Two full days in Kyoto

I will be coming from Osaka to Kyoto early in the morning will one night over stay be enough and returning back to Osaka late at night the next day, these are the places I intend to visit. will it be a rush, or should I remove one or two from the list, if I do remove one, it will probably be the Monkey Park.

Kyoto Aquarium
Bamboo Grove
Taking the Sagano Scenic Railway ride
Monkey park
Kinkakuji & Ginkakuji.

Plenty of time. Do the Arashiyama base stuff one day. And aquarium, kinkajuki and gingajuki the other.

Yup, looks like you'll have plenty of time. You can consider visiting the Toji Temple and the Kyoto Station shopping area (near Kyoto Aquarium) or checking out a bit of the Philosopher's Path (near Ginkakuji) or the shrines around the Kinkaku-ji.

Thank you for all the help, looking through google map, it doesn't give you the actual distances between different locations, so wasn't sure if traveling will take up time or if the location is difficult to get to. It's my first time to Kyoto, to me it's totally different from Tokyo, probably because I've been to Tokyo four times, and traveling to rural area outside the Tokyo area for me using a rental car is much convenience, but for Kyoto I'm going by train this time, my budget isn't much for this trip, so I have to plan well.


Thanks again, you've all be helpful.

Would this be the best trail for my select area.

From Kyoto station taking the san-in line to Saga-Arashiyama Station, make my way to Torokko Saga Station for the sagano scenic railway to Kameoka Torokko Station. 5 minutes walk to the Umahori Station for train to Torokko Arashiyama station and then walk to the bamboo grove.

For the monkey park, its about 20 minutes walk from the bamboo grove, I will probably visit the Arashiyama parkjust before the Monkey park.

On google maps you can use the directions feature or the measure distance feature to see distances.

Your plans for your Arashiyama day look good. there is no need to rush. You probably have 3 hours, maybe 4 hours worth of activities, including walking etc.

When walking between Kameoka Torokko Station and Umahori Station, take you time and explore the area. Don't take the most direct route. It is a nice rural location, with rice fields and a river. The locals also have some stalls with foods and crafts. So enjoy and explore. Otherwise you'll miss some charm or the area. People normally just walk on by.

Actually the Monkey Park is at a least 20 minutes hike on a steepish path on the mountain from the Kiosk where you purchase the entry tickets. The entry point/kiosk is across the bridge. In other words it�fs on the other side to the bamboo grove. Also note that no entry to the park is allowed after 4:30pm.

We were in Arashiyama last week and did the opposite of your plan. We started with the monkey park before the weather got warm, and the climb was pleasant with some rest stations along the way.

After coming down we had lunch and walked to the bamboo grove, checking the little shops on the way and back. We decided not to take the scenic train because it was just too crowded.

We started at 9 am and finished by 2:30pm. So if you want to add the scenic train ride you maybe done by 4-4:30pm or you can start earlier and be done earlier.

Have fun there when you go.

@hakata14

Now this is the kind of places I like to see, thanks for the suggestion, I think they have these all over Kyoto and those tradition villages with ryokan style hotels and houses and shops filling up those streets.


@cana

Thanks for the suggestion, no matter how I want to see the Monkeys, I will stick to my plan, if I end up missing it, I will visit again mid next year, as I will be coming back, I will also spend more time in Kyoto. Also I'm not sure if I have the time, the same day I'm coming from Osaka, probably get tired with all the traveling.

As for the next day, It will be the Osaka aquarium, Kinkakuji & Ginkakuji and Philosopher's Path, any suggestion on the order of visit, my order was the Aquarium, Kinkakuji, Philosopher's Path then Ginkakuji.

But I'm still confused about getting to each location from the Aquarium, the transports in Kyoto seem complicated.

Osaka aquarium, Kinkakuji & Ginkakuji and Philosopher's Path all in the one day will be quite difficult, as they are all spread out from one another. The Kyoto locations need to be accessed by buses, and the buses are extremely slow.

For example, the bus from Kyoto station to Kinkajuki takes just on one hour.

I would probably do the Kyoto sights first, as they open earlier than the Osaka Aquarium, so this allows you to gain 30-60 minutes extra of your day.

sorry my mistake.

kinkakuji, kyoto aquarium, ginkakuji then Philosopher's Path, all the opening hours are very similar with the exception of Philosopher's Path, and whiles kinkakuji opens at 0830, I can visit it first then to the kyoto aquarium which opens at 1000, then to ginkakuji, if ginkakuji is closed, Philosopher's Path is probably best to go at night.

Hi If I'm to skip the Sagano Scenic railway, are there any other places nearby to have good scenes and view of the nature, just worried if I cannot get a reservation.

You can walk by the river bank as far as you want if you like, it�fs very picturesque and also the hike and the view from the top of the Monkey Mountain is breathtaking.

There were also some boats on the side of the Monkey Mountain that can take you for a ride along the river if you want.

Thanks for the suggestion, I would also take into account in the event I cannot make reservation on the train, so it will give me extra time to something else.

I have a change in Plan, instead of coming Osaka to Kyoto to Arashimaya, I found a more direct route, I will come from Dobutsuen-Mae Station in Osaka, my hotel is next to the station, and it's more of a direct route using the Hankyu train service to Hankyu Arashimaya Station, near the monkey park, and will probably visit just the monkey park and nearby, a friend of mine say the view on the scenic train isn't that good, especially if the train is busy and you are sitting on the wrong side of the train or It may get too busy and not able to make a booking, after that I will take the same train towards to Karasuma Station and the number 101 bus to Kinkakuji, If I get more time, I can work my way around.

For my second day, I can just visit the Philosopher Path, Ginkakuji and Kyoto aquarium coming from my staying hotel 8 minutes from Kyoto station.