Two days in Kyoto: Arashiyama or Uji?
For Nijo Castle’s palace paintings and carvings plus an Arashiyama garden walk, compare the day 1 castle and day 2 Arashiyama plan. For Byodoin’s pond and exhibitions, visit Uji first and prepare for departure near Kyoto station next day. Avoid an Arashiyama return with an early day 2 departure.
Choose an itinerary for 2 days / 1 night
Nijo Castle and Arashiyama
See palace wall paintings and carved decoration at Nijo Castle, then walk in Arashiyama’s garden the following day. Stay one night near Kyoto station. Day 2 needs time for the JR return and your onward service from Kyoto after sightseeing. Leave out Arashiyama for an early departure.
Nijo Castle and Arashiyama →2 days / 1 night BByodoin in Uji and Kyoto station
Choose this to spend time by Byodoin’s pond and in the Hoshokan museum. Stay one night near Kyoto station, visiting Uji on day 1 and staying near the station building on day 2. Phoenix Hall interior visits depend on same-day reception. Skip the Skyway for a departure before 10:00.
Byodoin in Uji and Kyoto station →Nijo Castle and Arashiyama
See palace wall paintings and carved decoration at Nijo Castle, then walk in Arashiyama’s garden the following day. Stay one night near Kyoto station. Day 2 needs time for the JR return and your onward service from Kyoto after sightseeing. Leave out Arashiyama for an early departure.
Day 1 · Nijo Castle return trip
Visit Nijo Castle and Ninomaru Palace on arrival day, with Arashiyama the following day on this one-night trip. You need time to take the subway from Kyoto station before the castle’s last admission.
- Kyoto station → Nijojo-mae station
Take the Karasuma line towards Kokusaikaikan and get off at Karasuma Oike. Change to the Tozai line towards Uzumasa Tenjingawa and get off at Nijojo-mae.
Nijo Castle official access mapKyoto transport bureau Nijojo-mae exits and area map
- Nijojo-mae station → Ticket office beside the East Gate
Use Nijojo-mae exit 1 and walk towards Nijo Castle, going to the ticket office beside the East Gate.
Nijo Castle official access mapKyoto transport bureau Nijojo-mae exits and area map
- Ticket office beside the East Gate → Ninomaru Palace and garden
Buy the JPY 1,300 ticket including Ninomaru Palace at the East Gate ticket office, then see the palace and garden. Castle admission ends at 16:00; Ninomaru Palace has separate closure days.
- Ninomaru Palace and garden → Original station and same accommodation
After a meal outside the castle, return to Nijojo-mae. Change at Karasuma Oike to the Karasuma line towards Takeda and return to your Kyoto station accommodation. Search subway fares and services for your travel date separately.
Nijo Castle official access mapKyoto transport bureau Nijojo-mae exits and area map
Castle admission ends at 16:00 and closing is 17:00. On Ninomaru Palace closure days, choose a ticket matching the available areas. After a late arrival, move the visit to another day and check operations for the replacement date.
Day 2 · Return from Arashiyama and depart
Choose garden-only admission or a building visit first.
- JR Sagano line at Kyoto station → JR Saga-Arashiyama station
Take a JR Sagano line train towards Sonobe that stops at Saga-Arashiyama, getting off there.
Tenryuji accessJR West Sagano and Biwako line stops, revised 16 March 2024
- JR Saga-Arashiyama station → Tenryuji
The official walk from JR Saga-Arashiyama to Tenryuji is about 13 minutes. Use on-site guidance to find the reception for your chosen garden, building or Dharma Hall areas.
Tenryuji accessTenryuji Japanese hours and viewing suspensions
- Tenryuji → Tenryuji garden
Buy the JPY 500 garden ticket at garden reception. Garden hours are 08:30–17:00, with reception until 16:50. Buildings cost an additional JPY 300 and are unavailable on partial-closure days.
Tenryuji accessTenryuji Japanese hours and viewing suspensions
- Tenryuji garden → Departure service from Kyoto station
Have lunch in Arashiyama and return to JR Saga-Arashiyama. Take a Kyoto-bound Sagano line train, then continue to your booked departure service at Kyoto station. JR, meals and accommodation are excluded from the JPY 1,800 facility subtotal.
Tenryuji accessJR West Sagano and Biwako line stops, revised 16 March 2024
Tenryuji garden opens 08:30–17:00, with reception until 16:50. Check Sagano line return trains for your date. Skip Arashiyama if there is insufficient time before your Kyoto departure service.
Included: Nijo Castle and Ninomaru Palace JPY 1,300; Tenryuji garden JPY 500.
Extra costs: Subway and JR fares, one night’s accommodation, meals, Tenryuji buildings and Dharma Hall, Honmaru Palace and separate exhibitions, and transport between your starting city and Kyoto.
On Ninomaru Palace closure days, choose a ticket for the areas available. Adding Tenryuji’s buildings costs another JPY 300.
Nijo Castle admissionTenryuji Japanese hours and viewing suspensions
Byodoin in Uji and Kyoto station
Choose this to spend time by Byodoin’s pond and in the Hoshokan museum. Stay one night near Kyoto station, visiting Uji on day 1 and staying near the station building on day 2. Phoenix Hall interior visits depend on same-day reception. Skip the Skyway for a departure before 10:00.
