Kyoto city, Uji or the north: where should you start?
Consider a Kyoto Station base for city and Uji visits. Arashiyama and Uji use different railway lines and fit separate days. For a night in Amanohashidate, check return trains to Kyoto alongside a Monju-side hotel.
Palaces, gardens or a coastal walk: what would you like to see first?
Consider Nijo Castle for palace paintings and carved decoration, or Arashiyama's Tenryu-ji for a leisurely garden walk. Choose Byodoin in Uji for Phoenix Hall across the pond and cultural treasures in the exhibitions. Fushimi Inari offers shrine visits along red torii paths; northern Amanohashidate offers a pine-lined walk with sea views. Check visiting areas and directions in the attraction guides.
Itineraries by trip length
First decide whether to keep one Kyoto Station hotel for city and Uji visits or spend a night in northern Monju. Choose visiting areas, then compare admission separately from rail and subway costs.
1 night, 2 days
Visit Nijo Castle on day one and Arashiyama on day two, or visit Uji on day one and prepare for departure near Kyoto Station the next day. Choose around your return time.
2 nights, 3 days
Give separate days to Nijo Castle, Arashiyama and Uji, or leave time on day two to wait for Phoenix Hall interior admission. Check whether a final-day Uji return trip is possible.
3 nights, 4 days
Explore the three areas from one Kyoto hotel, or spend two nights in Kyoto and one in Monju. On the northern return day, you need time to connect to your final departure.
4 nights, 5 days
If staying in Kyoto throughout, give Fushimi Inari a separate day. With a northern overnight stay, return from Monju for a final Kyoto night and leave the following day.
Where to stay
Kyoto Station
Kyoto City · 京都市 is in Kyoto Prefecture · 京都府.
Use the JR Sagano Line for Arashiyama, the Nara Line for Uji and the subway for Nijo Castle.
Check which station exit is closest to your hotel and the walk to its entrance.
Tenryu-ji accessNijo Castle official access mapByodoin official access map
Arashiyama
Compare hotels here if you want to explore the gardens and riverside, then spend the evening in Arashiyama.
JR, Randen and Hankyu Arashiyama stations are in different locations. Check the route from your hotel to the station you will use.
Near Amanohashidate Station
Compare hotels near the station for a sandbar walk and a night in northern Kyoto Prefecture.
Check whether your hotel is on the southern Monju side with the station, or across the sandbar. You may need a boat or bus to reach it.
Separate day trips from a Kyoto Station base
Nijo-jo Castle · 元離宮二条城
This is a palace and garden day. Distinguish the ticket including Ninomaru Palace from separate Honmaru Palace admission, and check the walk from subway Nijojo-mae to the entrance.
Arashiyama · 嵐山
Plan a Tenryu-ji garden visit and a meal in the area. From Kyoto Station, use JR Sagano Line Saga-Arashiyama. Randen and Hankyu stations have similar names but different locations.
Uji · 宇治
Combine Byodoin's garden, exhibitions and a meal on the same day. If you also want to enter Phoenix Hall, allow time for same-day first-come registration. Interior admission is separate from the basic ticket.
Byodoin official access mapByodoin official visiting guidance
Amanohashidate · 天橋立
Choose a northern overnight stay with a pine-path walk. This guide uses southern Monju accommodation; northern hotels and mountain observation decks need separate journeys.
JR West Sagano and Biwako Line stop map, revised 2024-03-16Byodoin official access mapAmanohashidate access
Find the right line from Kyoto Station
Nijo Castle
Take the Karasuma subway line and change at Karasuma Oike to the Tozai Line for Nijojo-mae. Check the station exit and castle entrance.
Tenryu-ji
Take a JR Sagano Line train stopping at Saga-Arashiyama, then walk to Tenryu-ji. Distinguish garden and building visiting hours.
Byodoin
Take a JR Nara Line train stopping at Uji, then walk to Byodoin. If you also want to enter Phoenix Hall, check same-day registration first.
