Where should I start in Kyoto City, Uji, or the north?
Consider a base near Kyoto Station for trips around the city and to Uji. Arashiyama and Uji are on different rail lines, so give them separate days. For an Amanohashidate overnight stay, check return train times to Kyoto alongside hotels on the Monju side.
Palaces, gardens, or a coastal walk?
Choose Nijo Castle for palace wall paintings and carved decorations, or Tenryu-ji in Arashiyama for a relaxed garden walk. For Phoenix Hall across a pond and cultural exhibits, consider Byodoin in Uji. Visit Fushimi Inari for worship along red torii paths, or compare Amanohashidate in the north for a pine path between the waters. The attraction guide explains viewing areas and access.
Itineraries by trip length
First choose between one Kyoto Station hotel for city and Uji round trips, or a night in Monju in the north. Then compare admission separately from rail and subway costs.
2 days, 1 night
Visit Nijo Castle on day one and Arashiyama on day two, or visit Uji on day one and prepare for departure near Kyoto Station on day two. Choose around your departure time.
3 days, 2 nights
Give Nijo Castle, Arashiyama, and Uji a day each, or leave time on day two to try for Phoenix Hall interior viewing. Check whether a final-day Uji round trip fits your departure.
4 days, 3 nights
Keep one Kyoto hotel for three separate areas, or spend two Kyoto nights followed by one in Monju. The northern return day must leave enough time for your final departure.
5 days, 4 nights
Stay in Kyoto throughout to give Fushimi Inari its own day. With a northern overnight stay, 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 the JR Sagano Line for Arashiyama, the Nara Line for Uji, and the subway for Nijo Castle.
Check which station exit is nearest your hotel and the walk from the station to its entrance.
Tenryu-ji accessOfficial Nijo Castle access mapOfficial Byodoin access map
Arashiyama · 嵐山
Consider a hotel here if you want to stay into the evening after exploring the gardens and river area.
JR, Randen, and Hankyu's Arashiyama-area stations are in different locations. Check the walk from your hotel to the station you will use.
Near Amanohashidate Station
Consider a station-area hotel for a sandbar walk and a night in northern Kyoto Prefecture.
Distinguish south-side Monju, on the same side as the station, from hotels across the sandbar. Check whether you need a boat or bus to reach your hotel.
Separate day trips from Kyoto Station
Nijo-jo Castle · 元離宮二条城
Give the palace and gardens their own day. Distinguish the Ninomaru Palace-inclusive ticket from the separate Honmaru Palace ticket, and check the walk from Nijojo-mae subway station to the entrance.
Arashiyama · 嵐山
Plan a day for Tenryu-ji's garden followed by a meal in the area. From Kyoto Station, use Saga-Arashiyama on the JR Sagano Line. Randen and Hankyu stations have similar names but different arrival locations.
Uji · 宇治
Combine Byodoin's garden and exhibits with a meal on the same day. For the Phoenix Hall interior too, leave time for same-day first-come reception. Interior viewing costs extra beyond basic admission.
Official Byodoin access mapOfficial Byodoin visitor information
Amanohashidate · 天橋立
Spend a night in the north and walk the pine path. This guide uses a hotel in Monju on the south side; north-side hotels and hilltop viewpoints require separate transportation.
JR West Sagano and Biwako Line stop map, revised March 16, 2024Official Byodoin access mapAmanohashidate access
Find the right line from Kyoto Station
Nijo Castle
Take the Karasuma subway line, transfer to the Tozai Line at Karasuma Oike, and get off at 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 hours from building viewing hours.
Byodoin
Take a JR Nara Line train stopping at Uji, then walk to Byodoin. If you want the Phoenix Hall interior too, check same-day reception first.
Official Byodoin access mapOfficial Byodoin visitor information
Amanohashidate
Take the Hashidate limited express to Amanohashidate Station, then travel to your Monju hotel. Check reserved seats in both directions and your hotel's actual access.
