# 2 days in Kyoto: an itinerary day by day > Two days in Kyoto: the east and the west of the city. Day one: Fushimi Inari, Sanjusangen-do, Kiyomizu-dera, Yasaka Shrine and Gion. Day two: Nijo Castle with its 'nightingale floors' that sing underfoot, the Golden Pavilion of Kinkaku-ji above its pond, the rock garden of Ryoan-ji, and Arashiyama on the western edge by the hills — Sagano bamboo grove, Tenryu-ji temple and Togetsukyo Bridge. Web page: https://yesgo.io/japan/kyoto/in-2-days ## Day 1 1. [Fushimi Inari Shrine](https://yesgo.io/japan/kyoto/fushimi-inari.md) — YesGo score 55/100 (Yes, go) · 2 h · free ↓ 22 min by transport 2. [Sanjusangen-do](https://yesgo.io/japan/kyoto/sanjusangen-do.md) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · about ¥600 Lunch break, about 1 h ↓ 19 min by transport 3. [Kiyomizu-dera](https://yesgo.io/japan/kyoto/kiyomizu-dera.md) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · ≈ ¥500 ↓ 19 min by transport 4. [Gion](https://yesgo.io/japan/kyoto/gion.md) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · free ↓ 6 min on foot 5. [Yasaka Shrine](https://yesgo.io/japan/kyoto/yasaka-shrine.md) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · free Total with walks: 8 h 21 min ## Day 2 1. [Nijo Castle](https://yesgo.io/japan/kyoto/nijo-castle.md) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · ¥800; with Ninomaru ¥1,300 ↓ 25 min by transport 2. [Kinkaku-ji](https://yesgo.io/japan/kyoto/kinkaku-ji.md) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · ¥500 Lunch break, about 1 h ↓ 19 min on foot 3. [Ryoan-ji](https://yesgo.io/japan/kyoto/ryoan-ji.md) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · ¥600 ↓ 31 min by transport 4. [Arashiyama](https://yesgo.io/japan/kyoto/arashiyama.md) — YesGo score 28/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · grove free; Tenryu-ji garden ¥500 Total with walks: 8 h 15 min ## How the two days work Day one is the one-day Kyoto itinerary. Day two is the centre and north-west: Nijo in the morning, Kinkaku-ji and Ryoan-ji 20 minutes' walk apart, and Arashiyama by train towards evening. Remove any stop with the cross or drag it with ≡, and add another one nearby — the times recalculate. ## Arashiyama Sagano bamboo grove is free and always open — quietest early or late in the day. Tenryu-ji's garden is 500 yen, 8:30–17:00. Togetsukyo Bridge over the river is the district's classic view, especially in November. ## Is 2 days in Kyoto enough? For the highlights, yes. Walk the [Philosopher's Path](https://yesgo.io/japan/kyoto/philosophers-path) from Ginkaku-ji to Nanzen-ji, or take the 45-minute train to [Nara](https://yesgo.io/japan/nara) for the deer and the Great Buddha. ## Tips - Be at Nijo before 16:00, the last entry. - At Ryoan-ji, sit on the veranda — the garden is meant to be taken slowly. - Keep quiet at temples and shrines and take your shoes off before entering halls; photos inside halls are often not allowed. There is no tipping in Japan. - Japan uses the yen. Foreign cards work almost everywhere, but temples, markets and small cafés want cash. A Suica or PASMO card pays for trains, metro and shops by the station. - A one-day subway and bus pass pays off after 3–4 rides. ## Questions ### What to do with 2 days in Kyoto? Day one: Fushimi Inari, Kiyomizu and Gion. Day two: Nijo, Kinkaku-ji, Ryoan-ji and Arashiyama. ### How much is Kinkaku-ji? 500 yen, daily 9:00–17:00. ### How much is Nijo Castle? 800 yen, 1,300 with Ninomaru Palace. ### Is the bamboo grove free? Yes, and always open. ### Is 2 days in Kyoto enough? For the highlights, yes. Nara needs another day. ### How much does it cost? About 1,100 yen on day one and 2,900 on day two. ### Is it good with kids? Yes; the nightingale floors are a hit. ### When is the best time? Spring and November. ### How do I get to Arashiyama? By JR Sagano line or the Keifuku tram from the centre. ### How do I pay in Japan? Japan uses the yen. Foreign cards work almost everywhere, but temples, markets and small cafés want cash. A Suica or PASMO card pays for trains, metro and shops by the station. --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.