Kyoto early in the morning

Places at their best early, at opening time or before the day crowds. 28 places, the most featured first.

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  1. Shrine · Fushimi

    Fushimi Inari Taisha 伏見稲荷大社

    The head shrine of Inari, the Shinto deity of rice, known for thousands of vermilion torii gates over trails climbing Mount Inari (233 m).

    Inari (JR Nara Line), 1 min walk · Free entry · 2 h

  2. Temple · Kiyomizu-Gojo

    Kiyomizu-dera 清水寺

    Founded in 780 on the Otowa waterfall in the eastern hills and part of the UNESCO Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto.

    Kiyomizu-Gojo (Keihan Main Line), 20 min walk · Paid entry · 1 h

  3. Nature · Arashiyama

    Arashiyama Bamboo Grove 嵯峨野竹林の小径

    Paths through dense bamboo groves between Tenryu-ji's north gate and Okochi Sanso, in the Sagano area of Arashiyama.

    Arashiyama (Keifuku Arashiyama Line), 7 min walk · Free entry · 30 min

  4. Street · Okazaki

    Philosopher's Path 哲学の道

    A stone path of about 2 km along a canal of the Lake Biwa Canal system, between Ginkaku-ji and the Nanzen-ji area.

    Ginkakuji-michi bus stop (Kyoto City Bus 5, 17), 8 min walk · Free entry · 45 min

  5. Temple · Arashiyama

    Tenryu-ji 天龍寺

    Founded in 1339 by shogun Ashikaga Takauji and ranked first among Kyoto's five great Zen temples.

    Arashiyama (Keifuku Arashiyama Line), 5 min walk · Paid entry · 1 h

  6. Shrine · Gion

    Yasaka Shrine 八坂神社

    Founded more than 1350 years ago at the east end of Shijo-dori, between Gion and the Higashiyama district.

    Gion-Shijo (Keihan Main Line), 7 min walk · Free entry · 20 min

  7. Temple · Kinkaku-ji and Kitano

    Ryoan-ji 龍安寺

    A Zen temple converted from an aristocrat's villa in 1450, known for its rock garden of 15 rocks set in raked pebbles, viewed from the Hojo.

    Ryoanji (Keifuku Kitano Line), 10 min walk · Paid entry · 45 min

  8. Temple · Okazaki

    Nanzen-ji 南禅寺

    Head temple of one of the schools of Rinzai Zen, at the foot of the Higashiyama hills.

    Keage (Tozai Line), 7 min walk · Paid entry · 1 h

  9. Shrine · Okazaki

    Heian Shrine 平安神宮

    Built in 1895 for the 1100th anniversary of the capital's founding, with main buildings modelled on a reduced-scale Heian period palace and a large torii gate on the approach.

    Higashiyama (Tozai Line), 10 min walk · Paid entry · 1 h

  10. Street · Kiyomizu-Gojo

    Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka 産寧坂・二寧坂

    Two stepped, stone-paved lanes on the approach to Kiyomizu-dera, lined with preserved wooden shops, cafes and restaurants.

    Kiyomizu-Gojo (Keihan Main Line), 15 min walk · Free entry · 45 min

  11. Temple · Fushimi

    Tofuku-ji 東福寺

    A large Rinzai Zen temple founded in 1236 and known for its autumn colours seen from the covered Tsutenkyo bridge.

    Tofukuji (JR Nara Line, Keihan Main Line), 10 min walk · Paid entry · 1 h

  12. Street · Gion

    Gion Shirakawa 祇園白川

    A stretch of the Shirakawa canal north of Shijo-dori, lined with willows, restaurants and ochaya, around the small Tatsumi bridge.

    Gion-Shijo (Keihan Main Line), 5 min walk · Free entry · 20 min

  13. Shrine · Kinkaku-ji and Kitano

    Kitano Tenmangu 北野天満宮

    A shrine to Sugawara no Michizane, revered as the deity of learning, with a grove of nearly 2000 plum trees that bloom from February to March.

    Kitano-Hakubaicho (Keifuku Kitano Line), 7 min walk · Free entry · 40 min

  14. Shrine · Imperial Palace

    Shimogamo Shrine 下鴨神社

    One of Kyoto's oldest shrines and part of the UNESCO Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto, at the junction of the Kamo and Takano rivers.

    Demachiyanagi (Keihan Oto Line, Eizan Main Line), 15 min walk · Free entry · 45 min

  15. Temple · Kyoto Station

    Nishi Hongan-ji 西本願寺

    Head temple of the Honganji branch of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism, built in 1591 under Toyotomi Hideyoshi and part of the UNESCO Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto.

