talking about places that feel like secrets, where you can sit quietly with your thoughts instead of fighting crowds for photos like you might at Fushimi Inari or Kiyomizu-dera Temple. Places where the train ride from Kyoto Station itself becomes part of the experience.

The beauty of exploring around Kyoto is how accessible everything feels. Most spots I'll share take less than an hour to reach from central Kyoto. You can leave after breakfast and be back for dinner, but somewhere in between, you'll find moments that stick with you long after you've returned home.

Each destination around Kyoto offers something worth visiting - whether it's ancient temples in Kyoto tucked into mountainsides or quiet riverside paths where time in Kyoto slows to its natural rhythm. Many travelers spend only one day in each area, but even that limited time reveals treasures that most visitors to the famous Higashiyama district never discover.

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Everyone knows about Arashiyama's bamboo grove. What they don't know is when to go, or better yet, where to go instead of joining the crowds heading to places like Kiyomizu-dera or Nishiki Market.

I cycle out there most Saturday mornings around 6:30 AM from central Kyoto. The tourists haven't arrived yet, and the light filters through the bamboo forest in ways that make your phone camera irrelevant. This is when Arashiyama feels like the mystical place it's supposed to be.

But here's my real secret: skip the main bamboo grove entirely. Head north from Tenryu-ji toward the smaller groves behind the residential areas. The bamboo grows just as tall, the paths wind just as mysteriously, but you'll likely have them to yourself.

The bike ride there sets the perfect tone. I take the riverside path along the Katsura River, where herons stand motionless in the shallows and early joggers nod politely as they pass. It's a twenty minute walk from Arashiyama Station if you prefer not to cycle, but the pedal from central Kyoto feels like meditation. The route covers about 2 km of peaceful riverside terrain that many cyclists overlook in favor of busier paths.

On clear mornings, I'll continue across Togetsukyo Bridge just as the sun hits the mountains. The bridge connects you to hiking trails that most people never discover. These paths lead through cedar forests where the only sounds are your footsteps and the occasional rustle of wildlife.

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After exploring, I usually stop at one of the small cafes tucked into the residential streets. They serve coffee that tastes like someone's grandmother made it with care, and the owners often remember your order after just a few visits.

The key to Arashiyama is timing and patience. Give it the early morning hours, and it transforms from a tourist destination into something genuinely peaceful.

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Uji gets overlooked because it's not technically Kyoto, but that's exactly why I love it. It's only forty minutes by train from Kyoto Station, but it feels like a completely different world, a perfect for a day trip that doesn't require extensive planning.

Most people go to Uji for the matcha, and they should. But they usually head straight to the famous shops near Byodo-in and miss the real gems. I prefer the smaller tea houses tucked into the residential areas, where the owners have been perfecting their recipes for generations, some over 200 years old.

There's one place I visit regularly where the elderly owner still whisks matcha by hand during her traditional tea ceremony. She serves it with seasonal sweets that change based on what's growing in her tiny garden behind the shop. The ritual of watching her prepare each bowl teaches you more about Japanese tea culture than any guidebook ever could. Many visitors to Higashiyama's famous tea houses never experience this level of authenticity.

But Uji's real magic happens along the Uji River. I spend hours walking the riverbank paths, especially in late afternoon when local families come out for picnics and students practice calligraphy on the wooden benches.

The river moves differently than Kyoto's streams. It's wider, calmer, with small islands that ducks claim as their territory. On warm days, you'll see kids wading in the shallows while their grandparents fan themselves under the willow trees. Many of these family traditions have continued for generations, creating a sense of continuity that busy Higashiyama streets can't match.

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Byodo-in deserves its fame as a UNESCO World Heritage site, but visit it last. Spend the morning wandering Uji's quiet streets, sampling tea, and sitting by the river. By the time you reach this ancient temple, you'll appreciate its beauty as the capstone of a perfect, unhurried day.

The train ride back to Kyoto always feels too short. There's something about Uji's pace that makes you want to linger, to extend the afternoon just a bit longer. Kyoto is one of those rare places where every surrounding area offers its own distinct personality.

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Looking for a short forest hike near Kyoto? This trail between Kurama and Kibune gives you everything: mountain air, ancient shrines, and stories that blur the line between history and folklore.

The hike itself takes about two hours, winding through cedar and maple forests that feel older than the temples they surround. I always start from Kurama because the trail climbs gradually, giving you time to settle into the forest rhythm away from the bustling energy of central Kyoto.

About halfway up, you'll reach Kifune-ji where locals still leave offerings for fox spirits. This temple sits in a grove so quiet you can hear individual leaves falling. It's the kind of place that makes you whisper automatically, though you're not sure why. Many hikers rush past this spot, but spending 15 minutes here in contemplation transforms the entire experience.