Byodoin official access mapByodoin official visiting guidance
Amanohashidate
Take the Hashidate limited express to Amanohashidate, then continue to your Monju hotel. Check reserved seats both ways and actual hotel access.
Nijo Castle official access mapByodoin official access mapTenryu-ji accessJR Hashidate guidance
Explore further
Check city transport passes and JR reservations separately. For Lake Biwa Museum as well, search the bus from Kusatsu. Use the restaurant guide for Kyoto city visit days and northern rail pass information when comparing actual covered journeys.
Choose food in the neighbourhood you are visiting
A meal in Kyoto city
For Kyoto food, explore tofu dishes and obanzai. Eat around Arashiyama on your visit day, or near Kyoto Station before a train departure. Check menus, prices and reservation conditions with each restaurant.
Uji and northern overnight days
In Uji, choose a restaurant along that day's route after Byodoin. For a night in Monju, first check whether dinner is included in your booking and when you must arrive at the hotel. Find Uji and Monju restaurants in their respective areas.
Kyoto tourist information centre food guideByodoin official access mapAmanohashidate access
Compare admission and transport separately
Trip-length subtotals cover the attraction admission listed. Add accommodation, meals, JR and subway travel separately. Optional visits change admission costs.
Nijo Castle
The castle and Ninomaru Palace ticket costs JPY 1,300. Honmaru Palace requires a separate ticket and reservation.
Byodoin
The basic garden and Hoshokan ticket costs JPY 700. For the Phoenix Hall interior, register first come on the day and pay JPY 300 extra.
Hashidate return journey
The October 2026 fare table gives JPY 10,000 return for an ordinary-car reserved seat if both dates are in the regular season. Check seasonal fares and seats again for your actual dates.
Kansai Wide
The adult five-consecutive-day pass costs JPY 12,000. Compared with the JPY 10,000 regular-season return above, the pass is not cheaper for the northern return alone. Check eligibility, coverage and seat reservations together.
JR Kansai Wide usage rules in JapaneseJR Kansai Wide coverage, eligibility and validity periodOctober 2026 JR fare table, page 15
Nijo Castle admissionByodoin official visiting guidanceOfficial JR timetable and fare search, 2026-10-08October 2026 JR fare table, page 15JR Kansai Wide usage rules in Japanese
See the bridge area before your Arashiyama visit
This Kyoto tourism association camera shows the area near Togetsukyo Bridge's northern end. It does not show Tenryu-ji's interior or all of Arashiyama. Check the operator's original page for current video availability.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use the same line for Uji and Arashiyama?
From Kyoto Station, use the JR Sagano Line to Saga-Arashiyama for Arashiyama, or the JR Nara Line to Uji. They are different lines; separate visit days make individual return trips from the same hotel easier.
JR West Sagano and Biwako Line stop map, revised 2024-03-16Byodoin official access map
Does a night in the north change my Kyoto hotel arrangements?
The three-night northern itinerary uses two nights in Kyoto followed by one in Monju south of Amanohashidate's sandbar. The four-night itinerary adds a final Kyoto night. Monju and Fuchu hotels across the sandbar have different access, so choose your hotel location and return Hashidate trains first.
Official sources and dates checked
- Tenryu-ji access ·
- Amanohashidate access ·
- Nijo Castle official access map ·
- Nijo Castle admission ·
- Byodoin official access map ·
- Byodoin official visiting guidance ·
- Kyoto city Arashiyama area guide ·
- JR Hashidate guidance ·
- October 2026 JR fare table, page 15 ·
- e5489 ·
- Facility access ·
- City transport passes ·
- JR West Sagano and Biwako Line stop map, revised 2024-03-16 ·
- Official JR timetable and fare search, 2026-10-08 ·
- JR Kansai Wide usage rules in Japanese ·
- JR Kansai Wide coverage, eligibility and validity period ·
- Kyoto tourist information centre food guide ·
- Kyoto city tourism camera locations ·