Unlike Tokyo, Kyoto is a nice and cozy city. We started the day with a walking tour that gave us an intense view of this city of shrines.

There is a lot to do in this city. However, I would recommend focusing on a few of the best specific shrines.

  1. Inari Shrine - do the full mountain hike to the top and check the small waterfalls on the backside
  2. Kinkaku-ji Shrine
  3. Ninna-ji temple - a 1200-year-old temple with several statues of Hindu gods sculpted in 800 AD.

If you have not visited an onsen then go for Funoka Onsen, the oldest sento (hot water bath) in Kyoto. 490 yen entry fee + 200 yen optional for a small towel. There were a total of 2 pools outside and 4 inside of varying temperatures. One of the pools was electric! I would highly recommend visiting this.

Note:

  1. Nishiki Market is a great area to visit for food.
  2. The city is well-connected by a public bus system with a flat fare of 230 yen per adult.
  3. The best way to get from Tokyo to Kyoto is not the Bullet train but the overnight bus journey.