The descent into Kibune reveals one of Japan's most charming village scenes. Traditional wooden restaurants line the stream, their platforms extending over the water. In summer, they serve nagashi-somen, where noodles flow down bamboo flumes and you catch them with chopsticks. It's playful in a way that surprises first-time visitors, worth visiting any time of year.

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But my favorite discovery happened by accident. On a particularly hot August day, I followed a side trail that led to a small onsen hidden in the forest. The water temperature was perfect, and steam rose through the tree canopy like incense. I soaked there for an hour, listening to birds and feeling my city stress dissolve completely.

The locals in Kibune have stories about fox spirits helping lost travelers find their way. After spending time in these forests, you start to understand why such legends persist. There's something about the interplay of light and shadow that makes the mystical feel possible.

Winter transforms this hike completely. Snow covers the trail markers, and the silence becomes even more profound. The restaurants in Kibune serve hot pot dishes that warm you from the inside out, and the contrast between the cold forest air and the cozy interiors creates memories that last for years. Unlike the busy atmosphere around popular temples like Todai-ji Temple or Kiyomizu-dera Temple, these mountain restaurants offer genuine tranquility.

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Northern Kyoto holds some of the city's most famous temples, but also its most overlooked treasures. The area around Kinkaku-ji gets dismissed as "too touristy," but venture just a few blocks beyond the main sites, and you'll find temples where you can sit in rock garden courtyards with only the sound of raked gravel underfoot.

Kinkaku-ji itself deserves its reputation as one of Kyoto's most iconic UNESCO World Heritage temples in Kyoto. The Golden Pavilion reflecting in the pond creates one of Japan's most famous images. But I've learned to appreciate it differently over the years. Instead of fighting for the perfect photo angle, I find a spot away from the crowds and watch how the light changes throughout the day.

Early morning visits reveal details you miss in busy periods. The way morning mist rises from the pond. How the Golden Pavilion's reflection shifts as light filters through the surrounding trees. The careful placement of every stone in the garden becomes apparent when you have time to really look.

But the real discoveries happen when you explore the residential areas behind these famous heritage sites. Small shrines tucked between houses. Gardens maintained by neighborhood associations. Cafes where temple workers grab coffee between ceremonies.

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One of my favorite finds is a tiny temple about a ten minute walk from Ginkaku-ji. No guidebook mentions it, and most days I'm the only visitor. The monk who tends the grounds grows vegetables in raised beds between the cemetery stones. He once explained to me how the ancestors nourish the soil that feeds the living, creating an endless cycle of gratitude.

These smaller temples teach you something about Japanese spirituality that the famous sites can't. They're working temples, places where local families have brought their prayers for generations. The worn wooden floors and faded paintings speak of daily devotion rather than tourist admiration.

The walk between northern Kyoto temples becomes its own reward. Tree-lined streets lead past traditional wooden houses where you can glimpse interior courtyards through briefly opened doors. The pace feels different here, more connected to the rhythms of neighborhood life.

Some paths lead you past small rock garden spaces that locals tend with the same care as temple grounds. These quiet corners of northern Kyoto remind you that the city's spiritual heritage extends far beyond its famous temple complexes.

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The hour-long train ride from Kyoto Station to Nara makes it one of the easiest day trip options from Kyoto. Most visitors rush straight to Nara Park to feed the famous deer, take photos, and head home. They miss the city's quieter personality entirely.

Don't get me wrong, the deer are charming. More than charming, actually. They bow when you offer them crackers, and some have learned to steal maps from unsuspecting tourists. But spending your entire Nara visit in the park feels like reading only the first chapter of a good book.

I prefer to start early and walk the paths around Kasuga Taisha-ji before the tour groups arrive. The thousands of stone lanterns create corridors of shadow and light that photographers dream about. In the right season, wisteria drapes over the lantern paths like natural curtains.

But Nara's best secret lies in its residential areas, where traditional merchants' houses line narrow streets barely wide enough for cars. These neighborhoods feel like stepping back several decades. Elderly shopkeepers tend tiny stores that sell everything from handmade brushes to local pickles that have been prepared the same way for generations, some recipes nearly 300 years old.

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The climb to Nigatsudo Hall offers views that rival any temple in Kyoto. The hall sits on wooden stilts overlooking Nara's entire valley, and the sunset from here paints the ancient city in golden light. I've made this climb dozens of times, and it never gets old.

Local restaurants in Nara serve specialties you won't find in Kyoto. Kakinoha-zushi, sushi wrapped in persimmon leaves, tastes like autumn itself. The leaves impart a subtle sweetness that complements the rice perfectly.

