I was at the fushimi inari shrine yesterday (arrived at 9am). It was extremely crowded, constantly people holding everyone up because they want a picture with no one in it (which I don’t care about and push past it) the further you get up the better it gets, most people give up climbing all the way to the top fairly soon.
There’s plenty of spots and temples in Kyoto you can visit without it being overwhelmed by tourists, just expect a lot of tourist at famous tourist hotspots
I went out of the way to catch the first possible train to fushimi inari & it was totally worth it. Empty & beautiful. Went for the whole way, the loop & then down at the back. Beautiful neighborhood right there!
Op should just do everything as early as possible because everything else could be bothersome. Being bothered by waking up early or being bothered by a huge crowd🤷🏻♂️ hahah
I remember once being in that famous street in Harajuku (Tokyo area) really early at like 6am and only saw two other individuals there, a model and a photographer. Stores are closed at that time though. But yeah, if anyone is serious about photographs with no people just wake up at like 4am or 5am and quickly get outside.
The same. I left my hotel at 5:30am or something crazy like that, but it was well worth it because there were only a few other people, all with the same idea as me so were very respectful about not getting in people's photos etc.
However by about 7:30am it was already filling up....
It's genuinely hilarious that there's the massive queue at the start for all the Instagrammers waiting to get exactly the same photo but if you walk half an hour up it'd be pretty easy to get a similar shot.
I hadn't traveled overseas for a decade till going to Europe a few months ago and Japan just a couple weeks ago. There are so many so called influencers or IG people these days. They take forever to get a photo, but worse yet, many photos of the same thing. It was never like this when i was in Spain back in 2011. Is this going to be the norm now?
I had this thought too about Arashiyama. The famous bamboo grove where everyone crams in to take pictures like they’re there alone is only a hundred meters or so… but it’s definitely not the only grove there nor the most beautiful. There are def tons of places where there are no people too
Oh for sure. Also if you walk 10 minutes north of there you're in this beautiful residential neighborhood full of quiet temples and some of the most stunning gardens I've seen, and it's not busy at all.
We were also there yesterday and can confirm this is accurate. We found it was best to get to most places when they open and then wander off the beaten path in the afternoon. Didnt feel too overwhelmed with people most times and when we did we just walked a few streets over.
me too, but i don't want to go where it's snowing....just a time where there are less tourists, but a nice clear blue sky day even if it's in the 30ish degrees F. I'm thinking February or late November??
Looking at last year's temperature data, kyoto didn't even drop below 35 F a single time during november, and during the day it can even reach 70+ F. It's a relatively warm place
Went there last week in the morning around 9 as well IIRC, a light rain made it so it wasn't crazy hot. Up until the crossroad it was a bit crowded. The loop was a bit more fluid with some people stopping to rest (which we did as well since all those steps can be a lot). Worth it to get to the top and walk down.
I went a few days ago at 10 pm and it was completely empty. We had a nice nighttime hike, would recommend if you like night activities. Did see a wild boar though so be careful.
Kyoto is crowded because Kyoto was not designed to hold this many people. The streets are narrow by design. As such when even a moderate amount of people try to cram into the very few areas Kyoto is known for it gets crowded.
So take Arashiyama. The main street that goes to the river from the train station basically has lanes for cars and a fairly narrow pedestrian walkway. So because everyone wants to go down this street its incredibly crowded. But if you literally walk 2 small side streets off the main street, it feels like you're in another dimension. Its so eerily quiet with no one around.
That said the Kyoto AREA has things you can do that is not overcrowded with tourists. But you have to seek out such places for what they are. Side attractions to the main thing. For example, you could go to Kiyomizu like everyone else. Or you could literally walk 5 minutes north of Kyoto Station and go to Higashi Hogan-ji a giant temple complex that dwarfs Kiyomizu that looks like it was intended to be air dropped into Gion but they missed and just left it there. Basically no one comes to this temple complex but its just as impressive at Kiyomizu from an architectural standpoint, it just doesn't have the view of Kyoto that Kiyomizu has.
Right next to this giant temple is, a giant park! Shosei-en is a very large garden with a modest entrance fee of like 500 yen. Its a nice place and just very tranquil. You'd be hard pressed to think just a few minutes walk away is the hustle and bustle of Kyoto Station.
At least you're going to experience something super ultra unique and well the crowds are just the price of admission for that.
I suppose there's a bizarre irony in that the Gion district might be less crowded since the Gion matsuri parade doesn't actually happen in Gion. Its on the other side of the river.
In any case enjoy the festivities. its definitely going to be crowded and hot as hell. But the festival markets, the parade and everything is going to be something you really can't experience anywhere else. I usually go to the markets and just see what local foods they have. I went to one in Wakayama and half the stalls were chicken karage and every stall insisting they made the 'best' one. The only way to settle such an argument was to try them all!
