Kyoto

A former capital city, Kyoto is now known as the cultural capital of Japan. Home to over 2,000 temples and shrines as well as one of the remaining Geisha districts, Kyoto is for those who romanticize ‘classic Japan’.

Most Recent Visit

April 2025

How to Get Here

Kyoto is easily accessed by train from Tokyo or other cities throughout Japan. Osaka is the closest international airport.

Trip Length

We spent 4 nights in Kyoto and spent a portion of our time taking day trips outside of the city. 4-5 days is recommended if you intend to visit many of the shrines and temples.

Where to Stay

There are a range of lodging options in Tokyo and around the country. For a budget experience, try a capsule hotel where you have a small ‘cube’ to sleep in and shared common areas. For a classic cultural experience, stay at a ryokan. Ryokans are traditional inns that offer a unique cultural experience, featuring tatami rooms, kaiseki meals, and typically hot spring baths. Ryokans were slightly more expensive during the time we visited but we plan to try one on our next visit. And of course, hotels ranging from budget to luxury are available. Staying true to our mid-range budget style, we chose ‘chain’ hotels that were located near the train stations (3–10-minute walks). While the rooms and beds were on the small side, we spent so little time in the rooms it wasn’t a problem for us. If you’re the type of traveler that likes to spend some time in the room decompressing or relaxing, you may want to look at more luxurious options. We paid anywhere from $59-$144/night USD (in 2025) and stayed at various Hotel Mystays, Sotetsu Fresa Inns, and APA Hotels (all booked through our Expedia travel agent site).

In Kyoto, we stayed at Sotetsu Fresa Inn Kyoto Hachijoguchi which was a few minute walk to the main train station in Kyoto. This worked great for us since we had planned a few day trips and had purchased the JR Pass (read more about that in the article linked below).