Fushimi Inari, Ginkakuji, Gion in one day

Hi
My husband and I would like to visit Fushimi Inari , Ginkakuji and Gion in one day if possible
My plan is to visit Fushimi inari 1st thing then go to Ginkakuji, take a walk through Philosopher's path to Nanzenji temple then go to Gion.
Will it be too much walking involves here? I don't mind walking but my husband is not too fit for walking a long distance.
I will be coming from Osaka and go back to Osaka
So basically I will come to Kyoto st. then continue to Fushimi Inari then go back to Kyoto st
From there I will catch a bus to Ginkakuji temple and walk around the temple , philosopher's path to Nanzenji.
How do I get to Gion from Nanzenji ? And from Gion to Kyoto st?
Is there a better option to do and less walking in between places
I would appreciate any advise of what train line or buses as I am confused -)
Thanks in advance

How do I get to Gion from Nanzenji ? And from Gion to Kyoto st?

Bus or train :
http://inst.uno.edu/japan/docs/bus_navi_en.pdf

You are loosing a lot of time zigzagging across Kyoto.

If you are coming from Osaka. Use the Keihan main line trains. All you destinations mentioned are accessible from this train line. No need to keep going back and forth through Kyoto station.

I'm guessing with your husband that you wont be walking up the Fushimi Inari mountain pathways. So you'll only need 45-60 mins here, then you can move onto your other sights. Fushimi Inari does get busy by 9am. So if you can aim for 7am/8am arrival. You should have no issues with the rest of your day.

If you are staying in Umeda (JR Osaka) area, then taking JR to Kyoto and then to Inari will be faster.

If you are staying in Namba area then take subway to Yodoyabashi and then Keihan to Fusimiinari.

After Fushimi Inari, take Keihan from Fushimi Inari to Demachiyanagi and then take taxi to Ginkakuji. Of course there is some bus lines but it might be troublesome to find the right bus stop and right bus.

It will take 30-60 min by foot from Ginkakuji to Nanzenji via Philosopher's path. You might better consider taking taxi.

From Nanzenji (there are many small temples and gardens to see) walk to subway Keage station. Gion is rather wide area, but I guess you want to see Hanamikoji. If so, take subway from Keage to Sanjo, and then transfer to Keihan train to Gion-shijo.

After that, take Keihan to Tofukuji and transfer to JR. Kyoto is just one station. Of course you can take Keihan line to Yodoyabashi (Osaka).

Thank you @hakata14 and frog1954 for your response
Is Keihan lines ( and other train lines including JR lines ) can be paid using Icoca card ? And subway ?
I am going to buy JR 7days pass but this pass will not be activated until day 5 or 6 ? as we will start our journey from Osaka and finish it in Tokyo

Many thanks

Yes you can use the Icoca card for those services. The buses also.

@hakata14 referring to your response earlier, that if I starts early to Fushimi Inari , I should be ok with the rest of my plan for the day. Based on your experience what time roughly I could be back to Osaka ?
I am in total lost of time orientation here
Many thanks

No idea. I don't you how quickly you guys can move or what you will find along your journey that you'll stop and look at. But since your are planing quite a few locations with some distance between all three locations. I'd allow all day to 5ish maybe. If you get back to Osaka earlier, so be it.

@hakata14 thanks I only need a roughly idea anyway. At least I know that my plan is doable
Thanks to all for making it easier and clearer for me

Looks pretty do-able (not actually that long), but add in a couple of taxis. When you leave Fushimi-Inari to Ginkakuji, the train takes you direct/most of the way, but get a taxi from the subway to Ginkakuji to save a couple of km walking. Same when you finish walking along the concrete canal (or give up because it's not that great), get a taxi. I advise against buses - too unpleasant and time consuming.

With the concrete canal did you mean the Philosopher�fs path? And you mean I should catch a taxi to Gion rather than train to Gion Shijo? Any idea how much is the cost, because I�fd rather save the walking ( considering the better for my husband�fs condition ) if it is not too much as I heard taxi in Japan is quite expensive
Many thanks

Whomever told you taxis were expensive in Japan clearly has not visited Japan.