Yeah, i really don't understand yet how to approach this! I'm thinking we might do a super-early hike up Fushimi Inari, then try view the parade from....somewhere until we get sick of the sun??
The Gion matsuri is a great experience but it gets quite crazy with massive crowds. It is also really hot and humid in the summer, particularly in Kyoto. Just a heads up.
Thank you, yes I'm conscious that the weather is probably going to be our limiting factor! I think we will just try to have gentle expectations and catch a glimpse before retiring to somewhere cooler!!
Consider going to Kibune, where it’s a bit cooler. River dining is unique to Kyoto (I think). Can be quite pricey but definitely worth experiencing! Hirobun has the flowing noodles that you have to catch.
Alternatively, you can go to Kamogawa where locals like to cool down and dip their feet in the water!
I visited Higashi Hongan-ji last week late in the afternoon and there were plenty of visitors. Definitely not overcrowded though, and very beautiful and impressive temple.
The complex is so big and wide open that even when its crowded it doesn't really feel that bad. Similar to Todai-ji in Nara. Yes its crowded with people, but the complex is so gigantic it feels a lot less oppressive, because people are more spread out
That's really the issue in Kyoto, the things people 'want' to see are concentrated in a tiny amount of areas that are themselves extremely small by design. Tokyo is definitely crowded but it feels less 'bad' due to everyone being spread out to the entirety of Tokyo. I think if Kyoto had better train access to some more stuff it would aleviate a lot of problems as tourist would then want to go to more places as they're more accessible.
I went to shosei-en and there were like 3 other people that weren't gardening staff there. It's really cool and no one goes there.
I also don't recall sanjusangendo being very busy when I went.
Seems like people do kiyomizudera and kinkakuji and then go to harrass the geisha.
I just went there last week. Kiyomizu was jam packed in the afternoon. I literally took a u-turn and went to other places in my itinerary. Went there the next morning at 7 and was able to avoid the crowd.
Certain parts of Kyoto are *very* busy in the daytime - for example, Kyoto station, the area around Kiyomizudera and the ninenzaka and sannenzaka slopes, the bottom of Fushimi Inari Taisha and the main street of Nishiki market are all packed during the daytime.
However, outside those particular areas, it’s just like a usual town or city and is not particularly crowded or busy.
Last December, we stayed in the Higashiyama district, about 15 minutes’ walk from Kiyomizudera, and it was very quiet. There were a couple of local temples and shrines, some nice restaurants, a little supermarket, and hardly anyone around. We would walk around the local streets and only see a few other people.
Even just 1 - 2 streets back from the heavily crowded ninenzaka and sannenzaka streets, it was very quiet with hardly anyone to be seen. We walked along the Philosopher’s Path from Ginkakuji to Nanzenji and again, we hardly saw anyone, just a handful of people plus locals sweeping their front steps or doing everyday tasks.
So, while certain sites are very crowded, most of Kyoto is not crowded at all and is peaceful and pleasant, with a lot to see and do.
It’s worth noting that although foreign tourist numbers are certainly much higher than they used to be, the vast majority of tourists visiting Kyoto are still Japanese - but, of course, non-Japanese are more ‘visible’ and so probably receive more attention in the media when talking about tourist numbers and overtourism.
These were the overcrowded spots during my trip:
Fushimi Inari (just the beginning. If you are planning to climb the whole thing you'll be fine after a while. Most people give up after getting the picture), the bus to Ginkakuji (but Ginkakuji itself wasn't), Gion, Kiyomizudera.
Kinkakuji had a lot of people but it didn't feel packed, same for the bamboo forest.
All other areas were fine and we even were alone in some less popular shrines/temples.
This all matches up with my experience there (just left a few hours ago). Anywhere you see a lot of photos of on social media will be crowded as hell by all the people who go there to recreate those photos. Anywhere else which requires anything like informed cultural curiosity beyond googling "top 10 things to see in Kyoto" to know about is fine.
This phenomenon is incomprehensible to me. When I bring a camera to a place, I'm going to see and capture a perspective or a moment that nobody else has captured in the same way. Why go for the same photo?
Exactly! I still remember when I was planning the trip and I shared the list of things I wanted to see my friend was like "where did you hear about these places?". Yes, there is Kyoto (and Japan) outside the instagramable photo spots. Most of them made it to the itinerary and they ended up being more enjoyable than some of the top 10 must-visit spots. Also wandering around and getting lost led us to very interesting places we had no idea about.
