Kyoto Japan in 24 Hours: THE Guide to the Best Places to Visit & Eat

Kyoto Japan in 24 Hours: THE Guide to the Best Places to Visit & Eat

Kyoto is the soul of Japan. With 1,600 
temples, bamboo forests that feel unreal, food you’ll never forget, and centuries of 
culture still alive in its streets. Today, we’re exploring the very best of Kyoto in just 
24 hours. But is that really enough to capture the essence of this unforgettable city? Let’s find 
out together. Ohayō and good morning, my friends. Welcome to Kyoto, the city that feels like living 
in two worlds at once. Ancient and the modern, altogether in one beautiful place. And there is 
no better way to start the day than here at the Fushimi Inari Taisha, which is the oldest shrine 
here in Kyoto and actually predates the city. It was built in 711 AD and is dedicated to 
the goddess of rice and prosperity, and is also home to the 10,000 Torii gate path that 
we’re going to go and take a look at right now. And these gates are more than just decorations. 
They mark the entrance from the everyday world into the sacred. And their bright vermilion color 
actually wards off evil spirits and brings some good luck, too. And the trail that we’re walking 
on right now is known as the Senban Torii, and it winds up the mountain, 4 kilometers. 
It takes about 3 hours round trip, but it will actually go up to the summit of Mount Inari.
Along the way, you can see some beautiful temples and forests. They also have 
some viewpoints like the Yutsuji, which marks the halfway point. And there I 
recommend going onto the forest path because it is even more magical. You walk through bamboo 
forests and these moss-covered shrines. I even got to be part of a ceremony the other day that was 
just so cool, and the people were so friendly. And if doing a 3-hour hike first thing 
in the morning is not your cup of tea, then I highly recommend heading over 
to the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, because it is like walking into a painting. 
They have towering stalks of bamboo that are just swaying in the wind. It is peaceful, surreal, 
and one of the most iconic places here in Japan. And right next to the bamboo 
forest is the Tenryu-ji Zen Temple, which is a UNESCO World Heritage 
site. Its garden has been almost unchanged for 700 years and was built 
with the shakkei, or borrowed scenery, principle — using the mountains in 
the background as part of the design. After you’re done there, head down to the 
river and take a stroll on the peaceful shores, watching the boats float by and just 
taking in the amazing nature of Kyoto. So, which one would you choose? The Bamboo 
Forest Zen Temple Riverwalk or the Torii Gate ascension into the heavens? Let 
me know in the comments down below. Now, either one is a great way to start the day 
here. And they’re both really easily accessible by bus or train, but if you’re only here for 
24 hours, you’re going to have to choose one of them — because as the day goes on, they get really 
busy, and they kind of lose some of that magic. So right now, I am going to head over 
to the train to take you to the coolest district here in Kyoto that really feels 
like you’re stepping into ancient Japan. That was a nice easy 10-minute ride directly into 
the Gion Shijo Station, where I picked up a little iced coffee, ’cause it is hot right now. And we’re 
about a 7-minute walk away from our next stop. But Gion is one of my favorite places here 
in Kyoto. It’s just so chilled out and has a really great vibe. I’m actually staying just 
a 10-minute walk down the road from here at the Stay Sakura Kyoto Gion North, where for $40 
a night, I get a really nice little private room with its own bathroom, kitchen, and washing 
machine. So it’s a great place to base yourself. And something you might not know about Kyoto is 
that unlike New York, the city that never sleeps, Kyoto is the city that sleeps in. So a lot 
of things here don’t open until 9 or 10:00. So I had initially wanted to take you to the 
Kyoto Tower, which is a really easy stop on the way here from the temple we were just at, 
but they’re not open until 10:00 a.m. It’s definitely worth a stop, though. You hop out 
of the Kyoto Station, walk across the street, and you can head up and get some really 
beautiful, sweeping views of the city. It’s definitely worth a stop if it fits into your 
schedule. But you only have one day here, so it might not work out this time. You just have to 
come back and do it on your next adventure here. But right now, we are just across the street 
from our next stop. I will see you in there. Right now, we’re heading to Maruyama Park. 
But we entered through the Yasaka Jinja, which is one of the most important shrines here 
in Kyoto and the heart of the Gion district. It has this really beautiful walkway right next 
to it that has all of these orange lanterns on it. That’s a great place to get a photo.
And if you go inside, not only is the shrine beautiful, but they even have a little 
place that has a fountain that helps to make you more beautiful. But I think 
you’re beautiful just the way you are. Now, let’s hit that park.
Man, I love this park. It is just so peaceful here. And it’s actually the oldest park 
here in Kyoto. It has these amazing little walking trails and these winding streams that go through 
it. There’s koi ponds with stone bridges over them and little tea houses that are hidden away where 
you can grab yourself a matcha. It’s just a really great place to come and get away from the hustle 
and bustle of the city for just a little bit. And if you’re here during the sakura, or cherry 
blossom season, this is actually one of the best spots here in the city to come and view them. So 
make sure you check your calendars for your day here when you’re here on your adventure. And it 
kind of gives me that Otis Redding vibe. You know, the one from his song, sitting on a rock by the 
pond or watching a fish swimming along? Yeah. Sorry, I had to do it. It’s 
been stuck in my head all day. And another cool thing about the park is that 
it is actually right next to the Higashiyama district, which in my opinion is the best place 
here in Kyoto to really experience the essence of the city. So we are going to go and head 
over there right now and explore it together. This is one of the city’s most atmospheric 