To be fair, taxis in Japan are expensive if say you want to take a taxi from Hiroshima station to Miyajima ferry terminal. But within cities, particularly places like Kyoto they're not that bad. Most trips tend to run you 800-1200 yen, which while more expensive than the bus is much faster and more comfortable. I would happily use a taxi within Kyoto. I am not so keen to pay a taxi to take me longer distances that will hit 4000-6000 yen. Though to be fair those sorts of longer trips where I live would cost similar amounts.

And yeah it sounds like JapanCustomTours is not feeling the Philosopher's Walk. I did it years ago and it was OK. It didn't make a large impression, so it must not have been awful but also not particularly stunning. I'm pretty sure I was there for leaf viewing not sakura, so maybe it is better then, but I would think it would be insanely crowded.

It's about 2.3 km from Demachiyanagi Station to Ginkakuji and the fare is ~1200 yen using the Taxi Fare Finder website for Kyoto. Compared to under 500 yen for two bus fares it is "expensive" but I would still take the taxi because 700 yen more for my convenience is not going to break the bank.

The Philosopher's Path is also about 2 km. You can either walk the whole thing, or stop and walk towards Shirakawa dori to catch a cab the rest of the way to Nanzenji.

It's 2.7 km more from Nanzenji to Gion-Shijo station, however if you're tired it's 650 meters to Keage Station and you can take the subway to Sanjo station and change there for the Keihan line to Gion-Shijo or just walk 1 km or just take a cab. It really depends on where you want to go in Gion.

Hope this helps! :)

A fresh morning:

No, I don't particularly like the Philosophers Walk because it is a bit of a hearsay/marketing thing, and a bit manky and weedy on most of the visits I make. The guy they think might have maybe walked along this canal might not have, his job was at the nearby university - maybe he did some thinking on the way (student grades?). There are nicer places to walk around Kyoto.

Of the people I take there, I've had one person like it, and a few other thought it was ok during cherry season, but found the other people and shops detracted from the place and were looking for something better pretty quickly. Those that have had trouble walking didn't like the paving stone style so walk on the street. I have actually been pretty disappointed at the blossom along the canal in cherry blossom season - it's not something/somewhere high on my list when I know there is better at that time of year.

Maybe you'll like it. Enjoy the charm of the environment, not arriving with too high an expectation of the experience.

Taxis: From Demachiyanagi station the taxi is 1.85km to the start of the Philosophers path (about 900-1000 yen). You have to do the 500meter approach by foot as it is not open to taxis, and while it is uphill, the return is downhill.

If you get to the end of the path, the nearby Keage gets you back onto the subway system and you can do the transfer at Sanyo to Gion. Alternatively, along the route you can grab a taxi and the 2-3 km to Gion is not too long/far/expensive.

As an additional footnote, sometimes I also pass by Heian Shrine gardens - a detour off the end. The shrine has a nice architecture and the gardens are pretty relaxing. That might not fit in with your targets for the day.

@rkold thank you so much for your detailed response, really appreciate
Now I am comparing Fushimi inari and Philosopher's path. I looked at pictures of Fushimi Inari and it was beautiful especially the hiking part Senbon Torii. Originally I did not plan to go through that part as I don't want my husband to get too tired early morning. Now I am thinking that Fushimi Inari without the hiking part, is it worth a visit? Is it better to drop Fushimi inari and walk along Philosopher's path which I guess it should not give too much problem for my husband (and there is always an option to catch a cab halfway down)as it is a level path? Maybe it is not too impressive and could be boring but as we will be there in hanami season it will be beautiful ?
Can I get an opinion on the following option :
1. Visit Fushimi Inari without do the hiking part , Ginkakuji, walk along the Philospher's path to Nanzenji
and Gion or
2. Visit Fushimi Inari include the Senbon Torii hike, go to Ginkakuji, then catch a cab to Nanzenji and
Gion or
3. Drop Fushimi Inari . Just Ginkakuji, Philosopher's path , Nanzenji and catch a train to Gion Shijo

At Gion we will go to Hanamikoji Area, Yasaka Shrine and Higashiyama district
One more question from Higashiyama can I catch a train from Kiyomizu Gojo or do I have to go back to Gion Shijo and catch keihan line to Tofukuji, JR nara line to Kyoto then JR Kyoto line to Osaka

Many thanks

The Higashiyama district is very hilly with lots of steps.