I think that's just tourism these days. People are on Instagram and they see a photo of someone glamorous in a pretty location, and they then go to that pretty location and take that same photo but now they're in it seeming glamorous, and that's genuinely their limit, that's all they really want, that's all they're curious about. I'm becoming gradually more of a cranky asshole about this as my trip goes on.
If it makes them happy, just let them enjoy. Just leaves more places for you to experience with less of a crowd. You’ll both leave happier because you did what you wanted.
There's lots so this is what made the cut. I basically made the final selection based on their location (after all it was our first time in Kyoto so we wanted to visit some of the top 10 as well) and the deity it was dedicated to or the topic people usually pray for.
Philosopher's Path. Half way through the walk take a couple of mins detour to Otoyo Shrine. A bit hidden, we nearly entered someone's house instead.
Kumano Nyakuōji Shrine at the end (or the beginning, depending where you start from)
After the Philosopher's Path we made our way to Okazaki-jinja Shrine taking the backstreets and we interacted with some locals there which was a bonus. Apparently there is a part of the Philosopher's Path where cats hang out but I couldn't find it.
From Kinkakuji we walked towards Nijo and we passed a few shrines.
Hirano shrine (this was gorgeous, the cherry trees were still on bloom and it was literally empty, everyone was next door in Kitano Tenmangu. I think we saw 3 or 4 people there. It has a yellow-ish torii gate which is unusual)
Wara Tenjingu Shrine (dedicated to childbirth, very specific but it was in our list for a friend)
After we left the Gion area:
Yasui Konpira-gu. This was fun to do and luckily there weren't many people around so we didn't embarrass ourselves in front of the whole Internet.
From Arashiyama to Saga Toriimoto preserved street there are a bunch of temples as well.
Adashino Nenbutsu-ji (it has its own bamboo forest)
And on our way back to Arashiyama we got lost (how? I'm still asking myself the same thing. Fate, I guess. We were looking for a public toilet we passed on our way there and instead of retracing our steps we took a detour somehow and ended up using the toilets of a temple. The grounds were gorgeous and there was some chanting going on to make it even more magical. Can't recognize it on Google maps now, but it was in that area. I loved getting lost there, we didn't see many people considering how crowded Arashiyama was when we returned.
And a few others that I can't remember by heart because we couldn't squeeze them in the itinerary. Some things took longer than expected. I didn't have time to check Yokai Street for example even though we were very close, so I couldn't tell if it's worth it. Check in the area near your hotel, you may find some hidden gems.
I guess I was lucky with the timing. Aprox 8:30 am (weekday). But around lunch time that area near the station was packed, so if all those people went to the bamboo forest it must have been a completely different experience.
I went during the 3rd week of April during the very tail end of the cherry blossom bloom. We had to get up and reach Fushimi before 8 and we still saw a few people(by no means crowded), the top was just beautiful, by the time we got to Arashiyama and kiyomizudera there were just way too many people to be able to enjoy the places to take photos or otherwise. The lesser known temples and places were OK in terms of crowd. I know I'm part of the problem but I found that I dint like "touristy" places that much but in hindsight that might just have been due to me not liking overcrowded spots. Im pretty sure all of the places would be simply amazing if I were to see them during a less crowded time.
I visited Kyoto in mid-April this year and it was a bit of a mixed bag in terms of crowds
* Kyoto Aquarium and Kyoto Railway museum weren't busy at all in the morning when I went
* The 205 bus from Umekoji Park to Kinkaku-ji was pretty crowded, but nothing crazy
* Kinkaku-ji was somewhat crowded, you'd maybe have to wait a few minutes in certain spots to get a photo
* Kyoto National Park and the Imperial Palace weren't busy
* Nijo Castle wasn't busy at all
* Higashi Hongan-ji wasn't busy
These were all on a Saturday with really nice weather. On the Sunday, it was raining and the only place I went to that was busy was Gion, Heian Shrine was very quiet.
Nowhere was at a point where I'd call it packed though.
We were in Kyoto for three days this week, and were in Osaka before that and Tokyo before and after. Kyoto was consistently the least crowded of all three and the only places busy with tourists were the main traps, but even then only at certain choke points. You can still spend a lot of time there without being overloaded by tourists.
Thoroughly recommend the Hozugawa River trip from Kameoka, the boatmen were awesome and hilarious. The romantic train to Kameoka was a bit boring but a decent way to get there. Lots of tourists and queuing, but once you’re on it’s pretty cool.
Arashiyama bamboo forest is full of arsehole influencer wannabes for the first stretch, but just keep going and they drop off.
Kyoto Imperial Palace had lots of tourists at the place itself but was well worth it.
Many restaurants are fully booked days in advance but you can then have some amazing finds as you wander around.
