Travel Guide: Kyoto

{About}

If Tokyo is one of the most modern and futuristic cities, visiting Kyoto is, in many respects, like stepping back in time. Kyoto is a cultural capital and chock-full of temples, shrines, incredible pre-war architecture, gorgeous shopping, and some truly A-level food. It is also well-situated for some interesting day trips should you wish to venture out to some additional locations. 

{Get There/Get Around}

The easiest way to get to Kyoto from Tokyo or any other part of Japan is via the Skinkansesn rapid train. If you have the opportunity I highly recommend taking a trip on the bullet train as it is defintiely a unique cultural experience. To get our daughter ready, we watched clips of the trains for weeks in advance and she was so excited to finally go on one! 

There are tons of posts out there with much more detailed information on taking the Shinkansen trains, but a few pieces of advice from a mom’s perspective: 

  1. Book your tickets in advance as seats are assigned and do sell out.

  2. Either forward your larger luggage ahead, see more on that here, or remember to pay for the extra luggage allowance.

  3. Both Tokyo Station and Kyoto Station are very crowded and can elicit some frazzled feelings in even the most experienced travelers. For this reason, I would highly recommend forwarding your larger bags so you dont have to deal with them. There are also several sets of stairs/escalators to contend with. 

  4. Food. Eating a bento lunch on the Shinkansen is a bit of a “thing”. There used to be food for sale on board but now you need to bring it with you so plan a bit of extra time at the station to get something. We took a lunchtime train both directions and found the lines for food to be long in both stations so plan a bit of extra time for this. 

  5. Unlike many stations in the U.S. you wait in the station until just before your train arrives/departs. Then you head up to the platform and enter your designated car. And the station doesn’t have seating. You are meant to show up with just enough time to grab your bento and get on. Obviously this doesn’t work well with kids so be prepared to have to wait for a bit in a very hectic space. 

  6. Like in the rest of Japan, the train station bathrooms are immaculate but given how busy they are, expect a line - especially for the ladies. That said, I do recommend taking toddlers or babies for a change before getting on the train because navigating that situation on a train going >170mph isn’t ideal. Good news is there are mom/kid designated stalls that you have priority access to and the ladies in the line will very kindly guide you there if you dont spot it on your own. 

Once in Kyoto, the metro is a very efficient way to get around the city but you can honestly walk most places aside from some of the historic sites that are on the outskirts. 

Taxis are also easy to find. Most take credit card but it wont hurt to have a few Yen on hand just in case. 

{Stay}

Hotels: 

Family: 

  • Citadines Karasuma-Gojo Kyoto: We loved this property for our needs on this trip. I had booked a one bedroom apartment, but they were overbooked during the holidays and gave us corner connecting rooms which worked out beautifully. There are laundry facilities in the basement, but the dryers are very slow! 

{See & Do}

Temples, Shrines & Palaces: I believe there are something like 2,000 temples and shrines in Kyoto and you will truly see them everywhere. Here are a few that we really enjoyed. 

  • Kiyomizudera (opens at 6am) & Ninenzaka (area with traditional homes)

  • Kinkaku-ji (9am - 5pm)

  • Higashiyama Jisho-ji

  • Nanzen-ji Temple

  • Tōji Temple

  • Fushimi-Inari (open 24 hrs): Fushimi Inari Shrine is a bit outside of the main part of Kyoto, but it is only two local stations (5 minutes) from JR Kyoto to Inari station on the Nara line or you can take a quick taxi there.

  • Nijo Castle (8:45-5pm)

  • Kyoto Imperial Palace 

Explore Gion

  • Higashiyama Shirakawa Lane

  • Tsujiri Tea House, Gion Main Shop

  • Kagizen Yoshifusa Shijo Main Branch

  • Patisserie Gion Sakai

Visit Nishiki Market: Note that this gets incredibly crowded and is basically impossible to navigate with a stroller when its busy to try and go during a non-peek time, or leave the stroller behind if you feel confident your little one can hold a hand/stay close or is small enough to be in a stroller. If you get overwhelmed you are just a block off the main shopping street and can take a breather in one of the beautiful department stores. 

Walk the Philosopher’s path: This is truly lovely for all ages. It is a bit removed from downtown so you may want to plan to take a taxi there/back. 

Tea Ceremony: This might be hard with toddlers but if you have a baby who can nap in a carrier or stroller or a slightly older child who can sit through a more formal experience, this is a truly lovely experience and the desserts in Kyoto are out of this world. Don’t forget to buy some matcha tea to take home!  

  • Kagizen Yoshifusa Shijo Main Branch

  • KIMONO TEA CEREMONY MAIKOYA at GION KIYOMIZU

  • Ippodo Tea Kyoto Main Store

Kimonos: Learn about the art of kimono dressing and have fun photos taken at Yume Yakata Gojo. The ladies here are so incredibly sweet and will guide you through the whole thing. I looked into several shops and this was one of the only ones that I found online that would rent to young children. Of course, when we were there we found tons of shops that rented to the younger demographic, but if you want to arrange in advance I highly recommend this spot. Note there is a lot of moving to various locations in the building so I recommend limiting the amount of things you have with you to streamline the experience. 

Playgrounds: The playgrounds in Kyoto are nothing to write home about but here are a few of the more central ones that we frequented. 

  • Takasegawa Shomen Children’s Park

  • Yurin Children’s Park

  • Matsubarabashi Park

  • Shutoku Park

{Eat & Drink}

  • Gion Gyuzen (sukiyaki)

  • Tokkyu Ramen (ramen)

  • Sugidama (Izakaya)

  • Sodoh (Italian, reservation, near Kiyomizudera)

  • Kikyo Sushi (Sushi, near Nijo Castle, opens 1130 am on Sunday, reservation)

  • Menbakaichidai Fire Ramen (ramen)

  • Slo (bakery)

  • Coyote the roots (coffee) 

  • Kawama Cafe (coffee)

  • Ki (Lebanese) 

  • Lorimer (cafe)

  • Walden Woods (cafe)

  • Murmur coffee (coffee)

  • Kaikado Cafe (cafe) 

{Shop}

  • Le Sillage Fragrance Shop 

  • My Only Fragrance Teramachi

  • Tsujiri Tea House, Gion Main Shop

  • Ippodo Tea Kyoto Main Store

  • Box and Needle (Stationary store) 

{Things to Know}

  • Once you are off the main roads, the streets of Kyoto are tiny and sidewalks are non-existent. There is also a significant amount of bike traffic so keep tabs on little ones when out walking and be prepared to dodge parked and moving cars with a stroller. 

  • In Kyoto proper, there isn’t a whole lot of green space and parks are relatively utilitarian. Head out of the city a bit to find some nature and space for kids to run. 

    • Nara is a great day trip for this! 

  • The major attractions in Kyoto get incredibly packed and hectic so I would recommend going first thing in the morning and then taking a breather for a bit mid-day. 

  • Fine dining is popular in Kyoto and you’ll find a ton of Kaiseki restaurants which aren’t ideal for diners with limited attention spans. In a pinch, most hotels and the department stores will have several restaurants to choose from. And of course, the grocery stores and convenience stores are great for quick meals on-the-go.

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