Yes you can go to Kiyomizagojo to train it back. But from the section of Higashiyama you'll be at to the station is probably over 1km.

Hi!

I need to go to bed so will think more on your question in the morning but...

From what I remember, I enjoyed Fushimi Inari more than the Philosopher's Walk. I did the Philosopher's Walk many many years ago, probably during momiji season and in general everything in Japan was a lot less crowded then, so it didn't seem so bad. I like to walk, so I am pretty sure I walked from Nanzenji to Chionin to some subway station because I don't like the Kyoto City Buses. I've only done Fushimi Inari once, I did it enjoy it a lot, but again it was many years ago, 2002, and Japan was really different then. Fushimi Inari was not a particularly popular shrine and my friend and I saw very few other people while we were there, even in the lower area. I suspect it is not like that now, though I guess I will find out should I make it back in 2018.

Unless you are staying near JR Osaka Station, you don't need to go back via the JR lines. You can use a Keihan train from Tofukuji or Gion-Shijo that goes to Yodoyabashi Station in Osaka. By the time you are transferring and going through the different stations you won't save that much time if you take one of the fastest Limited Expresses it won't actually take that much longer than a JR train and depending on where you are going in Osaka might be faster. The fare is 410 yen per person, so while not free like JR if you have a pass, it's not that much and the fare between Gion-Shijo is 150 yen so... you're really just paying 260 yen more for a direct train where you will almost definitely have a seat...

I admit, I had a JR Pass last trip but was staying near a Keihan station in Kyoto and every time I went to Osaka, I just took the Keihan line from Yodoyabashi because it was easier and more pleasant.

Do Fushimi Inari and a small part of the hike - not too much. If you get to the pond, that's normally a good place for a lot of people and for the crowds to thin out so you can get some nice photos.

Do visit Ginkakuji - it is not too hard to get to from that side of the city (train/taxi combo) and a nice /different experience to the golden pavilion on the other side of town. If you like the path along the canal that is good. If not, you've gone and had a look. It will be a matter for personal opinion - some like it, others do not.

Gion - given other spots in Kyoto, I can happily give this a miss, but I like the walk from the river, through the area (via the park in hanami season) and usually via Ishibe alley to Kodaiji and then across - sometimes to Kiyomizudera. But, it is a bit of a hike and takes a while - slopes and steps.

But, Kiyomizudera is really unpleasantly crowded so I try to avoid it - Entoku-in/Kodai-ji is better (more relaxing, nice gravel garden and bamboo grove). Those few years the previous poster mentioned has seen tourism increase 400% and most seem to go to the same places, which is why they are "popular" but not necessarily the best.

And btw - Kiyomizu to the train network after a lot of walking might feel a long way, even to the nearest station - Kiyomizu-Gojo - which still requires transfers to get to Kyoto station and not really much cheaper - normally by that stage of the day my guests are happy to relax in the short/not-expensive cab ride back to the main station without fuss.

Regarding Kiyomizu dera, I would probably do it the next time you visit Japan, as it is currently under renovation: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3901.html

There are many other things to see in Kyoto.

Enjoy your trip to Japan!

Regarding Kiyomizu dera, I would probably do it the next time you visit Japan, as it is currently under renovation: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3901.html

It's an eight year renovation - I don't know how many times I've told people on forums, but they only do one building at a time (out of 18!!) and so that is only a small part of the whole thing. The large hall/deck will be finished when they are done, but that doesn't mean you can't still appreciate the place. I've been there 3 or 4 times this year.