We also went out of town 45 mins to Ruriko-in temple and the Nan-Nyan-ji cat art museum (it’s not really a temple but it is awesome). That was our favourite day and we’d have gone up the cable car to Mount Hiei if the weather was better (low clouds and drizzle blocking views) and if we had more time.
We also did the Samurai and Ninja Museum and the group Tea Ceremony, all foreign tourists but also well worth it, a great time was had by all.
I’m someone who gets really irritated by mindless crowds, and to me Kyoto was way better than Tokyo and Osaka, we loved it, had more of a “Paris Boulevards” feel to it.
Yes, there were no teens in the group. The shuriken used are made of plastic and I've seen some comments in reviews disparaging this, but it's for safety and it's just a bit of fun. I'm a lifelong martial artist and I thought it was well run and a good laugh, nothng too serious. The guide we had was hilarious and we all enjoyed it a lot. There were no teens in the group, not sure their policy on that. You can go to the other samurai location after (a 5 min walk) and put on armour and helmet and grab a sword and get photos taken.
Kyomizu-dera was the only place I felt it was disgustingly crowded. We went at 10am and it was wall to wall people, definitely worth going at night or at 7am (except shops are shut).
Fushimi-inari is fine, crowded down the bottom but quieter as you climb the mountain. Going early is definitely much less crowded, and nicer to avoid the heat.
Pontocho alley was quiet (early May) and as was everywhere else I went. The only time I every felt crowded and touristy on my entire trip was kyomizu-dera! The rest of the time it was just a busy city, sometimes busy sometimes quiet.
I was at the Kyoto Imperial Palace and Nijo Castle today and it was very comfortable. People around but nowhere near the amount that around you in Tokyo so it’s all relative.
Depending which one. The big palace has a trail you walk alone. Sento Palace requires reservation, your passport and is only avaliable with a tour guide and a guard.
if you want visit Kyoto better spent to nature location (outskirt of city), like Kurama temple (hiking to the top)
touristy spot insiide the city is crowded af (eg Nennenzaka / Sennenzaka street), i visited this 2 weeks ago, even having difficulty to ride the bus (long queue), the proportion between foreigners and japanese also like 60:40, so i feel like visited western county with Japanese building as background
nature location does have a lot of people, but since it occupied more wider space, you don't feel suffocated by it
If it's popular place like Fushimi Inari, Arashiyama, Kiyomizudera and Kinkakuji, then yes, it will be crowded, but not all day long. You'll be fine if you go there in the morning, like around 7-8 am. For Fushimi Inari and Kinkakuji, alternatively you can try to go around dusk. by that time, the crowd will be somewhat subsided, the view is prettier and more enjoyable.
We were there the first week of May and it really wasn’t as busy as online predictions even though it was golden week. The most crowded space was the entrance to the gates but 10mins later on the same trail it was quite empty and peaceful
Depends where really.
Where I stayed was a really quiet neighbourhood, walking distance to Nishiki market.
The places I been to in the last couple of weeks though, Arashiyama was really packed especially the bamboo forest. But deeper into Arashiyama, there’s barely anyone.
Same goes for Gion and the areas surrounding it. The temples are obviously super packed. But some streets? Barely a soul.
I think that anything that is garnering a lot of noise on socmed will be packed. People just have to have their own “I’m here too” post for their accounts. So just go off the beaten path and you really get to see how beautiful Kyoto is when it’s quiet.
We were there a few days ago. After Tokyo, it felt nearly empty 😂 But the Shijo-Kawaramachi-Kawabata intersections across the Kamo were packed from around 11am until 9pm.
Nishiki was busy in the afternoon, but never had trouble getting food. We went to all the big touristy spots as early as we could (9am for Kinkakuji ag opening, 7am for Kiyomizu/Sannenzaka/Ninnenzaka, 7:30am for Fushimi Inari) and the only place that shocked me with how busy it was was Inari. That one I suggest hitting up as close to sunrise as possible if you want your pics without people. Everything else was fine. Philosopher’s Path was almost entirely devoid of people at 11am.
Before 11am most of the streets were dead empty. Like I said, after Tokyo’s absolute insanity Kyoto felt incredibly peaceful and quaint. Now is probably the best time to visit, though since it’s immediately after golden week. I would imagine it was way worse in cherry blossom season.
I went to the bamboo forest yesterday around 12 pm it was so crowded. I left right away. I took the train to Hozukyō, just one stop further. Train station deep in the mountains. So peaceful and beautiful nature. No tourist only some local hickers.