    Kyoto (JR lines, Karasuma Line, Kintetsu Kyoto Line), 15 min walk · Free entry · 45 min

  16. Temple · Kyoto Station

    Higashi Hongan-ji 東本願寺

    Head temple of the Otani branch of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism, founded a few blocks east of Nishi Hongan-ji in 1602.

    Kyoto (JR lines, Karasuma Line, Kintetsu Kyoto Line), 8 min walk · Free entry · 40 min

  17. Market · Kyoto Station

    To-ji Kobo-ichi Flea Market 弘法市

    A monthly market on the 21st in the grounds around To-ji, with stalls selling second-hand kimono, antiques, pottery, tools, plants and street food.

    Toji (Kintetsu Kyoto Line), 7 min walk · Free entry · 1 h 30 min

  18. Temple · Shijo-Karasuma

    Rokkaku-do (Choho-ji) 六角堂

    A small Tendai temple in the business district named after its hexagonal main hall.

    Karasuma Oike (Karasuma Line, Tozai Line), 5 min walk · Free entry · 15 min

  19. Temple · Kawaramachi

    Honno-ji 本能寺

    The rebuilt successor of the temple where Oda Nobunaga died in 1582, now on Teramachi-dori near Kyoto City Hall.

    Kyoto Shiyakusho-mae (Tozai Line), 3 min walk · Paid entry · 30 min

  20. Landmark · Kiyomizu-Gojo

    Yasaka Pagoda (Hokan-ji) 八坂の塔（法観寺）

    The five-storied pagoda of Hokan-ji, the last remaining structure of the temple, rising above the lanes between Kiyomizu-dera and Yasaka Shrine.

    Kiyomizu-Gojo (Keihan Main Line), 15 min walk · Paid entry · 15 min

  21. Temple · Okazaki

    Honen-in 法然院

    A small temple a short walk east of the Philosopher's Path, entered through a thatched gate between raked sand mounds.

    Ginkakuji-michi bus stop (Kyoto City Bus 5, 17), 12 min walk · Free entry · 20 min

  22. Landmark · Arashiyama

    Togetsukyo Bridge 渡月橋

    Arashiyama's central landmark over the Katsura river, first built in the Heian period and last reconstructed in the 1930s, with forested mountains behind.

    Arashiyama (Keifuku Arashiyama Line), 5 min walk · Free entry · 20 min

  23. Shrine · Arashiyama

    Nonomiya Shrine 野宮神社

    A small shrine on the bamboo grove path, marked by a black torii made in the style of unstripped timber.

    Arashiyama (Keifuku Arashiyama Line), 7 min walk · Free entry · 15 min

  24. Nature · Imperial Palace

    Kyoto Gyoen National Garden 京都御苑

    A park about 1300 m long and 700 m wide around the Imperial Palace and Sento Palace, with gravel paths, lawns and tree groves.

    Marutamachi (Karasuma Line), 5 min walk · Free entry · 45 min

  25. Food · Kyoto Station

    Honke Daiichi Asahi (Takabashi main shop) 本家第一旭 たかばし本店

    A long-established Kyoto ramen shop at the Takabashi corner east of Kyoto Station, serving soy sauce ramen with sliced pork.

    Kyoto (JR lines, Karasuma Line, Kintetsu Kyoto Line), 4 min walk · Free entry · 30 min

  26. Cafe · Shijo-Karasuma

    Inoda Coffee (main shop) イノダコーヒ 本店

    The main shop of a Kyoto coffee company founded in 1940 as a coffee bean business, on Sakaimachi-dori just south of Sanjo.

    Karasuma Oike (Karasuma Line, Tozai Line), 8 min walk · Free entry · 45 min

  27. Shrine · Imperial Palace

    Kamigamo Shrine 上賀茂神社（賀茂別雷神社）

    One of Kyoto's oldest shrines and part of the UNESCO Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto, about 3.5 km up the Kamo river from Shimogamo Shrine.

    Kamigamo-jinja-mae bus stop (Kyoto City Bus 4), 5 min walk · Free entry · 45 min

  28. Market · Kinkaku-ji and Kitano

    Tenjin-san Market (Kitano Tenmangu) 天神市（北野天満宮）

    A market held on the 25th of every month, the day associated with Sugawara no Michizane, around the approach and grounds of Kitano Tenmangu.

    Kitano-Hakubaicho (Keifuku Kitano Line), 7 min walk · Free entry · 1 h 30 min

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