Kyoto – Always a Delight!

In November 2023, I spent five days in Kyoto, and I absolutely loved it. Naturally, it featured again on our March 2025 itinerary. Plagued by constant news of overtourism and the fact that we were visiting during peak season, I wondered whether to skip the city altogether this time around and opt instead for a lesser-known destination with a similar atmosphere.

But Kyoto is hard to skip, so in the end, I decided to allocate three days in the city, which was just enough time to admire our favourite spots and experience its charms, while mostly avoiding the locations known for having the largest crowds.

Travelling from Osaka to Kyoto

We took the Hankyu train from Osaka to Kyoto. The trip took about an hour, which was perfectly fine since we were in no hurry. The Shinkansen from Osaka to Kyoto takes just 15 minutes. However, when we considered the time needed to reach Shin-Osaka station, navigate through it, and board the train, the total travel time wasn’t significantly faster. Additionally, the Shinkansen ticket was over five times more expensive than the Hankyu train.

As a result, choosing the Hankyu line was an easy decision for us and by the time we arrived in Kyoto, our accommodation was ready for check-in.

Staying in a Kyoto Machiya

We stayed in a machiya – a traditional wooden townhouse that was once the home of merchants. Ours had multiple rooms and a little inner garden that made it feel super cosy. It was tucked away on a quiet street just off Gion, so we got the best of both worlds – peaceful nights but still just a short walk to all the action.

Since machiya are in residential areas and the walls are pretty thin, we found ourselves whispering more than usual, just to be extra mindful of our neighbours. But in general, this accommodation was a perfect place to begin and end our days in the city.

Kyoto Wanderings…

We would spend our first evening visiting Yasaka Shrine and a few temples, before walking around the city in search of a restaurant for dinner. It was more like a pub crawl; we wanted to stop at a famous gyoza place for appetisers, but the queues were so long and many places closed early, with the queues cutting off just before we would ever get seated. Never being one to wait for hours for food, we would simply walk off to another joint.

Being in Japan, it’s not that difficult to find good food. I can count on one hand how many times our meals missed the spot, and I would not run out of fingers. For the most part, our random restaurant finds, after spending almost two months cumulatively, were hits.

Eventually, on this evening’s restaurant crawl, we satisfied our gyoza cravings by dining in an underground Chinese restaurant (gasp!). And then we found Mimikou, where we had the most delicious udon after Mark’s top-notch bargaining skills secured us a seat just before closing time.

In the morning, we began our day bright and early by walking through Gion, admiring the beautiful, near-empty streets and alleyways before making our way to the famous Fushimi Inari Shrine. These places tend to get crowded during the day, so starting early was pertinent, especially because we were visiting during peak season.

Exploring Kyoto in March…

But if I’m being honest, the crowds were not as bad as I had envisioned. Perhaps we were lucky, or maybe we started our days early to the point where it never mattered, but even during our late afternoon walks through Gion and along the Kamo River, it was never the packed tourist chaos I had prepared for. It’s worth mentioning that by the time we arrived in Kyoto, the cherry blossoms were just starting to open up.

There was one tree in full bloom at Maruyama Park and a few others along the Kamo River. But apart from this, the city as a whole had not reached full bloom yet. And so, exploring Kyoto in March was pleasant.

Visiting Fushimi Inari Shrine

Our main outing outside Gion was a day trip to Fushimi Inari Shrine and Uji. We set out early by train, eager to climb to the top of Mount Inari and, hopefully, escape the biggest crowds. Walking through the endless rows of bright red torii gates was as magical as I had experienced before, and the higher we went, the quieter it became – sometimes we’d even get long stretches of the path to ourselves.

Of course, complete solitude is rare these days, since plenty of other determined hikers are chasing that same peaceful moment at the summit.

Still, the hike was lovely. The weather was brilliant, and we were surrounded by lush nature and countless smaller torii gates tucked away along the paths. It made for a thoroughly enjoyable morning. By the time we descended back to the entrance, streams of people were beginning to arrive. I mentioned to Mark and Andrew that even then, the crowds weren’t nearly as overwhelming as I’d expected. Once again, I suspected we’d been rather fortunate with our timing.

After finishing our climb at Fushimi Inari, we hopped back on the train for a quick ride to Uji – a small riverside town famous for its matcha and historic temples.

A Quick Trip to Uji

Uji was a breath of fresh air – literally. After a quick konbini stop for breakfast, we strolled down towards Byodoin Temple. The streets were calm and charming, lined with boutique shops and matcha everything. If I’d planned ahead, we probably would have tried a tea ceremony here – it feels only fitting in the home of matcha – but the options I found were out of budget. Maybe next time I’ll splurge, because Uji is definitely a place I’d love to revisit and linger longer.

Matcha at Masuda Chaho…

To get our matcha fix, we stopped at Masuda Chaho, a tea shop dating back to 1912, just outside Byodoin Temple. Here I tried shaved ice for the first time and fell in love with it! I had initially asked for vanilla ice cream, and the lady nearly threw me out of the store! Just kidding! But yeah, this is a matcha store and they sell matcha everything. Matcha tastes bitter to me, but the shaved ice was so delicious that I regret not indulging more!

Visiting Byodo-in Temple

After this, we wandered through Byodoin Temple and visited the museum inside. Fun fact: this is the temple you see on the 10 yen coin! Seeing it in person was beautiful, and I can only imagine how stunning it must look surrounded by cherry blossoms in spring or autumn foliage in the fall. Hopefully, on our next visit, we’ll be lucky enough to catch it in one of those seasons.

But the charms of Uji didn’t end at Byodoin Temple. On our walk back to the train station after visiting, we turned a corner and stumbled upon a gorgeous little shrine framed by cherry blossoms in full bloom – and oh, my heart! Standing there beneath the soft pink petals drifting in the breeze, I finally understood the hype around sakura season. It felt almost otherworldly, like we’d walked straight into a painting.

Agata Shrine – A Hidden Gem in Uji

The shrine turned out to be Agata Shrine, a quiet spot that doesn’t get nearly as much attention as Byodoin but has its own unique charm. It’s best known for its annual Agata Festival in June, when locals parade through the streets with lanterns late into the night. On this spring day, though, it was peaceful, with only the blossoms keeping us company. Stumbling across it by chance made the moment even more special – one of those unplanned discoveries that ends up staying with you long after the trip.

We returned to our machiya after this stop, feeling satisfied with our outing. If you plan to take this trip, Nara is on the same train line, allowing you to combine your visit for a full day out in Kyoto.

Once again, Kyoto stunned me with its beauty. Even after a second visit, I am already dreaming of going back. There are still so many places I want to see and just as many I would love to revisit. I wish I had included Arashiyama for Mark and Andrew to experience, but I skipped it out of fear of the crowds. When I visited in November, it was fantastic and so much more than its famous bamboo forest. We also skipped the Golden Pavilion, which remains high on my list for next time.

Even with those missed stops, this trip felt like a dream. Kyoto gave us moments of peace, surprise, and wonder at every turn, and it was everything I could have hoped for. I know we will be back again someday, but until then, I will carry these memories with me as a reminder of why Kyoto is a city worth returning to, time and time again.

Have you ever been to Kyoto? If yes, I’d love to hear what your experience was like! And if not, is it on your travel bucket list? Share your thoughts with me in the comments – I’d love to know!