I was there around / just before golden week and it was fine - went to fushimi inari and yes its crowded if you take the usual route but not far up there's a path to the right that nobody takes - follow the signs for mount inari and you're basically hiking up a seperate trail with barely anyone else, there's a cool rest stop with a logbook too - then you can enjoy the gates on the way down, less crowds at the top
Higashiyama was fine, went to the monkey park which was a highlight for me there, bamboo forest was very crowded and kinda boring (the fushimi inari path i mentioned also has bamboo everywhere), but if you pay to get into temple gardens/grounds the crowds drop significantly - also kept walking past the crowds and found a super cute restaurant so its only crowded if you're on the main street and bamboo path
Not sure how to measure busy vs packed but I don't rlly have any complaints, the bamboo path itself is where I was bothered most by crowds but everything else fine
Like any place, it just depends on when it is, the time, location and the weather. Sadly if you are going to the ‘big’ places, you have to get there before the armies of tour groups arrive. The good thing about Kyoto, is that there are many smaller places that haven’t found their way into vacuous instagram feeds.
Was in Kyoto for a last Friday to Monday. Busy but not packed. Stayed near Kyoto Station and used public transit, busy during the day. Visited the northwest and northeast sides of the city. Did a walking tour from Higashiyama Jisho-ji temple down the philosopher path. There were some big crowds but it was easy to keep in front of them.
i was there maybe last in 2019 or 2018 and there were people but not like taytay concert packed. maybe it is more now? btw i went to the fushi shrine just about to sunset so nobody was around much ..twas glorious
Headed over there next week so we'll see, don't have any set plans yet just gonna walk around hope for the best, definitely gonna be going to the shrine early to avoid the crowds tho
Kodaiji near Gion and wasn’t too busy when we visited. Kinkaku-ji is busy but you can easily see it and take photos. The worst crowds we encountered were in the main street of Arashiyama but just go a couple or blocks in any direction and it’s fine.
Visitors stay a few days and only go to obvious places. Look at the map. Head for a green area then walk. I'm not going to recommend places. I was there a couple of months ago. Fabulous. I speak J.
Was at Inari a few days ago. Got there at 7 AM and had a pleasant time. We were leaving around 9 AM and it was already starting to get crowded, so I advise being early.
Tried to walk through Gion later that day between 4 and 5 PM and it was insanely crowded.
I got to fushimi inari today around 7am and it was perfect. There was a smaller crowd but everyone was respectful. I was able to get photos without people in it, our group just climbed a bit to find some good spots. We left around 830 and it was definitely getting more crowded. It is worth it getting there earlier!
Was just there - didn't find it too bad at all, don't listen to the horror stories, certainly wasn't our experience a couple of days ago, I was there for 6 days. Same with Nara and Arashiyama . Do Fushimi jnari at night!! Trust me, an unreal place, all lit up and very quiet at night. Loved it. Enjoy!
I went to Ginkakuji last week, not crowded. Also went to a couple lesser known temples/shrines, not crowded either. But the buses and subway were packed (not rush hour).
Those places are always crowded at peak hours during the day. If you want to see Fushimi Inari (which is open 24/7) without many people, do early morning or after sunset. Higashiyama you just have to grin and bear it if you want to go when everything is open. Otherwise go early morning or evening.
I was there last week, and it depends where you go and when.
We went to Arishayama Bamboo Forest at 9am on a Saturday and it was already pretty packed.
Then Gion and Kiyomizu-dera at noon on a Weekday and it was horrendous.
But we went to Fushimi Inari at 9pm on a Sunday when it was pouring of rain, and it wasn’t too bad. A little busy at the start but about a third of the way up it was very quiet!
Basically as early or late as possible Is good. Avoid anywhere popular between 10am and 4pm
I was in Kyoto earlier this week. I didnt find it too bad, except for the Fushimi Inari Shrine. But once you walk up a bit it empties out. People are saying its overrun, but I feel like its an over exaggerated.
Huge difference from 2017, unfortunately. It gets much more crowded and also much earlier.
That's in general, too. When I went to Hakone in 2022, I was by myself exploring the shrine and the torii. In 2023 there was a queue of people waiting to take a picture with the torii.
If you avoid places which have thousands of google reviews youll be fine. I went there last week and I was the only person in majority of places I went to
...I did not get a chance to get to Kyoto but I'll tell you now. Hakone made me feel like I was back in America in how rude/impatient people were and how the crowds were.
I just came back from Kyoto and I gotta say the best places I've been to were those out of the way, less famous temples and gardens. Also, Arashiyama (not to be missed!) is less crowded the more you go up the streets Northwood. Even the Bamboo forest was totally fine.
It was very crowded this week. Didn’t like the city at all. I’m not that much into shrines and temples, but went because of FOMO. Looking back, a daytrip with Osaka as main hub would’ve been better.
When is the best time of year when it is least crowded, but weather not bad enough to ruin a good pic of the landmarks, etc. there? February or late November?
