At a Glance
- Location: Kansai region, western Japan
- Best time to visit: March to May (cherry blossoms) or October to November (autumn colours)
- How long to stay: 2-3 days minimum. May do multiple day trips from Osaka. We wouldn’t recommend trying to do it all in a day. Two wasn’t enough for us but we did what we could. Everything is very spread out and not always accessible by metro.
- Best for: Families who want cultural immersion, history, temples and traditional Japan. Our kids weren’t massively into it so it was a challenge keeping them interested at times.
- Budget (family of 4): Slightly more than Osaka (we found accommodation expensive) – 40,000-50,000 Yen per day (USD$250-300)
- Getting there: 15 minutes from Osaka by Shinkansen or 1 hour by local train (which somehow, we turned in two hours with a few wrong turns), or 2.5 hours from Tokyo by Shinkansen
- Getting around: Buses and metro cover the main sights
- Best area to stay: Gion or near Kyoto Station for access to everything. We stayed a 10-minute walk from Gion in a lovely traditional machiya (book here). We paid 23,000 Yen for 2 nights (USD$140)
- Family friendly rating: 6/10 – culturally extraordinary but the sheer number of temples can test kids’ patience unless they’re really into it.
Kyoto was Japan’s imperial capital for over 1,000 years. It shows.
Where Tokyo is all neon and velocity, Kyoto is temple gates and wooden lanes. Where Osaka feeds you, Kyoto makes you feel history. Over 2,000 temples and shrines, machiya townhouses with sliding paper doors, narrow streets where geisha still walk, Kyoto is Japan as it existed before the modern world arrived. And those traditions carry on today.
We spent two days there from our Osaka base, which is not enough, but was what our energy levels allowed. We made it to Fushimi Inari, the bamboo forest at Arashiyama, and the old streets of Gion. We slept on futons in a traditional machiya. And getting up and down from a legless floor chair with a creaky back is, I can confirm, considerably more challenging than it sounds.
This is our honest guide to Kyoto with kids.
In This Article:
- What is Kyoto like for families?
- When to visit Kyoto with kids
- Getting to Kyoto
- Getting around Kyoto with kids
- Where to stay in Kyoto with kids
- Where to eat in Kyoto with kids
- Things to do in Kyoto with kids
- Staying in a traditional machiya
- Tips for Kyoto with kids
- Costs and budget
- Is Kyoto worth it for families?
- Frequently asked questions
What is Kyoto Like for Families?
For families, Kyoto is a different proposition to Tokyo or Osaka. There are fewer theme parks and shopping experiences and more cultural immersion. The city rewards families who are genuinely curious about Japanese history and culture – kids who engage with temples and wooden streets and sliding paper doors. Younger children who need active play and sensory stimulation may find it a harder sell.
Our kids were somewhere in between. They loved the bamboo forest at Arashiyama (genuinely otherworldly) and were reasonably engaged at Fushimi Inari. By the third temple, the ‘not another temple please dad’ expression had made its return.
Our honest take: Kyoto is extraordinary and deserves more time than we gave it. Two days from an Osaka base is the minimum; three or four days staying in the city itself would be ideal. Plan your temple visits strategically rather than trying to see everything – sights are very spread out, and with kids this can be very challenging.
When to Visit Kyoto with Kids
Spring (Late March to April) – The Best
Cherry blossom season in Kyoto is widely considered the most beautiful in Japan – the temples, the wooden lanes, the pagodas all framed by pink blossoms. Philosopher’s Path along the canal is legendary at this time. The crowds are significant but the beauty is worth it. Book months in advance. We arrived just before the full peak of cherry blossom and whilst it was very busy, I think we dodged the worst of it.
Autumn (October to November) – Also Exceptional
Apparently Autumn in Kyoto is spectacular – maple leaves turn brilliant reds and oranges around the temples and forest paths. Kiyomizudera and Arashiyama are particularly beautiful.
Summer – Avoid if Possible
Apparently, Kyoto gets hot, humid, and extremely crowded. The outdoor temple sites become gruelling in the heat. If you must visit in summer, start extremely early and retreat to air-conditioned indoor sites by midday.
Winter – Quieter and Atmospheric
Kyoto in winter is apparently atmospheric with temples dusted with occasional snow, fewer tourists, a quieter contemplative atmosphere. In would imagine it’s a wonderful time to visit if you can deal with the cold.
Getting to Kyoto
From Osaka – Quick and Easy
The Shinkansen from Osaka takes 15 minutes which is barely enough time to get comfortable. Local trains (Hankyu or JR) also run and take around an hour but are considerably cheaper. Good option if you’re day-tripping from Osaka – which we done but somehow with snack breaks and maybe a wrong turn or two, ended up taking us two hours!
