Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. At no extra cost to you, we may receive a small commission if you book travel or make purchases using these links.
Flanked by towering mountain ranges lies the ancient Japanese city of Kyoto. Out of all the cities we visited on our family’s first trip to Japan, Kyoto was one of my favorites for its cultural and historical significance, and for its quaint and peaceful vibe that reminds me of the way I prefer Oakland to San Francisco (no hate, just facts).
Along with my five-year-old and our extended family, I spent two days in Japan’s former capital city, and it felt like we barely just scratched the surface. If your family is spending at least a couple days in Kyoto, I’d definitely recommend visiting the sites below!
Why Visit Kyoto with Kids
Kyoto is a wonderful family-friendly destination to:
- Eat amazing food
- Practice your Japanese-speaking skills
- Ride the high-speed rail
- Visit cultural sites and scenic natural areas
DESTINATION: Kyoto, Japan
AGE OF OUR KID: 5 years
LENGTH OF STAY: 3 nights
TIME OF YEAR: February
Getting There
Kyoto is about a 12-hour nonstop flight away from the Bay Area. While Kyoto doesn’t have its own dedicated international airport, the closest airports are Osaka International Airport (ITM) and Kansai International Airport (KIX).
Since we were already in Japan on a multi-city tour during our family visit, we used our JR Pass to take the train to Kyoto from Osaka, a trip of about 30 minutes.
When to Visit
You’ll likely have heard visits to Japan associated with cherry blossom season in April and May, which I’m certain is a pleasant time to visit, if it weren’t for the crowds. In our opinion, any time of year is a wonderful time to visit Kyoto!
| Airfare | ~$805+ USD |
| (or one-way Train fare from Tokyo) | ~$100 USD (included with JR Pass) |
| Accommodations | ~$80-$150 USD/person/night/room |
| Transportation (Uber, bus fare) | $7 USD/person/day |
| Meals | ~$10 USD/person/day |
| Admission fees for museums | ~$45 USD/person total |
| Checked bags | $30 USD/bag/flight |
| Shopping and souvenirs | ~$50 USD |
Before You Go
Possess valid passports
Check the State Department’s travel advisories
Order currency from your bank—cash is used widely, and we had a tough time using Apple Pay at almost every establishment save for convenience stores like 7-11.
Bookmark sites in Google Maps or Wanderlog and download offline maps
Buy an e-sim to save on cellphone roaming costs; there is free wifi throughout the city but it can be spotty.
Read On
Our partners at Storybook Lists provide children’s book recommendations that feature native and local voices to deepen our understanding of the places we visit.
Kiki’s Delivery Service, by Japanese author Eiko Kadono, accompanies half-witch Kiki on her journey to independence as she builds friendships and strength as she adventures to a small Japanese countryside town.
Looking for more?
Browse Storybook Lists’ full catalog of recommended children’s books on Japan.
What to Pack
- Passports
- Standard diaper bag essentials
- Plane ride essentials
- Travel carseat
- Umbrella stroller, if needed
- Ergobaby or soft baby carrier, if needed
Family-Friendly Hotels in Kyoto
Ryokan Kohro
Great for traditional Japanese rooms, sento baths, and kaiseki dinners
~$150 USD/night/room
We loved staying at Ryokan Kohro, a quaint and traditional Japanese inn in Kyoto, just a few blocks from Nishiki Market and nearby shopping areas. When looking for accommodations, one of my bucketlist items was to stay in a ryokan, visit a sento or other bath house, and have a multi-course kaiseki meal served in our room. Ryokan Kohro fulfilled all of those expectations and more, especially with its kind and welcoming staff.
Book a stay at Ryokan Kohro on
In our large room we slept on the floor on tatami mats and futon mattresses, which reminded me of sleepovers I used to have with my cousins.
The 10-course kaiseki meal runs about $80 USD per person, and was such a fun and delicious experience. We could comfortably eat the meal in our pajamas as it was served directly in our room!
To top it off, Ryokan Kohro’s sento, or public bath, is a welcome respite after a long day of sightseeing. Located on the basement floor, there are separate bathing rooms for men and women. On at least one evening we enjoyed the women’s sento all to ourselves, which was comforting as we were already a bit self-conscious hanging out in our birthday suits altogether.