districts, where narrow stone-paved streets are lined with old wooden machiya, or 
townhouses, shops, and traditional tea houses. Walking here feels like stepping back in time. 
You’ll see locals and tourists in kimonos, and hidden temples and gardens are tucked around 
every corner. Every twist of the streets offers another postcard view of old Kyoto, with 
the mountains rising in the background. And if you keep those peepers peeping while 
you’re walking around, you can go on a mini Buddha roadside hunt to gain some good 
karma by rubbing them on the head. They will help you with things like business, 
prosperity, good luck, and love. And we could all use a little bit more love in our lives.
And just up the hill is the Kōdai-ji Zen Temple, with paths that take you past beautiful rock 
gardens, ponds, and a quiet bamboo grove, which is a great option if you didn’t 
go to the bamboo forest this morning. Just next to it is the Ryozen Kannon, a massive 
24-meter statue of the goddess of mercy. Built as a World War II memorial, it’s peaceful but 
powerful. And standing there at her feet looking up is one of Kyoto’s most striking moments.
Then when you’re done at the temple, head right over here to Ninenzaka, which is one 
of the coolest streets here in Kyoto. With its old wooden houses, tea shops, souvenir stalls, 
and people walking around in kimonos, it really feels like you stepped into ancient Kyoto.
And the street has some very cool surprises, like a Starbucks right here in a 100-year-old 
wooden building where you actually sit on tatami mats while you enjoy your coffee.
And just up the road is Studio Ghibli, where you can get some very cool, unique souvenirs 
from your favorite anime classics like Spirited Away and Ponyo. And right next door, they 
have the Peter the Rabbit Shop and Bakery, where you can get a nice iced coffee, some 
fresh baked goods, and enjoy them in the beautiful little garden with the characters from 
your childhood. They also have some fun souvenirs you can bring home for the kids — or for you.
When you’re done with your shopping and snacks, hop back on the road and continue up as it winds 
through more of this beautiful little neighborhood to get to the Kiyomizudera Temple, which is 
amazing. This is one of Kyoto’s most iconic temples and has been here for over 1,200 years.
The name means Pure Water Temple, and it’s a UNESCO World Heritage site. The highlight 
is a giant wooden stage that juts out from the main hall that’s held up by hundreds of 
wooden pillars without a single nail. From up here, the view of Kyoto is breathtaking.
Walking through this temple with its gates, towering pagodas, and mountain backdrop 
really feels like the perfect finale to this neighborhood. It’s the kind of place that 
makes you stop, breathe, and just take it all in. And don’t miss the Otowa-no-taki Waterfall 
at the base of the temple. Visitors line up to drink from its three streams. Each 
is said to grant a blessing: long life, success at school, or luck and love. But they 
say if you drink from all three that you’re being greedy. So don’t be greedy, people.
Right now it’s about 5:00, and our 24 hours in Kyoto is flying by. So we are going to go and 
hop on the bus, head downtown, and have some food in the kitchen of Kyoto. I will see you there.
So right now we are heading to Nishiki Market — or the kitchen of Kyoto — but we need to 
go through Teramachi first. And that is a huge outdoor covered shopping mall that has 
so many restaurants, bars, souvenir shopping. They also have some really cool animal cafés 
like the owl one that I went to the other day, where I spent 30 minutes petting these beautiful, 
quiet little animals. And it was so much fun hanging out with the who’s-who of Kyoto.
There’s also beautiful Buddhas and temples, like this one right behind me here. And when 
you see it, you just walk straight out and down the road and you will be at Nishiki. 
And you know you got here when the ceiling turns to rainbow, which is really nice.
There are over 120 food stalls here in less than 400 meters. So we’re going to go and grab 
some food and enjoy it — probably quick quick, because they don’t allow you to walk around 
while you’re eating. So I’m just going to grab some stuff and we can enjoy it together.
Oh yeah. This is definitely our first spot right here. Scallop tempura with sea urchin and 
caviar. What? Sign me up. And while we’re waiting, I’m going to grab some bean dumplings 
right next door. I mean, we don’t have a lot of time, so let’s get this done.
Oh my, look at that. Looks amazing. Mmmmmm. Oh, that’s like a mochi but with a sweet 
soy sauce. And it tastes like honey. M. So good. Oh, my buzzer’s going off. 
Let’s get back out there. My favorite sound.
Thank you. Oh yeah. I am so excited for this. It looks amazing.
Wow. The scallop is so fresh, so crunchy. The uni makes it taste like the ocean, but 
it’s sweet. And that caviar gives it a nice little salt on top. Wow.
All right, let’s head to the next spot. What should we have next?
Ooh, maybe some meat. I see some delicious-looking Kobe right here. Thank you. Oh yeah.
All right. So I know I’m supposed to eat it in front of the place, but I just stepped 
out on the street to try this out. Look at that. That is some fresh uni on my Wagyu. 
Smells so delicious. Let’s try this out. M. Wow. M. Honestly, that beef is so tender, 
juicy. The flavor is amazing. And the salt from the uni, or urchin, on top just takes 
it to a whole other level. It’s like the steakiest steak I’ve ever staked in my life.
All right, I’m going to finish this up and we will head down the street and find 
some more delicious things to eat. All right, we are going to go with some pork 
gyoza. And apparently, they use black pigs raised in Japan. Look at this. That looks so 
delicious. You can see that perfect little char on them. I’m so excited for my black pork gyoza.
I really didn’t know that was a thing. Remember, break your chopsticks up. Let’s try 
this out. Perfect little bite-size. Mmmmmmmm. Wow.
So nice and crunchy on the outside. The inside is so warm. And that pork is actually 
sweet. It’s a whole different shade of flavor. And speaking of different flavors, I also 
got a Kyoto matcha beer, which I’ve never even heard of before. So let’s give this a shot.