Day 1 · Byodoin in Uji
This one-night plan visits Byodoin on day 1 and stays near Kyoto station on day 2. If the Phoenix Hall interior matters to you, check same-day reception availability on arrival in Uji.
- Kyoto station → JR Uji station
Take a JR Nara line service towards Uji and Nara that stops at Uji, getting off at JR Uji.
Byodoin official access mapByodoin official visitor guideSummer operating exceptions
- JR Uji station → Byodoin
The official walk from JR Uji to Byodoin is about ten minutes. This is a different station from Keihan Uji.
- Byodoin → Byodoin garden and Hoshokan museum
Buy the JPY 700 garden and Hoshokan ticket. For Phoenix Hall interior viewing, check same-day first-come reception and sessions, paying a separate JPY 300. If reception has ended, see the garden and exhibitions only, then eat in Uji.
- Byodoin garden and Hoshokan museum → Original station and same accommodation
Return to the same JR Uji station for a Kyoto-bound train, then your Kyoto station accommodation. Distinguish it from Keihan Uji and check JR fares and services for your date, plus Phoenix Hall sessions.
Byodoin garden opens 08:45–17:30, reception until 17:15; Hoshokan opens 09:00–17:00, reception until 16:45. Phoenix Hall interior reception is first come on the day. Check official date-specific notices for sessions, visitor limits and suspensions. Return on a Kyoto-bound train from JR Uji.
Day 2 · Explore the station building and depart
Choose the plaza or Skyway around your departure time.
- Accommodation near Kyoto station → Chosen building walkway
Explore Muromachikoji Square on Level 4 of the station building and the Grand Stairway. The square and stairway open 06:00–23:00; the Skyway on Level 10 opens 10:00–22:00.
- Chosen building walkway → Departure service from Kyoto station
After your visit and meal, go to the gates and platform for your booked Kyoto departure. Allow time to move through the building. Separate paid exhibitions, purchases and meals are excluded from the facility subtotal.
Level 4 Muromachikoji Square and the Grand Stairway open 06:00–23:00; the Skyway opens 10:00–22:00. Skip the Skyway for an early departure. Keep the visit to the plaza and Skyway before boarding your onward service.
Included: Byodoin garden and Hoshokan museum JPY 700.
Extra costs: JR return travel to Uji, one night’s accommodation, meals and purchases, Phoenix Hall interior JPY 300, separate paid station-building exhibitions, and transport between your starting city and Kyoto.
Phoenix Hall interior viewing requires same-day first-come reception and a separate JPY 300. Including it raises the facility subtotal to JPY 1,000.
Transport tickets, fares and pre-departure checks
Which line should I take from Kyoto station?
Use the JR Sagano line for Arashiyama or the JR Nara line for Uji. For Nijo Castle, change subway lines at Karasuma Oike and get off at Nijojo-mae. Even from the same accommodation, check each visiting day’s line and return services separately.
JR West Sagano and Biwako line stops, revised 16 March 2024Nijo Castle official access mapByodoin official access map
How much of Kyoto station building can I see on departure day?
Level 4 Muromachikoji Square and the Grand Stairway open 06:00–23:00; the Skyway on Level 10 opens 10:00–22:00. For an early departure, visit only the square on Level 4 and stairs. Rooftop Ozora Square is scheduled to close from late November 2026 until around winter 2031; check access for your date.
What are standard return fares from Kyoto station to sights?
Standard adult tickets: Kyoto–Nijojo-mae subway JPY 260 one way or JPY 520 return; JR Kyoto–Saga-Arashiyama and Kyoto–Uji each JPY 240 one way or JPY 480 return; Kyoto–Inari JPY 150 one way or JPY 300 return. JR amounts are regular-seat fare tickets from the official 8 October 2026 search, excluding reserved-seat products with supplements. Return amounts add two tickets on the same route. Recheck actual-date trains and latest fares.
JR official timetable and fare search, 8 October 2026Kyoto transport bureau subway fare table
Frequently asked questions
Should I skip Arashiyama on day 2 for an early onward train?
You need enough time for the Saga-Arashiyama return, garden visit and booked Kyoto departure. For an early departure, compare day 1 Uji and day 2 near Kyoto station. The Skyway opens only after 10:00, so add it only when departure time allows.
Tenryuji Japanese hours and viewing suspensionsPlaza and walkway operating guide
Does the JPY 700 Byodoin ticket include Phoenix Hall’s interior?
JPY 700 covers the garden and Hoshokan. The interior needs same-day first-come reception and another JPY 300, bringing facility admission to JPY 1,000. Early reception closure may prevent interior viewing.
Official sources and dates checked
- Tenryuji access ·
- Nijo Castle official access map ·
- Nijo Castle admission ·
- Nijo Castle operations and closures ·
- Byodoin official access map ·
- Byodoin official visitor guide ·
- Summer operating exceptions ·
- Plaza and walkway operating guide ·
- Rooftop closure notice ·
- Kyoto transport bureau Nijojo-mae exits and area map ·
- JR West Sagano and Biwako line stops, revised 16 March 2024 ·
- Tenryuji Japanese hours and viewing suspensions ·
- JR official timetable and fare search, 8 October 2026 ·
- Kyoto transport bureau subway fare table ·
- JR Kyoto line stops, revised 14 March 2026 ·