On quiet afternoons, I sometimes sit in Isuien Garden, where the borrowed scenery technique frames distant mountains as part of the garden design. The effect creates a sense of infinite space within carefully maintained boundaries.

The train ride back gives you time to process the day's discoveries. Nara moves at a different pace than Kyoto, and spending time there reminds you that Japan's ancient capitals each developed their own unique character over the centuries.

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Some of the most romantic things to do for couples in Kyoto actually happen outside the city center, where you can create intimate moments without navigating crowds around popular spots like Fushimi Inari or the busy streets near Nishiki Market.

I often recommend couples start with a private tea ceremony in one of the traditional houses near the Philosopher's Path in Kyoto. These aren't tourist demonstrations but actual lessons where you learn the precise movements passed down through generations. The ritual creates a shared experience that somehow makes you more present with each other.

The tea ceremony teaches patience in beautiful ways. You learn to appreciate the sound of water boiling, the texture of the tea bowl in your hands, the careful choreography required to serve your partner properly. It's meditation disguised as etiquette.

After the ceremony, I suggest cycling to the Kamogawa River for an impromptu picnic. The riverbank paths offer dozens of spots where you can spread a blanket and watch local life unfold. Students practice guitar. Elderly couples feed ducks. Children chase butterflies through the tall grass.

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Pack simple foods that taste better outdoors: onigiri from the convenience store, seasonal fruit from the local market, perhaps a bottle of local sake if the mood strikes. The simplicity becomes part of the charm.

Evening brings a different energy to the riverbank. Young couples claim spots under the trees, and the conversation becomes quieter, more intimate. String lights from nearby restaurants reflect in the water, creating an atmosphere that expensive establishments try to replicate but never quite achieve.

For couples who prefer active dates, the bike ride to Arashiyama offers opportunities to explore together without the pressure of constant conversation. Sometimes the best moments happen in comfortable silence, pedaling side by side through tree-lined paths. If you're staying in Gion, the ride takes you through some of Kyoto's most picturesque neighborhoods.

From central areas like Gion Shijo, you can easily access many of these quieter destinations. The key to romantic Kyoto experiences lies in finding spaces where you can focus on each other rather than competing with dozens of other people for the same view or experience. Many couples gravitate toward Higashiyama's famous temples, but the quieter areas around Kyoto offer more intimate possibilities. You might even spot a geisha in training walking to her lessons in the residential areas, creating unexpected moments of beauty.

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Ohara feels like a mountain village that happened to contain some of Japan's most beautiful temples. The train ride from Kyoto Station takes you through rural landscapes that remind you how close Kyoto sits to untouched countryside.

Sanzen-in-ji draws most visitors, and rightfully so. The moss gardens here grow in patterns that look intentionally designed but developed naturally over centuries. Walking these paths feels like moving through a living artwork where every step reveals new compositions of green.

But Ohara's charm extends beyond its famous temple. The village itself rewards wandering. Traditional farmhouses converted into restaurants serve mountain vegetables prepared in ways that highlight their natural flavors. The soba noodles here taste different than anywhere else, possibly because of the mountain water used in preparation.

Local markets sell handmade crafts that reflect the mountain environment. Wooden bowls carved from local trees. Textiles dyed with plants that grow wild on the surrounding hills. These aren't tourist souvenirs but functional items that mountain families have made for generations, following traditions over 400 years old.

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The hiking trails around Ohara lead through forests where you might encounter wild monkeys or spot rare birds that prefer mountain habitats. These aren't challenging climbs but gentle walks that reward you with views of the valley below.

In autumn, Ohara becomes one of Kyoto Prefecture's best-kept secrets for fall colors. The maples surrounding the temples turn brilliant reds and oranges, but without the crowds that pack the city's famous spots like Kiyomizu-dera or Fushimi Inari. You can actually sit quietly and watch leaves falling into temple ponds.

Winter transforms Ohara into something almost mystical. Snow covers the temple roofs and garden paths, creating scenes that belong on ancient paintings. The silence becomes profound, broken only by the occasional sound of snow sliding off temple roofs.

Local residents have adapted to mountain life in ways that city dwellers find fascinating. They preserve vegetables for winter using techniques passed down through generations. They heat their homes with wood from forests they've managed sustainably for centuries.

The contrast between Ohara's peaceful mountain rhythms and the energy of central Kyoto creates perfect balance. Many visitors use it as a retreat from the intensity of Higashiyama's crowded streets, where geisha sightings and temple visits can overwhelm the senses. Here, the pace allows for genuine reflection and connection with Japan's rural heritage.

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