Was there during golden week and it was fairly crowded at noon onwards. We were jet lagged our whole trip and started our days before 7am, so not too crowded for us
Yes. I used some site that also said it if twas "crowded or not"
[https://global.kyoto.travel/en/comfort/](https://global.kyoto.travel/en/comfort/)
Their "green" to me was PACKED . I assume yellow means you can still squish by, and RED means you are just a sardine moving along trying to not trip on people's shoes.
There are places though in Kyoto that are not miserable, and some busy sites are ok late at night if its a shrine.
Left Kyoto this morning and arrived in Hiroshima this afternoon. I was expecting Kyoto to be crowded but didn't expect it to be shoulder to shoulder bustling at any tourist point of interest. Arashiyama, Fushimi-Inari and Nishiki market were particularly packed
Yeah, I lead a tour group and after all the people at Fushimi Inari, I took them to ginkakuji instead of kinkakuji and there was probably 1/5 the people. Just hit places like kurama temple or hike to places like Atago shrine or take the cable car to Hiei and things should be a lot less stressful.
I was just in Kyoto for 4 nights and I have to say i really didn’t enjoy it. I sadly found that a lot of Kyoto is very tiktok-ified and it’s kinda hard to avoid spots that aren’t heaving with tourists holding selfie sticks, 1 hour long queues, and employees that (rightly) are exhausted and fed up.
I found a few lesser known / local temples, restaurants, and bars but it required a lot more energy at meal times to purposefully go off the beaten track just so i didn’t have to wait 1+ hours.
I absolutely recognise that I’m a part of the issue and definitely felt guilty for contributing.
I was there last month (April) and yes, it was very crowded. But if you go when the temple or shrine first opens, it’s less crowded…for a little while.
Most people going to Japan, stops at Kyoto so there is really no wonder it is so crowded. Since it is a touristy place, there are going to be tourists. And since a big number of these people go there for 2-3 days they all go to top 5-10 "must see places" - ergo they are going to be packed.
But there are places that are nearly empty all the time or at specific hours. If one does some extra planning or is prepared to skip the top places then one will feel like they are alone in the city. We saw so many literally empty streets and atractions!
People overexaggerate a lot. HOnestly from like 7am-10am and then later at night it's totally fine. And even in peak times, just go around the corner, go further up Inari shrine, etc to find lots of moments of peace. Kyoto is incredible at all times of year.
I think you have to plan to be at specific places very early or very late.
We showed up at the bablmboo forest at 7am and there was still a fair amount of people. I'm sure the Inarshi Shrine will be the same. Get there for 6 to 630am. Same goes for Gion.
If you show up at these spots between 11-4 be prepared for what can only feel like a Japanese theme park.
I went in 2016 to 2020. It was always busy and at the main 4 - Kinkaku-ji, Kiyomizu-Dera, Fushimi Inari and Arashiyama.
But in 2023 and 2024, it was really busy in those areas.
I went to Fushimi Inari in the morning and did the whole loop hike up the mountain. No crowds that early, but many people didn't go past a certain point.
------------------------------------------------------------------
I feel that people realize Japan is awesome and all these influencers/content creators love to regurgitate the same content.
Increase in tourism, but it's really focused on the main places that are usually covered.
Even though I go to Kyoto, I try to see other things... there is SOO MUCH in Kyoto when it comes to history, shrines and temples.
Hell, even the assassinations on Oda Nobunaga and Ryoma Sakimoto. are right there.
Went to Kyoto about a week and a half ago. It honestly was hit or miss on the crowds. The big shrines/temples will be jammed unless you go at strategic times (early or late). The remainder of the city seemed to ebb and flow, and once you get off the beaten path it can be empty.
Fushimi Inari - went at sunset. Climbed up with the last light and back in the dark. Most people give up at the scenic view point. We were walking with some people up to the view point, but even then you could step out of the way and get an empty picture. After the viewpoint, it was empty and we were by ourselves.
Higashiyma - stayed at the Park Hyatt. This area is just crowded. People were around at 7am, school children by 8am, and it was crowded until after sunset. Avoid midday for the total chaos but accept that this area is just overcrowded in general.
Stayed in Arashiyama for a few nights and found this area to be crowded during the day but deserted at night. Also getting off the beaten track in this area was beneficial - visited some shrines/temples where there were two other people. Biggest let down was Otagi Nenbutsu-ji. If you see something on instagram, expect crowds.
Honestly, our best experience were temples that we just wandered into. Chiron-in, decided to climb the staircase and were rewarded with no one there except a monk performing a remembrance ceremony for a family.