My kid says she had fun in “the hot pool,” but opted to stay back the second night. While she and the rest of my family stayed in the room, I had a peaceful dip into the bath for a nice quiet mama’s night.
Top Family-Friendly Activities in Kyoto
Visit Fushimi Inari Taisha
Great for witnessing temple culture, and working those glutes up the hill
Free
2+ hours
This temple is an iconic Kyoto landmark whose bright orange toriis (temple gates) were featured in the film, Memoirs of a Geisha. Located a five-minute train ride away from Kyoto Station, the beautiful mountainside temple is the head Inari shrine in Japan dedicated to the deity of rice and agriculture.
You could spend the entire day here, but we decided to make a round-trip between the entrance and the first landing of the trail. Our entire visit from arrival to departure lasted about two hours.
It does get quite crowded, so our best advice would be to book it up the hill first, then take photos on the way down. My kid enjoyed being instructed to run along the path so we could catch some fun photos of her.
Peruse Nishiki Market
Great for food stalls galore
Free entry, varying food pricing
1+ hours
A great launching point for dinner and souvenir shopping, Nishiki Market is a high-ceilinged alleyway filled with food kiosks and stalls. Tour the vendors and choose what tantalizes your tastebuds, with options including from crepes, BBQ, fishcake, and more! We opted to munch on a few pieces of fishcake, and bought flavored sesame seed seasonings as souvenirs for our family back home.
Shop at Sanjo Meiten-gai Shopping Arcade
Great for souvenir shopping and restaurants
Free entry; various shop options
1-3+ hours
Adjacent to Nishiki Market is a mall area with bigger shops and sit-down restaurants. Our family enjoyed one of our favorite meals on the trip at a tonkatsu restaurant here (more details below), and had fun window shopping and purchasing trinkets at the various clothing and souvenir shops.
Stroll down Sannenzaka & Ninenzaka Paths
Great for meandering down a traditional Japanese street
~1+ hour
When I think of Kyoto, Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka Paths are what I imagine. The meandering hillside stone streets date back to the 9th century and are lined with traditional Japanese houses, shops, and food stalls, and a proportionate number of tourists—many of whom were dressed in kimonos on our visit.
But the tourists come for a reason; this area is lovely and feels uniquely Japanese. On our visit, my kid would often look back at me in awe as she saw people dressed in kimono or peeked into some of the shops. I wish we had spent more time getting lost in these streets; since we had gotten a late start after my kid woke up from her nap, we only had a couple hours to book it up the hill before sunset.
Spend time in Hokan-ji Temple/Yasaka Pagoda
Great for golden hour photos
~30 minutes
We captured lots of fun, family photos near the pagoda, which dates back to the 6th century. The hilltop structure bursts into the sky and makes a wonderful backdrop for photos, especially from a few blocks away. We didn’t visit the inside, but it is open on the weekends.
Live in Color at Yasaka Koshin-do Temple
Great for the ‘gram, and to learn about the Kōshin faith
Free to enter
10-20 minutes
This is a colorful temple—identified by the bunches of colorful cloth balls hanging like grapes on a vine—just a stone’s throw away from the Hokan-ji Temple/Yasaka Pagoda. Wishes are written on the balls (which are actually shaped like monkeys) and offered to Kōshin-san—a guardian warrior—and the three wise monkeys of the Kōshin faith.
Spend Golden Hour at Kiyomizu-dera Temple
Great for sunset photos and hillside views
¥400 JPY/$3 USD for adults; half off for children up to high school age
~2-3 hours
This massive hillside Buddhist temple features beautiful overlooks that show off the surrounding trees and Kyoto skyline.
Walking up the hill to the temple entrance during golden hour was breathtaking in itself, but my kid had the most fun playing with the dirt. Go figure.
Kiyomizu-dera is a popular viewing area for sunset, which we had the opportunity to witness firsthand. Since we arrived around closing time, we didn’t have much time to explore the grounds, so I would certainly allot more time here on our next visit.
Ride the Shinkansen
Great for getting around Japan and appreciating trains, in general
~1+ hour
Riding the train is a MUST in Japan, overall. Whether you stay in Tokyo or venture off to nearby cities like Kyoto and Osaka, these are arguably some of the best trains and train systems in the world, and riding them will make clear why. Trains run on time, and are fast (the Shinkansen bullet train can reach speeds of 200 mph!), orderly, and simple to navigate. We recommend purchasing the tourist-targeted JR Pass if you’re traveling to multiple cities throughout the country.
