Kyoto City, Uji or the north: where should you start?
Compare Kyoto Station for city and Uji returns. Give Arashiyama and Uji separate days because they use different rail lines. For an Amanohashidate stay, check return trains alongside your Monju hotel.
Palaces, gardens or sea paths: what would you like to see?
Choose Nijo for palace paintings and carvings, Tenryu-ji for a garden walk, or Uji's Byodo-in for Phoenix Hall across the pond and cultural exhibits. Compare Fushimi Inari for red torii paths and Amanohashidate for seaside pine paths. Attraction guides explain viewing areas and access.
Itineraries by trip length
Choose one Kyoto Station base for city/Uji returns or a night in northern Monju first. Select viewing areas, then compare admission separately from rail/subway costs.
2 days, 1 night
Choose Nijo on day 1 and Arashiyama on day 2, or Uji on day 1 with departure preparation near Kyoto Station. Match your choice to departure time.
3 days, 2 nights
Give Nijo, Arashiyama and Uji separate days, or leave day 2 time for Phoenix Hall interior registration. Check whether final-day Uji returns fit.
4 days, 3 nights
Divide three areas from one Kyoto hotel, or use two Kyoto nights and one Monju night. The northern return day needs enough time for final departure connections.
5 days, 4 nights
Keeping a Kyoto base allows Fushimi Inari on a separate date. With a northern night, return from Monju for a final Kyoto night and depart the next day.
Where to stay
Kyoto Station
Kyoto City · 京都市 (Kyoto Prefecture · 京都府)
Use JR Sagano Line for Arashiyama, Nara Line for Uji and the subway for Nijo Castle.
Check your hotel's station-exit side and the walk to its actual entrance.
Tenryu-ji accessOfficial Nijo Castle access mapOfficial Byodo-in access map
Arashiyama
Consider a local hotel if you want garden and riverside visits followed by an evening in Arashiyama.
JR, Randen and Hankyu stations here are in different locations; check the walk from your hotel to the one you will use.
Around Amanohashidate Station
Consider a station-area stay for a sandbar walk and a night in northern Kyoto.
Distinguish southern Monju, on the station side, from the far side of the sandbar. Check whether your hotel requires a boat or bus.
Separate days from a Kyoto Station base
Nijo-jo Castle · 元離宮二条城
Spend a day exploring the palace and garden. Distinguish Ninomaru-inclusive admission from separate Honmaru tickets, and check access from Nijojo-mae to the entrance.
Arashiyama · 嵐山
Plan Tenryu-ji's garden and a local meal together. Use JR Sagano to Saga-Arashiyama from Kyoto. Similar Randen/Hankyu station names lead to different arrival points.
Uji · 宇治
Combine Byodo-in's garden/exhibits and meals. Leave time for first-come same-day interior registration if wanted; it is separate from basic admission.
Official Byodo-in access mapOfficial Byodo-in visitor information
Amanohashidate · 天橋立
Choose a northern night with pine paths. This uses southern Monju accommodation; northern hotels and mountain viewpoints need separate transport.
JR West Sagano/Biwako Line stop map (revised 2024-03-16)Official Byodo-in access mapAmanohashidate access
Search separate lines from Kyoto Station
Nijo Castle
Take Karasuma Line, changing at Karasuma Oike to Tozai for Nijojo-mae. Check station exit and castle entrance.
Tenryu-ji
Take a JR Sagano service stopping at Saga-Arashiyama, then walk to Tenryu-ji. Garden and building hours differ.
Byodo-in
Take a JR Nara service stopping at Uji, then walk to Byodo-in. Check interior registration first if wanted.
Official Byodo-in access mapOfficial Byodo-in visitor information
Amanohashidate
Take limited express Hashidate to Amanohashidate and your Monju hotel. Check reserved returns and actual hotel access.
Official Nijo Castle access mapOfficial Byodo-in access mapTenryu-ji accessJR Hashidate information
Explore more
Check city passes separately from JR reservations. Lake Biwa Museum requires a Kusatsu bus search. Use restaurant guides for Kyoto City days and northern passes for actual covered-route comparisons.
Eat in the neighbourhood you are visiting
Choose a meal in Kyoto City
Consider tofu dishes and obanzai for Kyoto food. Eat around Arashiyama on its sightseeing day or Kyoto Station before train departure. Check each restaurant's menu, price and reservations.
Uji and northern nights
Choose a Uji restaurant along your route after Byodo-in. For a Monju night, check whether dinner is included and required arrival time first. Find restaurants separately in each area.
Kyoto tourist information centre food introductionOfficial Byodo-in access mapAmanohashidate access
Compare admission separately from transport
Itinerary subtotals cover the listed facility admission. Add accommodation, meals, JR and subway separately. Optional viewing areas change admission.
Nijo Castle
Castle/Ninomaru-inclusive admission is ¥1,300. Honmaru needs a separate ticket and reservation.
Byodo-in
Basic garden/Hoshokan admission is ¥700. Phoenix Hall interior needs first-come same-day registration and another ¥300.
Hashidate return
The October 2026 table gives regular-season ordinary-car reserved return at ¥10,000 if both dates are regular season. Recheck seasonal fares and seats for actual dates.
Kansai Wide
The adult five-consecutive-day pass is ¥12,000. Compared with the ¥10,000 regular-season return, northern travel alone does not make it cheaper. Check eligibility, covered sections and reserved seats.
JR Kansai Wide Japanese conditionsJR Kansai Wide coverage, eligibility and validityJR October 2026 fare table, page 15
Nijo Castle admissionOfficial Byodo-in visitor informationOfficial JR timetable/fare search (2026-10-08)JR October 2026 fare table, page 15JR Kansai Wide Japanese conditions
Preview the bridge area before Arashiyama
This Kyoto City tourism association camera faces Togetsukyo's northern end. It does not show Tenryu-ji interiors or all of Arashiyama. Check the operator's original feed for current availability.
Frequently asked questions
Do Uji and Arashiyama use the same line?
From Kyoto, use JR Sagano to Saga-Arashiyama or JR Nara to Uji. Separate days make returns to the same hotel easier.
JR West Sagano/Biwako Line stop map (revised 2024-03-16)Official Byodo-in access map
Does a northern night change your Kyoto hotel plan?
The three-night northern route uses two Kyoto nights then one in southern Monju. The four-night option adds a final Kyoto night. Monju and Fuchu hotels across the sandbar have different access; set hotel location and return Hashidate first.
Official sources and dates checked
- Tenryu-ji access ·
- Amanohashidate access ·
- Official Nijo Castle access map ·
- Nijo Castle admission ·
- Official Byodo-in access map ·
- Official Byodo-in visitor information ·
- Kyoto City Arashiyama guide ·
- JR Hashidate information ·
- JR October 2026 fare table, page 15 ·
- e5489 ·
- Facility access ·
- City transport pass ·
- JR West Sagano/Biwako Line stop map (revised 2024-03-16) ·
- Official JR timetable/fare search (2026-10-08) ·
- JR Kansai Wide Japanese conditions ·
- JR Kansai Wide coverage, eligibility and validity ·
- Kyoto tourist information centre food introduction ·
- Kyoto City tourism camera locations ·