01
Fushimi Inari Shrine
Thousands of vermillion torii gates winding up Mount Inari. Go at sunrise or late afternoon to skip the crowds.
Stop 02 · Base · 4 nights
Quick facts
The cultural heart of Japan. Four nights here because there is so much: temples, shrines, the geisha district, bamboo forests, and the easy day trip to Nara. Late October is the start of Kyoto's autumn season, so we catch the early colour.
Hotels and ryokan we are considering. We will lock in and book together.
Seeded from what we already wrote. We will add, cut and reorder.
Thousands of vermillion torii gates winding up Mount Inari. Go at sunrise or late afternoon to skip the crowds.
Bamboo grove, Tenryu-ji temple, the Togetsukyo Bridge over the Hozu River. The whole area, not just the bamboo path.
Wooden temple on a hillside, ringed by maples. Walk up through Sannenzaka with the matcha shops and sweets vendors.
Kyoto's traditional district: wooden machiya houses, lanterns, the willow canal. Dinner in Pontocho alley.
An authentic matcha ceremony. Camellia (Gion, about ¥3,000, 45 min) or Maikoya (kimono option, a bit more). Reserve early in autumn.
More →Authentic local places we want to eat, and room for more.
The Tadka you wanted: small, excellent South Indian (thali, dosa, filter coffee). Dosas Friday and Saturday mornings only; reserve for six.
More →Kyoto's 400-year-old kitchen: tofu, yuba, pickles, dashimaki, seasonal bites. Graze breakfast to lunch; eat where you buy.
More →Kyoto's lantern-lit dining lane. Book a specific izakaya for six (many are tiny). Yamatomi is a reliable group-friendly option.
More →A loose plan, editable as we book things.
Arrive from Osaka, walk Kiyomizu-dera and the Sannenzaka lanes, dinner in Gion.
Early start at the torii gates before the crowds, then Tofuku-ji and southern Kyoto.
Deer park, Todai-ji, Kasuga Taisha, back to Kyoto for dinner.
Bamboo grove and Tenryu-ji early, riverside lunch, a slow afternoon before the move.