From Tokyo – Shinkansen
The Nozomi Shinkansen covers Tokyo to Kyoto in around 2 hours 15 minutes. An excellent journey in itself – buy tickets in advance and enjoy the views of Mount Fuji if weather permits. Sit on the right hand side for best views (facing inland if you were the train driver)
Book your flight here
Book your train from Tokyo to Kyoto here
Getting Around Kyoto with Kids
Kyoto’s sights are spread across the city and require planning. After Tokyo and Osaka’s metro trauma, we chose our battles carefully.
Try to plan your day by clustering sights together that are near each other, rather than criss crossing the city trying to see all the best places in one go. For example, Arashiyama and Gion are miles apart so don’t try to them together.
Metro
Very easy to use Metro network. Less complex than Tokyo or Osaka. We used it for many sights as well as walking to a number of sights.
Buses
Kyoto’s bus network covers most major tourist sites. A day pass is good value if you’re planning multiple bus journeys. Google Maps gives excellent bus route guidance. However, we only used one bus.
Taxis
More affordable than Tokyo and useful for getting between areas with luggage. But still expensive if traveling on a budget.
Taxis
There are heaps of tour options to take you around Kyoto.
Book you Kyoto tour here
Where to Stay in Kyoto with Kids
Traditional Machiya: Highly Recommended
We stayed in a traditional machiya which is a wooden townhouse with sliding paper doors, tatami floors, futons, and a legless chair called a zaisu. It was a great experience even if I’m not so able bodied to sit on the floor or climb up incredibly narrow steep stairs these days, it was worth the struggle.
We paid 23,000 Yen for 2 nights (USD$140)
Machiya rentals are available throughout central Kyoto – just look for them on Airbnb and specialist sites. Book well in advance for peak season.
Near Gion
The Gion district – Kyoto’s traditional geisha quarter is the best base for exploring the historical heart of the city on foot. Accommodation ranges from budget guesthouses to luxury ryokan. We stayed a 10-minute walk away right next to Higashiyama station, which was perfect.
We stayed here.
Near Kyoto Station
Most convenient for transport connections particularly if needing to get to / from Osaka or moving on quickly. Less atmospheric but practical.
Book the same accommodation as us in a Michaya, near Gion, at Azzurro Elefante – book here.
Find other accommodation in Kyoto here
Where to Eat in Kyoto with Kids
Kyoto has excellent ramen, sushi and noodle options at family-friendly prices, although desperate one day with tired kids, we jumped into the nearest place and spent the most on a meal in our whole two weeks in Japan, but 5,000 Yen, wasn’t a disaster and it was incredibly good.
We just ate on the move as we were short on time.
Arashiyama Area
After the bamboo forest, the Arashiyama village area has excellent cafes and restaurants and some cheap takeaway options, we went for. Good spot for lunch on a bamboo forest day.
Things to Do in Kyoto with Kids
1. Fushimi Inari Taisha
Thousands of orange torii gates winding up a mountain. This is one of Japan’s most famous and photographed sights, and genuinely spectacular in person. The full hike to the top takes 2-3 hours; with kids we went partway up and back down which took about an hour and gave us plenty of the iconic gate photos.
Go early would be our advice, probably by 9am the crowds might be more manageable; by 11am, when we arrived, it was jam packed.
Depending on where you are staying, you will likely need to get an overland train here, that stops right but the walkway up to the gates. There’s heaps of good places all around.
Even the kids semi-enjoyed this one.
Take a guided tour of Fushimi Inari Taisha here
2. Arashiyama and the Bamboo Forest
This was a great experience for all of us and felt a little more like connecting with nature rather than being in a larger city. This was for sure, the one of our most natural experiences in Japan – a path through towering bamboo that blocks the sky and creates an eerie filtered green light. The kids did enjoy this one.
The forest itself is free and short with the main path being only a few hundred metres. The surrounding Arashiyama area has temples (Tenryu-ji is particularly beautiful), the Togetsukyo bridge, monkey park, and excellent food.
It’s a great little area to spend an afternoon – it has a village feel to it, despite the crowds.
We went late afternoon and whilst it was still crowded, it felt like the crowds were dying down.
3. Gion District
Kyoto’s most famous district with narrow cobblestone streets lined with traditional wooden machiya houses, tea houses, and the occasional geisha (maiko) passing by. The Hanamikoji street and walking along Shirakawa canal are the heart of it. They say to go in the early evening for the best atmosphere although we went in the morning as it was near our accommodation and fit in with our plans better.
Us adults enjoyed it here, the kids less so. But we only need an hour or so to soak it up.
4. Yasaka Shrine and Pegoda
Yasaka Shrine sits at the eastern end of Shijo Street and is one of Kyoto’s most atmospheric spots. A short walk south through the old lanes of Higashiyama brings you to the five-storey Yasaka Pagoda, one of Kyoto’s most photographed landmarks, rising above the wooden rooftops. Worth combining into a single evening wander and get there early or you’ll be fighting hundreds of others to get that perfect photo shot.
