Kyoto Questions

Hello,

My fiance and I will be heading to Japan for the first time and are looking for some feedback on our itinerary in Kyoto.

Day 1: We will be arriving from Tokyo via bullet train at 1:47pm into Kyoto Station. We have a reservation at Hiiragiya Bekkan Annex and plan to take a taxi there (estimated at 2200-2300 yen and about 15 mins). We will spend our afternoon relaxing at the Ryokan and exploring the surrounding area. Dinner and breakfast the following morning will be served there.

Day 2: Following breakfast, we will take a taxi back to Kyoto Station and check into our hotel (Hotel Granvia). Following check-in (or bag drop off) we plan on taking the JR Nara Line to Fushimi Inari Shrine (located just outside JR Inari Station, the second station from Kyoto Station along the JR Nara Line) and spending several hours walking around. After this, we wanted to walk around and get some food - we were thinking the Gion area.

Is there an easy way to get from Fushimi Inari to Gion? Is there somewhere else we should walk around that is closer to the shrine?
Is there anywhere to walk around by our hotel before/after dinner? Any restaurant recommendations by the Granvia?

Day 3:
Breakfast at hotel or in Kyoto Station (any recommendations?)

Kinkakuji by taking Karasuma Subway Line to Kitaoji Station (15 minutes, 260 yen) and take a taxi (10 minutes, 1000-1200 yen) or bus (10 minutes, 230 yen, bus numbers 101, 102, 204 or 205) from there to Kinkakuji

After Kinkakuji, we would like to go to both Nishiki Market and Nijo Castle. Is this possible? What is the best way to get from Kinkakuji to this area?

Any recommendations on how to spend our final night in Kyoto?

Day 4: We leave for Tokyo this day, but might spend some time walking around the Kyoto Station area beforehand. Is there anything to see here?

We are both foodies and also enjoy shopping. Also, wouldn't mind doing some kareoke. Throughout the itinerary, please provide any advice or guidance on places to eat (fancy, food stands, casual places).

Thanks in advance!

We greatly appreciate your help!

You've got a very relaxed itinerary, so you could easily see more sights if you were interested. I highly recommend Ginkakuji (Silver Pavillion, lovely gardens) and Kiyomizudera (most people's highlight, temple with views). If you visit Kiyomizudera, there is a lovely walk through old-style buildings housing various shops nearby.
Gion is not near Fushimi Inari, but you could easily get there. You don't need a whole day for Fushimi Inari, even if you plan to do the climb up Mt. Inari! A few hours at most is needed.
Nijo Castle and Nishiki Market can easily be done in an afternoon; I spent maybe 1.5 hours at Nijo Castle and half an hour at the market (it's just a covered street with food shops, but still interesting).
Public transport to tourist sights in Kyoto is mostly by bus. Yes, they are slow, but they'll cost you far less than a taxi. They're very easy to ride; it is a flat fare fee and there is a TV screen at the front of the bus that displays the stop names in Japanese and English (as well as Chinese and Korean sometimes), and shows which stop to get off at for big tourist sites. Kyoto Station services most bus lines so you shouldn't have any trouble. You can also purchase a 1-day bus pass for 500 yen if you plan to catch 3 or more buses (sold from vending machines at Kyoto Station, or on board from the driver).

Hi. Fushimi Inari is really nice. You can walk all of the way to the top, but really once you get to the junction of the tracks (where up meets down) there aren't any more lookouts unless you branch off, so going to the top doesn't really achieve much (save for good exercise). I agree it is maybe a 2 or 3 hour thing. I'd continue on to Uji or Nara (Uji is great for lunch) or take the Kesei (sp???) line (station near the JR station) back two stops where you can get off for Tofukuji which is very nice. About an hour would do that, then back on the Keisei line which has stops near Gion.

Or I'd stop and go up to Kiyomizudera and then walk along the path from Kiyomizudera back to Gion. There are plenty of places to eat there, though they tend to be full at lunch.

Really I wouldn't bother with Nishiki market. Some people love it, but IMO it is a waste of time looking at imported plastic rubbish and food that you cant cook, and really there are plenty of other things to do in Kyoto.

There are some really nice gardens near the station. I think it is Shoen-in or something like that. Well worth a visit.

Is there an easy way to get from Fushimi Inari to Gion? Is there somewhere else we should walk around that is closer to the shrine?

Easiest is to take a Keihan Train to Gion-Shijo Station and walk from there.

Is there anywhere to walk around by our hotel before/after dinner? Any restaurant recommendations by the Granvia?

Kyoto shuts down relatively early for a big city. The area around Kyoto Station is pretty new and urban though so there's the usual nightlife options. There are lots of good dining options in and around the station.

Breakfast at hotel or in Kyoto Station (any recommendations?)

What type of breakfast? If just something like coffee and pastries then there are lots of options at the station.

Kinkakuji by taking Karasuma Subway Line to Kitaoji Station (15 minutes, 260 yen) and take a taxi (10 minutes, 1000-1200 yen) or bus (10 minutes, 230 yen, bus numbers 101, 102, 204 or 205) from there to Kinkakuji

That's how I'd do it. And good to see that you are utilizing subway and taxi to cut down on travel time.