Official Nijo Castle access mapOfficial Byodoin access mapTenryu-ji accessJR Hashidate information
Explore related guides
Check city transport tickets and JR reservations separately. Continuing to Lake Biwa Museum also requires checking the bus from Kusatsu Station. Open the restaurant guide for Kyoto City visit days, and compare northern rail-pass coverage against the journeys you will actually take.
Choose meals in the area you are visiting
A meal in Kyoto City
For Kyoto food, consider tofu dishes and obanzai. Plan a meal near Arashiyama on that visit day, or near Kyoto Station on a train departure day. Check each restaurant's menu, prices, and reservation conditions.
Uji and your northern overnight stay
After Byodoin, choose a Uji restaurant that fits that day's route. For a Monju overnight stay, first check whether dinner is included in your booking and when you must arrive at the hotel. Find restaurants separately in Uji and Monju.
Kyoto Tourist Information Center food guideOfficial Byodoin access mapAmanohashidate access
Compare admission separately from transport
Course subtotals cover only the facility admission listed. Add hotels, meals, JR fares, and subway fares separately. Optional viewing areas change admission costs.
Nijo Castle
The castle and Ninomaru Palace ticket costs ¥1,300. Honmaru Palace needs a separate ticket and reservation.
Byodoin
Basic garden and Hoshokan admission is ¥700. Phoenix Hall interior viewing costs an additional ¥300 after same-day first-come reception.
Hashidate round trip
The October 2026 fare table gives ¥10,000 for an ordinary reserved-seat round trip when both dates fall in the standard season. Check seasonal fares and seats again for your actual dates.
Kansai Wide Area Pass
An adult consecutive five-day pass costs ¥12,000. Compared with the ¥10,000 standard-season round trip above, the northern round trip alone does not make the pass cheaper. Check eligibility, covered routes, and reserved-seat bookings together.
JR Kansai Wide Area Pass Japanese-language termsJR Kansai Wide Area Pass coverage, eligibility, and validityJR October 2026 fare table, page 15
Nijo Castle admission feesOfficial Byodoin visitor informationOfficial JR timetable and fare search, October 8, 2026JR October 2026 fare table, page 15JR Kansai Wide Area Pass Japanese-language terms
Check the bridge-area camera before visiting Arashiyama
This Kyoto City Tourism Association camera shows the area around the north end of Togetsukyo Bridge. It does not show Tenryu-ji's interior or all of Arashiyama. Check the operator's original feed for current video availability.
Frequently asked questions
Are Uji and Arashiyama on the same train line?
From Kyoto Station, take the JR Sagano Line to Saga-Arashiyama for Arashiyama, or the JR Nara Line to Uji. These are different lines. Separate visit days make it easier to take each round trip from the same hotel.
JR West Sagano and Biwako Line stop map, revised March 16, 2024Official Byodoin access map
Does a northern overnight stay mean changing my Kyoto hotel?
The three-night northern course spends two nights in Kyoto, then one in Monju south of Amanohashidate. The four-night northern course adds a final night in Kyoto. Monju hotels and Fuchu hotels across the sandbar have different access, so choose your hotel location and round-trip Hashidate trains first.
Official sources and checked dates
- Tenryu-ji access ·
- Amanohashidate access ·
- Official Nijo Castle access map ·
- Nijo Castle admission fees ·
- Official Byodoin access map ·
- Official Byodoin visitor information ·
- Kyoto City guide to Saga and Arashiyama ·
- JR Hashidate information ·
- JR October 2026 fare table, page 15 ·
- e5489 reservations ·
- Museum access ·
- City transport tickets ·
- JR West Sagano and Biwako Line stop map, revised March 16, 2024 ·
- Official JR timetable and fare search, October 8, 2026 ·
- JR Kansai Wide Area Pass Japanese-language terms ·
- JR Kansai Wide Area Pass coverage, eligibility, and validity ·
- Kyoto Tourist Information Center food guide ·
- Kyoto City tourism camera locations ·