Temples, gardens and slow tea mornings. Everything we learned on the ground: when to go, what it costs, and the stories from our time there.
Kyoto
Temples, gardens and slow tea mornings
Destination guide · Japan
Kyoto
Temples, gardens and slow tea mornings
Local time
Weather now
- Best time to visit
- Late March to May, October to November
- Daily budget
- Pricey
- Visa for US citizens
- Visa-free up to 90 days
- Language
- Japanese
- Currency
- Japanese yen (JPY)
- Time zone
- Asia/Tokyo
Stories from Kyoto
Food & Drink
An Osaka Food Crawl in One Night
Takoyaki, kushikatsu, okonomiyaki — and the late-night ramen that ended it.
Asia
Tokyo at Night: A First-Timer’s Neighborhood Guide
Shibuya, Shinjuku, Shimokitazawa and the alleys in between, after dark.
Asia
Kyoto in Autumn: Temples, Maple Leaves and Quiet Mornings
How to see Kyoto’s fall color without the crowds — and the three gardens we would go back for.