The Kyoto City Guides tackle the questions every visitor has: which temples to reach before the crowds, where locals go for tofu, ramen and tempura, how to fill a cold or wet afternoon and which bars hide on the second floor of unmarked buildings. Each guide is a short list with a clear opinion: why a place earns your time, what to order or look for, and one practical tip. The guides open in your browser as soon as you have paid.
About the Kyoto City Guides
- 134 places
- 6 guides
- 13 languages
- Works offline
- Print or PDF
- Instant access
- Free updates
The six Kyoto guides
Food guide
22 places
Market snacks, noodle and ramen counters, tofu, tempura and sukiyaki, and the tea rooms and old coffee houses Kyoto keeps returning to.
Things to do guide
22 places
Temples and shrines timed to beat the crowds, castles and museums for cold or wet hours and the walks that still reward you in winter.
Family guide
22 places
Indoor stops for rainy days, animals and open-air play, a few big days out and easy meals children actually finish.
Nightlife guide
22 places
Tiny cocktail and whisky bars, wine, sake and craft beer, izakaya counters, late ramen and live music.
Day trips guide
22 places
Nara, Uji and Fushimi, Osaka, the mountain temples north of the city and longer runs to Himeji, Lake Biwa and Kinosaki, all by train.
Budget guide
24 places
Temples and shrines with free entry, free walks, parks and views, cheap culture for cold hours and filling meals for very little.
Why an interactive guide beats a list
Tick places off
Mark each place as done and watch your progress, so you always know what is left.
Your own notes
Write notes on any place and add your own finds. They stay on your phone.
One tap to Maps
Every place opens in Google Maps, and the day route puts your picks in a sensible order.
Open now, near me
Filter by what is open right now or what is closest to you.
Works offline
Open the guide once with a connection and it keeps working without data.
Print it or save as PDF
On a computer, print any guide or save it as a PDF to take with you.
Three places from the guides
Junsei
Nanzenji, beside the temple gate
Tofu and yuba served in an Edo-period house with its own garden. In the cold months the simmered yudofu is the dish, and the meal is meant to be slow after a morning at the temple. From the food guide.
Nijō Castle
Nakagyo, by Nijojo-mae subway station
The shoguns’ Kyoto residence, with painted screens in every hall and nightingale floors that chirp at each step. You tour the palace in socks, so dress warmly and allow about an hour and a half. From the things to do guide.
Byōdō-in Temple
Uji, a short JR ride south of Kyoto
The Phoenix Hall has stood since 1053 and doubles itself in a still pond; it is the building pictured on a Japanese coin. Winter brings the quietest days of the year. From the day trips guide.
Plan your days in Kyoto
Day one: be at a temple from the things to do guide when the gates open, have a noodle lunch from the food guide and finish at a small counter bar from the nightlife guide. Day two: take the train to Nara, Uji or Osaka with the day trips guide, then spend the evening on free walks and lantern-lit shrines from the budget guide. For a rainy or slow day, the family guide and the museums section keep you warm and dry, from the railway museum to a long lunch in a tea room.
Questions about the Kyoto guides
What do the Kyoto City Guides include?
Six guides with 134 places altogether: food, things to do, family, nightlife, day trips and budget. For every place you get the reason to go, the area, notes on opening times and one useful tip.
How do I receive the guides once I have paid?
The links show up on your order page straight after payment and in the confirmation email. They open in any browser on a phone or laptop, without an app or an account.
Can I use the guides offline in Kyoto?
Yes. Load each guide once while you are online and it keeps working without a connection, ticks and notes included. Only the map links need mobile data.
Which languages are the guides available in?
The guides open in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese, Greek, Polish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Arabic. You can switch the language inside the guide at any time.
Can I buy only one guide?
Yes. One guide is €4.99, two are €8.99, four are €15.99 and the full set of six is €19.99.
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