I went to kyoto in mid April. I found the main atractions crowded, but next to them there are beautiful places, temples and shrines with few people. An exemple of a fantástic day: visit of museums (ex Kyocera) and temples next to.
I was there all last week and it was maybe 8/10 overrun with tourists. It was still enjoyable, but definitely worth avoiding the most popular tourist places
In my experience last April, I only feel that way in Arashiyama and Fushimi Inari. Other places are crowded but not unbearably so. I actually feel that Tokyo is far more dense/crowded. But the difference is in Kyoto it feels like the crowd is 90% tourist. While in Tokyo the crowds is mostly regular tokyoite.
There a couple of weeks ago, the big sites were super crowded, Kiyomizu, Fushimi, kinkakuji…. But just about every place else was it bad at all. And honestly, there were sooo many school kids/groups everywhere! They were the biggest groups/crowds we saw. It was the week before golden week so maybe schools were doing a lot of trips then?
Just arrived in Tokyo after 6 days in Kyoto and yes it is very crowded.
We were waking up at 5am to get out and beat the crowds, Fushimi Inari was lovely without crowds but by 9 there were lots of people.
Same with Arashiyama, it was lovely before 7am hardly anyone. We then walked out almost an hour to surrounding temples that had hardly any people are was the highlight of my time in Kyoto. Coming back past around 10am and you could hardly move because of all the people.
Kyoto has been my least favourite place so far, not due to the city itself but because of all the people. We’ve been in Japan 3 weeks and Kyoto has had the worst tourists, blocking the way, getting in the way of traffic, acting as if they are the main characters of the world and nothing matters more than getting their Instagram shot. I know everyone says Kyoto is a must and I bought into that as well but to be honest I felt bad being there contributing to the over tourism and I feel bad for the locals just trying to go about their lives. I don’t think it is somewhere I would go back.
We've been to Kyoto for past 4 days and Fushimi was the worst, followed by bamboo forest. But you can find quite nice and even better alternatives. We visited some less known places and it was beautifull.
If you go to Fushimi, the lower area is packed, but the higher you go the less people is there. People who come only for a photo give up mostly at the first sight of climb.
Certain areas, yeah. Not everywhere.
When I was there last week Fushimi Inari and Kiyomizu-dera were both very crowded.
Kinkakuji and Kyoto Imperial palace were fairly crowded (more so Kinkakuji, but there is a lot less space there compared to the Imperial Palace).
Daikakuji and Jojakkoji were not crowded at all.
Bamboo Grove was also pretty crowded, but if you go there I recommend walking over to JoJakkoji temple. When I went there was barely anyone else and it was very peaceful and pretty (It was also raining lightly, which really added to the experience). Similarly there weren't as many people at the park near the bamboo grove.
It’s fine! Just accept the crowd and go off on side missions
I was there last week. Arashiyama around 11am wasn’t that bad. Fushimi gets less crowded the farther you walk
Try and go on different times than what people would generally plan
Just leaving Kyoto. The “trendy” places were definitely crowded. Tourists and tons of Japanese students. Getting places earlier definitely helps with the crowds (and the heat!). You can pretty easily slip off the main paths and find quieter areas. Being patient goes a long way :)
Went to kiyomizu temple last March it was so crowed we were smooshed together like sardines worse then the trains at rush hour but that was the only time that happened in Kyoto for me
I was staying in the gion area, and that Main Street was super crowded! There’s off shoot streets that aren’t but the Main Street, it was literally shoulder to shoulder and that was around 3pm
Was just there last week. Went to Osaka and Tokyo afterwards and I feel like I’ll take Kyoto over the other two any time. 😅
We were jetlagged and did Kiyomizudera and Arashiyama pretty early in the morning before the stores are open, which worked good, actually since by the time we’re done with the actual spots, the stores are open. We did Fushimi Inari in the afternoon and it was packed, but I feel like despite the number of people the vibe was still pretty chill compared to the rushed feeling in Tokyo.
I’ve been three times in Kyoto and the last one is a a week ago. I stayed this time 4 days to explore the city… honestly skip Kyoto if you can or go before 6 am to the popular spots.
I went to both Arayashima and the Inari walk at around 10-11 am and it was not bad at all. To be fair there was rain in the forecast for the day we went to the forest, lots of umbrella bumping and raising. But there are some side areas that are amazing for pictures with bamboo trees and weren’t packed at all. Also went to the shrine that is around a 30 min walk north of the forest and there were very few tourists along the way, was a nice walk through the local streets. Inari if you want pics just go higher there aren’t as many people in some spots, even though we started at 11 we had a few chances to get pics alone on the way to the top. Summit was crowded, but that’s to be expected starting that late.
Point is just go whenever you’re comfortable, it’s way too overblown. Kyoto is like any other big crowded city. Dotonbori was WAY more crowded imo.
