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- Photogenic Kyoto: a Photographer's One-Day Plan
PLAN
Photogenic Kyoto:
a Photographer's One-Day Plan
PLAN LENGTH:1 day | LOCATION:Kinkakuji area, Arashiyama, Gion |
HIGHLIGHTS:Kinkaku-ji Temple, Chikurin no Michi Bamboo Grove | COST PER PERSON:7,400 YEN (Excludes transportation fees) |
Get your cameras ready! This one-day plan takes you around some of Kyoto's most beautiful spots using the convenient City Bus One-Day Pass.
Kyoto Station
Purchase a City Bus One-Day Pass for 500 yen at the bus station area. This will cover the price of all transportation by bus for the day.
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Approx. 45 min
- Kyoto Eki-mae bus stop → 38 min. ride on the City Bus Route 205 or the 101 bound for Kinkaku-ji Temple/Kitaoji Bus Terminal → Kinkaku-ji Michi bus stop → 5 min. walk
Kinkaku-ji (Rokuon-ji) Temple
- TIME NEEDED:1 hour
- COST:400 YEN
A must see when visiting Kyoto, Kinkaku-ji is a three-story temple covered in pure gold leaf.
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Approx. 45 min
- 5 min. walk → Kinkakuji-mae bus stop → 40 min. on the City Bus Route 59 bound for Utano and Yamagoe → Ryoanji-mae bus stop → brief walk
Ryoan-ji Temple
- TIME NEEDED:45 min
- COST:500 YEN
This temple is famous for its stone garden where 15 large rocks sit peacefully among raked white pebbles.
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adjacent
Seigenin
- TIME NEEDED:45 min
- COST:1,500 YEN
Enjoy lunch in a Japanese-style house turned restaurant on the grounds of Ryoan-ji Temple. We recommend the yu-dofu (boiled tofu) for 1,500 yen. Enjoy your food while gazing out at the Japanese garden.

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Approx. 50 min
- Ryoanji-mae bus stop → 12 min. ride on the City Bus Route 59 bound for Utano/Yamagoe → Yamagoe Nakacho bus stop → transfer to the City Bus Route 11 bound for Shijo Kawaramachi/Sanjo Keihan* → Arashiyama Tenryuji-mae bus stop → 10 min. walk
*Anticipated wait time between buses during the day: 10-20 min
- Ryoanji-mae bus stop → 12 min. ride on the City Bus Route 59 bound for Utano/Yamagoe → Yamagoe Nakacho bus stop → transfer to the City Bus Route 11 bound for Shijo Kawaramachi/Sanjo Keihan* → Arashiyama Tenryuji-mae bus stop → 10 min. walk
Togetsukyo bridge
- TIME NEEDED:15 min
- COST:0 YEN
This is a popular photo spot for the beautiful scenery of Arashiyama Park and the Katsura River.
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Approx. 10 min
Tenryu-ji Temple
- TIME NEEDED:30 min
- COST:500 YEN
This temple is registered as a world heritage site. The garden is a must see! Entry to the temple is free. Entry to the gardens is 500 yen / person
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5 min
Chikurin-no-Michi
- TIME NEEDED:15 min
- COST:0 YEN
The gorgeous scenery of this area is often used as a location for movies or as the cover for guidebooks.
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Approx. 1 hour 5 min
- 15 min. walk → Saga-Arashiyama Station → 16 min. ride on the JR Sanin Main Line bound for Kyoto (240 yen) → Kyoto Station → Kyoto Eki-mae bus stop → 16 min. ride on the City Bus Route 100 bound for Kiyomizu Temple/Gion, Ginkaku-ji or the Route 206 bound for Gion/Kitaoji Bus Terminals → Gion bus stop → 15 min. walk
Gion Komori
- TIME NEEDED:45 min
- COST:1,500 YEN
A traditional cafe with the atmosphere of a machiya, or townhouse. This place is popular for parfaits made with matcha, jelly, and soft sweet rice dumplings.
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Approx. 10 min
Gion
- TIME NEEDED:1 hour
The side streets of this area are lined with restaurants and other delights. Enjoy the beautiful cobblestone streets.
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Approx. 15 min
Gion Gyuzen
- TIME NEEDED:2 hours
- COST:3,000 YEN
After working up an appetite with all that traveling, indulge in all-you-can-eat sukiyaki and shabu-shabu starting from 2,139 yen! (Drinks not included.)
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Approx. 30 min
- 10 min. walk → Gion bus stop → 16 min. ride on the City Bus Route 100 bound for Kyoto Station or the Route 206 bound for Kiyomizu Temple/Kyoto Station → Kyoto Eki-mae bus stop
Kyoto Station
Notes
It is possible to get from Arashiyama Park to Kyoto Station by bus, but the transfers are complicated. We recommend taking the JR train line instead. Not only is this much simpler, it will also get you there faster! Also, please note that the City Bus One-Day Pass used in this plan is valid only for the City Bus services operated by Kyoto City. If you use a different bus service such as the Kyoto Bus, it will not be covered by your pass.
Bus/Train Route Search System "Arukumachi KYOTO"
THIS ARTICLE IS BASED ON INFORMATION FROM 12 01,2015 Author:DiGJAPAN! Editorial Team
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