Kyoto, Japan
Dear Kyoto, Teach Us to Slow Down
- Reading time
- 3 minutes
Dear Kyoto,
Most people arrive at your station in a hurry. The shinkansen is precise to the minute, the itinerary is printed, and there are eleven temples to see before dinner. You have a way of quietly undoing that plan.
It happens on small streets. A wooden machiya with a bamboo blind, a shopkeeper watering the pavement in front of her door, the clack of geta on stone somewhere out of sight. Kyoto is not a museum, although it is often treated like one. It is a working city of well over a million people who happen to live alongside an extraordinary amount of history.
This letter is an attempt to see you at walking pace, and to be honest about the parts of the experience that have become difficult because so many of us want the same photographs.
What we love
♥The Kamo River at dusk
The banks of the Kamogawa are Kyoto's shared living room. Students, couples, joggers and a man practising trumpet all spread out along the water. Near Demachiyanagi, the turtle-shaped stepping stones cross the river where two streams meet. Buy something from a convenience store and simply sit.
♥Fushimi Inari, higher up
The famous vermilion torii gates near the entrance are almost always crowded. Keep climbing. After the Yotsutsuji intersection, roughly halfway, the crowd thins dramatically and the mountain becomes a quiet network of shrines, stone foxes and small teahouses.
♥The Philosopher's Path out of season
This canal-side walk between Ginkaku-ji and the Nanzen-ji area is lined with cherry trees and packed in early April. In early summer, the same path is green, cool and nearly empty, and you can hear the water.
♥Nishiki Market, but for the shops
The covered market is busy and some stalls now aim squarely at visitors, but the older pickle sellers, knife makers and tea shops are still there. Many shops ask people not to eat while walking; follow the signs and eat at the stall.
♥Morning temple visits
Many temples open early. Arriving at opening time at places like Kiyomizu-dera or Tofuku-ji changes the experience completely, with monks sweeping and light coming through the trees rather than a wall of selfie sticks.
What we'd tell a friend
- Getting there
- Kyoto Station is about two and a quarter hours from Tokyo on the fastest shinkansen services and is linked to Kansai International Airport by the Haruka express. Many travellers combine Kyoto with Osaka and Nara, which are both close by rail.
- Getting around
- City buses reach most sights but can be extremely crowded near popular temples. Combining the subway, private railways (Keihan, Hankyu, Randen) and walking is often faster. Kyoto is also a good cycling city if you follow the rules on parking, which are enforced.
- How long to stay
- Three days is a sensible minimum; five lets you slow down properly and add a half-day to Nara or Uji.
- What to bring
- Shoes that slip on and off easily, as you will remove them in temples, ryokan and some restaurants. Clean socks without holes, which sounds like a joke until it is not. A small bag for your own rubbish, because public bins are rare.
- Accessibility
- Major stations are well equipped, but many temples involve gravel paths, steep steps and raised thresholds. Some sites publish accessibility information; contact them in advance if this matters for your visit.
This is general guidance. Prices, timetables, opening hours and entry rules change, so please check the official sources below before you travel.
Handle with care
In Gion, residents have struggled with visitors following and photographing geiko and maiko on their way to appointments, and some private lanes now prohibit photography, with fines possible. Please do not chase or block anyone, and respect the signs on private streets.
Kyoto's popularity puts real pressure on local buses and residential areas. Consider visiting the busiest sights early or late, staying more than one night so you are not rushing, and spending time in neighbourhoods like Demachi or Nishijin that see fewer tour groups.
Before you go
- Kyoto City Official Travel Guide ↗ (opens an external site)
- Japan National Tourism Organization ↗ (opens an external site)
- UNESCO: Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto ↗ (opens an external site)
Kyoto, you asked us to slow down and we did not listen at first. Next time we will take the stepping stones one at a time, and let the eleventh temple wait for another trip.
With love,
The WTWL Team
Written January 2026
Spotted something out of date? Send us a correction.
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