Wow, that’s really interesting. Like, it tastes like beer and it tastes like matcha. It’s a matcha 
made in heaven. But really, really delicious. And I think one of the cool things about 
this market is there are so many options. There are so many things that you can eat. 
And you can come here from 10 a.m. all the way up until 8:00 p.m. So you can kind of fit 
your day however you want to make it work. But right now, I am going to go and head over to 
the river for a little sunset with the locals, and we will talk about the day. And I 
have a few more suggestions for things that you definitely want to try if you 
have a little extra time here in Kyoto. Kompai.
It would appear that I missed the 
sunset, but I did get here a few minutes ago while it was still setting, and all the 
locals were just hanging out along the water, laying down, walking their dogs, riding their 
bikes. It’s a really cool place to come down and just chill out, and a great way to end your 
day here in Kyoto. So I highly recommend it. And you know, we only had 24 hours here, so 
we didn’t get to do everything. But if you have another half of a day, a few other 
places I really highly recommend are the Golden Temple. It is so unique and beautiful.
Then head over to Nijo Castle. The grounds are expansive. It’s beautiful, and there is so 
much history there. And when you’re done, you can head around the corner to the Fire Ramen 
Restaurant for an unflamevable dining experience. It blew my mind, and the staff was so great.
And the last one is the Kyoto National Museum, because understanding the history of a 
place just makes it that much more special. And Kyoto has so much more to offer than 
just what I could show you in this one video. I actually enjoy it more than Tokyo. 
There’s 37 million people. There’s only 1.5 million people here. But man — 1,600 temples, 
400 shrines — I can’t do math right now, but you could literally be going to multiple temples 
every day for years and still not see them all. So if you have more time, definitely 
try and spend some here in Kyoto, because you will not be disappointed.
And next week, we are heading to either Nara or Osaka, or Osaka and Nara. I’m not really 
sure yet, but they are going to be a ton of fun, too. So make sure to come around for those.
And I think now is the time to say goodbye, because it’s that time of the 
day and we’re out of time. So if you enjoyed this video, please give me 
a big thumbs up, comment, subscribe, and don’t forget to DLING, DLING, DLING, DLING the Kyoto. 
I will see you next time. Arigato and sayonara.