5. Ninenzaka & Sanennzaka Streets
These two ancient stone-paved lanes winding up through Higashiyama are among the most beautiful streets in Japan, lined with traditional wooden machiya houses converted into tea houses, craft shops and cafes, with stone steps connecting the two.
They date back over 1,300 years which is a testament to Kyoto’s preservation efforts. Wandering up through them in the early morning, before the crowds arrive, with the Yasaka Pagoda appearing through the rooftops above, is a memorable moment.
These can be combined in one walk along with Yasaka Shrine and Pegoda.
There’s also a great Ghibli store up near Sanennzaka Street which the kids enjoyed.
Staying in a Traditional Machiya
One of our best decisions in Japan, and something we’d strongly recommend for families visiting Kyoto.
A machiya is a traditional Kyoto wooden townhouse – the kind that line the old tony narrow lanes of Gion and Higashiyama. Inside: tatami mat floors, sliding paper doors (shoji), futons laid out on the floor at night – so wonderfully Japanese.
The zaisu, a legless floor chair, is where things got complicated for those of us with creaking backs. Getting up and down from floor level is a whole new experience but luckily the kitchen has ‘proper’ chairs.
The experience of living in a space like this, even for two nights, gave us a more tangible connection to Kyoto’s history than any number of temple visits. Book one if you can.
You can book the one we stayed near Gion here
Tips for Kyoto with Kids
- Go early to major sights – Fushimi Inari especially
- Plan by area not by interest – cluster nearby sites together
- Don’t overdo it with kids – we didn’t see much in our two days and will need to revisit but temples aren’t their thing so it was challenging
- The machiya experience is worth it for families but book in advance
- Take a photo of your station locker with the number clearly visible
Costs and Budget for Kyoto with Kids
- Accommodation (machiya or hotel, per night): 15,000-40,000 Yen (USD$100-270) depending on type. We paid 23,000 Yen for 2 nights (USD$140) – which was the cheapest we could fine but we booked last minute.
- Fushimi Inari: Free entry
- Arashiyama Bamboo Forest: Free
- Meal at local restaurant (family of 4): 3,000-7,000 Yen (USD$20-47)
- Overall daily budget (family of 4): JPY 35,000-55,000 (USD$235-370)
Is Kyoto Worth It for Families?
Yes – but go with realistic expectations and the right amount of time.
Two days from an Osaka base is the minimum but felt rushed for us. Three to four days staying in Kyoto itself allows you to slow down, get beneath the tourist surface, and tick all those sights, as we missed many. With sights being far apart, its tough to see them all. But you also need to balance up whether your kids can do that many days of constant temples. For us, something had to give and we dropped several sights we wanted to see off our plan.
The bamboo forest and Fushimi Inari alone are worth the visit. Staying in a machiya adds a dimension that no hotel can match. And the old streets of Gion are one of the most memorable things we experienced in Japan.
Just manage the temple count per day.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is Kyoto good for families with young children?
A: Yes, with managed expectations. The bamboo forest, and Fushimi Inari were the two our kids enjoyed, along with eating, whining and the Ghibli store. Unless your kids are really into temples and shrines, it can be a challenge to keep them interested especially with the large crowds and the distances involved between sights.
Q: How many days do you need in Kyoto with kids?
A: Three to four days staying in Kyoto itself is probably ideal. Two days is the minimum (we did two from Osaka which felt rushed and we didn’t see as much as we hoped). If you’re basing yourself in Osaka and day-tripping, allow two full days in Kyoto at least, one for Arashiyama and one for Fushimi Inari/Gion.
Q: Should you stay in Kyoto or Osaka?
A: Both are valid. Staying in Osaka and day-tripping to Kyoto is cheaper and with the bullet train makes it a slick experience. Staying in Kyoto though, particularly in a machiya, gives you a richer, more immersive experience of the city. We did a combination: Osaka base for the week with two nights in a Kyoto machiya.
Q: What is Fushimi Inari and is it worth it?
A: Fushimi Inari is a Shinto shrine famous for its thousands of orange torii gates winding up a mountain – which is one of Japan’s most photographed sights. It is absolutely worth visiting, even just the lower section. Free entry. Go very early morning to beat the crowds and catch the best light. We failed, arriving at 11am and the crowds were a challenge.
What is the bamboo forest in Kyoto?
A: The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is a path through towering bamboo that creates an otherworldly green-filtered light. It’s free, short (a few hundred metres) and genuinely spectacular. Our kids enjoyed this one – it gave them a chance to be briefly back in nature.
Q: Can you do Kyoto as a day trip from Osaka?
Q: Yes, the Shinkansen takes 15 minutes (though slower trains take an hour and are cheaper). A day trip from Osaka is practical for seeing one or two key areas like Arashiyama or Fushimi Inari/Gion. For more comprehensive exploration, a 2-4 night stay in Kyoto itself is probably better.
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