Kyoto Itinerary

Hello,
My friends and I are going to be in Kyoto for 2 days. We are not quite sure in which order we should go to these places for efficiency and time saving.

We want to to the following places:
Nijo Castle, Sanjusangendo, Heian Jingu, Kinkakuji, Ginkakuji, Kiyomizudera, Fushimi-Inari, and Gion.

Any advice is appreciated, thank you!

It depends how busy you want to be. Though in terms of proximity this would probably be the best way to divide things up:

Day 1: Fushimi Inari, Sanjusangendo, Kiyomizudera, Gion

Day 2: Ginkakuji, Heian Jingu, Nijo Castle, Kinkakuji

It depends of course on where you're staying and which buses you take, so these could also be done in reverse order depending on your starting point. Assuming that you arrive at Kyoto Station however, this route would require less backtracking.

One thing to keep in mind though is that you could walk the Philosopher's Path between Ginkakuji and Heian Jingu. It's nice in the spring...

Kyoto is a big place.
In order to make the most of your time in Kyoto, you should split up your visits according to the layout of the place.
One day for the East side starting from Fushimi Inari to Gingakuji (a very long day!), one day for the west side NiJo Caste, Kinkaku Ji...
It is better to keep Gion for the evening
Enjoy your trip