#japan #japantravel #kyoto

Kyoto was unforgettable. The peace, the power, the beauty, the bites…But if you are only in Kyoto Japan for 24 Hours: Can You See Everything in 1 Day?

Come with me as we chase the soul of Japan through 1,600 temples, sacred mountaintops, secret alleyways, ancient shrines and delicious Japanese food that had me saying “wow” every five minutes. 😮
This is The ULTIMATE Guide to Kyoto Japan in 24 Hours and trust me you’re gonna want to take notes!

In this jam-packed Kyoto travel guide and vlog:
🦊 Start at Fushimi Inari — climb through the famous 10,000 torii gates into a mystical mountaintop shrine
🎋 Get lost in Arashiyama Bamboo Forest — like walking inside a painting
🍵 Visit the peaceful Tenryu-ji Temple & riverside Zen gardens
🏯 Explore Higashiyama & Gion — Kyoto’s most beautiful historic districts
🌸 Wander Maruyama Park & hidden shrines with beauty fountains (you’re already beautiful btw 😘)
🙇‍♀️ Rub mini Buddhas for love, luck, & success
📸 Sip coffee on tatami mats inside a 100-year-old Starbucks
💥 Explore Kiyomizudera Temple — one of Japan’s most iconic sites
🍜 EAT your way through Nishiki Market — scallop tempura, uni wagyu, pork gyoza, and Kyoto matcha beer—
#kyototravel #japanvlog #kyotovlog #travelguide

⏰ Only have 24 hours in Kyoto?
This is how to do it RIGHT.
And if you’ve got more time — I’ve got bonus recs inside for:
✨ The Golden Pavilion
✨ Nijo Castle
✨ Fire Ramen (🔥 literally)
✨ Kyoto National Museum

Let me know YOUR favorite part in the comments ❤️👇
And if you’ve been here before — what did I miss?

#kyotovlog #travelguide #kyotofood #kyototemples #kyotoguide #kyotohiddengems #japanvlog #travel #kyotoitinerary

🎥 NEXT WEEK: I’m heading Nara so hit that bell and come with me for more wild adventures in Japan!

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