For everyone thinking “Kyoto in summer is way too hot” — or “I’ve already been to Kyoto so many times” — this one is for you! Here is a relaxed summer Kyoto itinerary centered on Kifune Shrine and Shojuin Temple.
Both Kifune Shrine and Shojuin are a little off the beaten path, but they are truly wonderful places, so if you haven’t been yet, definitely check them out.
Day 1
8:00 Meet at JR Kyoto Station
This route starts from Kyoto Station. From there, take the subway to Kokusaikaikan Station.
9:00 Bus to Kibuneguchi
From Kokusaikaikan Station, hop on a bus bound for Kibuneguchi. Note that the Kyoto one-day bus pass apparently cannot be used on this bus, so be careful.
9:40 Arrive at Kifune Shrine
At the Kibuneguchi bus stop, transfer to the bus for Kibune, which takes you right to the foot of Kifune Shrine. Even in August the breeze was cool, and the walk up to the Okunomiya (inner shrine) was not a struggle at all. Hard to believe it’s the same Kyoto!
11:30 Lunch
Since we were there, we had lunch on one of Kibune’s famous kawadoko — dining platforms built right over the river. Many restaurants serve kaiseki course meals that top 10,000 yen even at lunch, but the place we ate at, “Denbe,” offered a soba set for just over 2,000 yen — a price ordinary travelers can actually afford.
The kawadoko was astonishingly cool, with a wonderful breeze. So cool we half-suspected hidden air conditioning!
12:30 Leave Kibune
Transfer buses at Kibuneguchi and Takaragaike-dori, and ride to Jingu-michi.
14:30 Check in at The Westin Miyako Kyoto
We checked into the hotel, dropped off our luggage, and took a short break. We had started early and were tired, so we rested for about 30 minutes.
15:00 To Nanzenji Temple
We walked to Nanzenji Temple, about 10 minutes on foot from the hotel.
On the way back, we caught a glimpse of the Keage Incline, a historic inclined railway track, and snapped a photo.
But wow, it was hot… Kyoto summers really are brutal. So we decided to turn in early and save Heian Jingu Shrine for the next morning.
16:30 Tea Time & Dinner at the Westin Miyako Tea Lounge “MAYFAIR”
It was quite early, but with an early start planned for the next day, we combined dinner with tea time. Both the pancakes and the fried shrimp were delicious!
20:30 Bedtime
After dinner, we headed back to the room and went to sleep. Very early, I know, but off to bed we go. Good night!
Day 2
5:00 Wake up
Thanks to going to bed so early, we had no trouble waking up early!
6:00 Heian Jingu Shrine
Heian Jingu Shrine opens at 6:00, so we visited before breakfast!
Unlike the previous evening, the streets of Kyoto were cool. It was comfortable enough that people were out jogging — waking up early was absolutely the right call.
6:30 Breakfast
Back at the hotel for breakfast. The breakfast venue had stylish interiors, and the food was delicious too.
7:00 Departure
Time to head for Shojuin Temple. From Keage Station, take the subway to Rokujizo, transfer to JR, and ride to Uji Station. From Uji Station, take a bus to the Ichu-mae bus stop, where taxis wait nearby to take you up to Shojuin. Depending on the day of the week and the time, there are also buses that go close to the temple.
9:00 Arrive at Shojuin
At last, we arrived at Shojuin Temple. The wind chime festival was underway, so we checked in at the reception in front of the festival grounds. The festival is reservation-only, which made it easy to take photos.
The wind chimes were truly beautiful, and even their sound felt cooling. Sitting on the veranda of the main hall and gazing at the chimes is lovely too. In the main hall we prayed to the principal image of Buddha, which “can only be seen in person once every 50 years.” We couldn’t see the real one, but a thread connects you to it, so your prayers are said to reach it!
10:30 To the Guest Hall with the Inome Window
We went to see the heart-shaped inome window, a traditional Japanese motif said to ward off evil. The ceiling paintings were beautiful too!
11:15 Stroll to the Bus Stop
The road down to the Okuyamada-Shojuin-guchi bus stop is all downhill, so we took our time strolling and exploring on the way.
11:55 Bus to Uji Station
On certain days of the week, a bus runs from Okuyamada-Shojuin-guchi to Uji Station. On weekdays and other days without the bus, you’ll likely need to take a taxi to Ichu-mae, the same as on the way there.
12:35 Arrive at Uji Station
The moment we stepped off the bus, the heat hit us hard. Every breath of air felt hot! The mountains really are a different world temperature-wise.
We had lunch near Uji Station.
14:00 To Byodoin Temple
Since we had come all the way to Uji, we visited Byodoin’s Phoenix Hall. But by then it was 14:00… It was so hot that we couldn’t stay long. And for some reason the pond was completely green… Byodoin is the temple depicted on the 10-yen coin, so it’s worth seeing at least once — but if you can’t handle the heat, The Tale of Genji Museum might be a good alternative.
15:00 From Uji back to Kyoto Station
We probably could have squeezed in a little more, but after such an early morning, we called it a day here. Heading home before the crowds isn’t a bad thing either. We’d love to come back!