After Kinkakuji, we would like to go to both Nishiki Market and Nijo Castle. Is this possible? What is the best way to get from Kinkakuji to this area?

Taxi/bus to Enmachi Station and then trains to Nijo Palace. Then train to Kawaramachi from where you can walk to the market.

You can do both in a half day and they pair nicely location and time-wise with Kinkakuji. Adding Ginkakuji or Kiyomizudera would be difficult as they are on the far ends of the city, but you could easily add sites up north like Ryoanji. Also you'll need more than 30 minutes to do nishiki market as it's several blocks long and usually quite crowded. If you're a foodie then maybe 1-2 hours or more if you like shopping. Note that most shops close relatively early, like around 5.

Any recommendations on how to spend our final night in Kyoto?

Dinner around Pontocho would be my recommendation. It's a short walk away from Nishiki.

Day 4: We leave for Tokyo this day, but might spend some time walking around the Kyoto Station area beforehand. Is there anything to see here?

The station is interesting, otherwise the close sights include Toji Temple, Sanjusangendo, and a few other temples.

Public transport to tourist sights in Kyoto is mostly by bus. Yes, they are slow, but they'll cost you far less than a taxi.

That's true, but time is often a bigger issue especially when combining different parts of Kyoto. Unless truely on a shoestring budget, it's better to at least combine with trains as much as possible and keep taxis in mind as an alternative for short trips.

Day 1: We will be arriving from Tokyo via bullet train at 1:47pm into Kyoto Station. We have a reservation at Hiiragiya Bekkan Annex and plan to take a taxi there (estimated at 2200-2300 yen and about 15 mins).
For a first time in Kyoto, it's an easy way to get there. Exiting from the shinkansen side might add a small amount to the taxi fare, but it is easiest.

Day 2: Following breakfast, we will take a taxi back to Kyoto Station and check into our hotel (Hotel Granvia). Following check-in (or bag drop off) we plan on taking the JR Nara Line to Fushimi Inari Shrine. After this, we wanted to walk around and get some food - we were thinking the Gion area.
The Granvia is nice and they will be able to look after your bags until the afternoon check-in.
As others have said, Inari can be done easily and fairly comprehensively in a couple of hours (including the train there and back). That could easily get you back into the city/Gion for lunch.

Is there anywhere to walk around by our hotel before/after dinner? Any restaurant recommendations by the Granvia?
In the station (underground) are two shopping malls (including a restaurant section) and a major department store. A short distance up Karasuma dori is the east temple Higashi Honganji (there is a west temple too).

Day 3: Breakfast at hotel or in Kyoto Station (any recommendations?)
Very nice french bakery downstairs in the station, or go past that to the Isten food floor.

Kinkakuji by taking Karasuma Subway Line to Kitaoji Station (15 minutes, 260 yen) and take a taxi (10 minutes, 1000-1200 yen) Subway (to station K04) and taxi is easy. The 101 bus from the station gets you there, but can take a while.
You could taxi back to Nijo before walking across to Nishiki markets.

For an evening recommendation, you could go to Kodaiji temple, especially if the illumination is still on when you are there (taxi access is easy).

Day 4: We leave for Tokyo this day, but might spend some time walking around the Kyoto Station area beforehand. Is there anything to see here?
You could walk across to Toji-temple (on the other side of the Kyoto station) with it's five story pagoda.

We are both foodies and also enjoy shopping. Also, wouldn't mind doing some kareoke. Throughout the itinerary, please provide any advice or guidance on places to eat (fancy, food stands, casual places).
Japanese BBQ across the street and/or okonominyaki (http://chabana.com/). For karaoke there is either BigEcho (booth singing), or small Mamma-san bars but they are a bit smoky - our "local" is near where you're staying.

You can just walk down TeramachiDori for food. Do note that there are eateries in the back lanes and some of these are above average.

If you want something fanciful, restaurants along the river are the options. This means Arashiyama, Potoncho, and Gion. Classy chic resturants.

This is Japan. Bad food is hard to come by. This is Kyoto, 'averge' food is hard to come by. Even ramen stores at some dark corner serves satisfaction.

This is Kyoto so do try the local specialities. Especially Japan's traditional fare. This being Yu Dofu (Silky Tofu), Kaiseki Ryori (many plated haute cuisine), Shojin Ryori (Monk vegetarian cuisine).

Your hotel has some of the best if not the best kaiseki in town. So don't miss it.

Izuju is a popular place for unique sushi. It uses pickles because in the past, before refrigeration, fish had to be preserved. Whether you like it is something else.

Kyoto has a supply of eel so take your dose of Unagi if desired.

Nearby Osaka has a good nightlife. Stores has later closing hours. Walking along Domtombori at night... Eating snacks like Takoyaki... An idea to consider. Furthermore, I take it you would be getting a JR Pass? Makes travel simple.

For ramen Ichiran and Ippudo are two of the more popular ones. There is another one, but i only know the kanji and have no idea how to pronounce it. Tenpaippin?? Sky one?? no idea.

Since your itineary seems relaxed, why don't you try walking from one attraction to another? Nice to see the area in between. Residents going about their local life. I have found various temples, schools, offices, shopping destricts, residential areas. Always interesting to see a slice of life of a different culture.