Spend a Day in Arashiyama District
Great for visiting a more nature-filled side of Kyoto
Half-day (or more!)
Bamboo forests, wild monkeys, Sanrio cafes, riverside walks—all things you can experience in Arashiyama, but this quaint district of Kyoto is so much more! We unfortunately didn’t have enough time to enjoy all of the sites ourselves, but what we did see makes us itching to go back.
Where to Eat in Kyoto with Kids
Check out our kid-friendly Kyoto restaurant guide (coming soon!) for our full recs. Highlights include:
Katsukura Tonkatsu Sanjo Main Store
Great for tonkotsu in a romantic setting
~$15-$20 USD/person
Katsukura Tonkatsu Sanjo served up one of our favorite meals on our entire Japan trip. The restaurant is classy, clean, and calming, and you’d never guess it sits at the end of a hidden path just a few steps from the the main mall.
This was one of our first run-ins with Japanese hospitality towards little one; our server brought us special table settings for my 5-year-old and made sure to include her in every ask. There were also plenty of high chairs available. We loved crushing our own sesame paste and customizing our sauce mixes in which to dip our golden-fried tonkotsu. Even though the meat-eaters in the group assumed their quick bout of bowel movements was brought on by the pork tonkatsu, they said it was worth it! (They also went on a separate occasion and said they didn’t have the same issue.)
Travel Mishaps
We had intended to visit Kyoto Sento Imperial Palace (for admittedly no strong reason other than to check out a Japanese palace), but we arrived close to closing time and my kid decided that was the perfect moment to throw a tantrum…The rest of our family pressed on but the gate actually closes much earlier than the listed closing time, so if you plan to visit the palace, earlier is better.
Secondly, a lesson on having good trip communication, lol. Because of our baggage we had to take two taxis, and for some reason we decided that my kid and I would be in the car with the luggage, while my cousin and brother (the ones who ordered the rides and one of whom had an e-sim) took the other car. Lo and behold, my little one and I arrive at our pinned location at Kyoto Station, but the rest of our family is nowhere in sight. Mind you, we also had a train to catch, so time was ticking!
Several attempts to get on the public wifi and almost 20 minutes later (all while toting our two big roller luggages as well as my five year old, who did try to help), and we see our family huffing and puffing from inside the station. Thankfully they were able to locate us with the air tag in the luggage, but their taxi driver had tried to do the nice thing and dropped them off in the area closest to our train, but alas, the rest of us did not get the memo or as proactive of a driver. We did end up having to exchange our train tickets for a different time but other than a few stressful 20 minutes that could’ve been avoided with an e-sim and a quick text!
Less of a mishap and more of an interesting observation: My family and I are sort of embarrassed to admit, but some of the best matcha and coffee we had in Japan was served…by a white man. This Japanese-speaking barista served us when we visited Kiriha Inn and Cafe to take a quick coffee break while my kid napped. While the cafe is now under different management, it made a coffee and matcha to remember!
Wishlist for our Next Visit
I don’t have many additional must-sees bookmarked in Kyoto, but I loved the vibe so much so that I’d be happy to be back in whatever capacity!
Kyoto was a lovely stop on our family’s first trip to Japan. It holds some of our favorite memories from the trip and brought me so much joy to visit. I look forward to coming back again soon.
Angelica (she/her) is of Cebuano(Pilipinx)-descent and was born and raised in Huchiun Ohlone territory (the East Bay Area--pay your Shuumi Land Tax!), where she also now resides with her partner and their toddler. She loves to spend her time sipping on boba and dirty chai lattes (sometimes together), and eating pescetarian goodies at BIPOC-owned cafes and restaurants.
You might also enjoy
Traveling Tokyo with Kids: 12 Family-Friendly Activities
A Family-Friendly Guide to Mexico City: Top 10 Activities with Sample Itineraries
Visiting Washington, D.C. with Kids and Extended Family
Trip Recap: Visiting Popo’s Final Resting Place in Taiwan with My Six-Year-Old
The Best Kid-Friendly Monuments and Museums to Visit in Washington, D.C.