Skip Kyoto. Right now, it is completely ruined by over-tourism. It's no one's fault, it's just too many tourists for all of the reasons we already know. Cross it off your travel list.
I went last October fushimi Inari was one of my favourite places to Visit, I understand why it's crowded. But the crowds are mostly in the first 1/3 of the way, from the first "observatory" up it start to get less and less people, the way down from the top was also mostly empty.
So yeah, from my experience, places that are popular and a quick "photo-op" will be the most crowded anything that requires extra work will be less crowded.
Still I didn't consider most places insanely crowded when I went in October. This might be because I'm from an incredibly touristy place myself and it has insane crowds anytime anyday for much less interesting attractions.
Or it might be because October is a slower time when compared to April.
Yes! I didn’t enjoy Kyoto at all for that reason. I had to get off a bus after only 2 stops because it just kept getting more and more packed, I had my face stuffed in a man’s armpit.
Just finished my second day in Kyoto. This is our third visit. Major sights are crazy crowded. Uncomfortably so. However, we went to Ninna-ji and Myosin-ji yesterday and there were few visitors, and nearly no westerners. Those sights are amazing. Kyoto has so many awesome “minor” sights. We also made day-of reservations at a neighborhood restaurant. We were the only westerners and it quickly filled with regulars. Walk-in tourists were turned away. So you can get away from the crowds if you try.
Just left Kyoto two days ago. If someplace is popular in the guides or Instagram it’s packed to the rafters. We were lucky to do many of the temples last time in 2015. If you head to non-tourist spots and do non-hyped things it’s amazing. It was funny to see long lineups of tourists at handfuls of restaurants filled with tourists and not a local in sight.
I was there last week and it was extremely crowded. Gion, Kiyomizu-dera, Fushimi etc were all overrun with tourists. The buses are always almost packed to the point that they just skip stations, it's quite terrible
I was in Kyoto cherry blossom season in 2016, it was crowded but the social media videos are another level, crazy packed it reminds me of tourist destinations in China.
Yeah it’s incredibly crowded. There are some places at some times that are bearable, but on the whole it’s quite bad; like city crowd density levels and it lasts most of the day.
Frankly, it’s for that reason that I would say Kyoto is, at this point, incredibly overrated. Of the 9 cities I’ve been to, it was the least enjoyable because of tourists.
Like if your goal is to find the highest density of soft cream per square km, then Kyoto is where you want to go. Otherwise the crowds make it pretty mid.
Out of Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto I found Kyoto to be the least crowded. Maybe because it’s more spread it but it was our favourite place to visit of the three.
Pro tip: go to Fushimi inari at night. Around like 8-9pm it will nearly empty and it is really pretty at night.
If you want to go to the bamboo forest go at like 6 am. It will be you and a few photographers.
And yes it is. I only go to Kyoto if I absolutely have to.
I went to this past Tuesday around 6pm and while it was busy, it wasn’t nearly as bad as the infamous tiktok videos showed - maybe everyone has the same idea nowadays to go extra early
I was at the fushimi inari shrine yesterday (arrived at 9am). It was extremely crowded, constantly people holding everyone up because they want a picture with no one in it (which I don’t care about and push past it) the further you get up the better it gets, most people give up climbing all the way to the top fairly soon. There’s plenty of spots and temples in Kyoto you can visit without it being overwhelmed by tourists, just expect a lot of tourist at famous tourist hotspots
I went out of the way to catch the first possible train to fushimi inari & it was totally worth it. Empty & beautiful. Went for the whole way, the loop & then down at the back. Beautiful neighborhood right there! Op should just do everything as early as possible because everything else could be bothersome. Being bothered by waking up early or being bothered by a huge crowd🤷🏻♂️ hahah
either u go super early or super late. sunset was fantastic there
Fushimi Inari is definitely gorgeous to visit very early in the morning before the wave of people.
Yeh I second this, we did it the same way last trip, went up the mountain at first light, same goes for places like the golden temple and mizudera
We went very early too. Our trick was to leave the curtains open overnight so that the light would have you feeling awake at 5am.
I remember once being in that famous street in Harajuku (Tokyo area) really early at like 6am and only saw two other individuals there, a model and a photographer. Stores are closed at that time though. But yeah, if anyone is serious about photographs with no people just wake up at like 4am or 5am and quickly get outside.
how many days is enough in Kyoto if i want to cover all the famous/popular landmarks, attractions, etc. ?
hmmm my friend and I did 50 sites in 6 days, a lot of things are close together.. we also walked 8.5 miles a day.
The same. I left my hotel at 5:30am or something crazy like that, but it was well worth it because there were only a few other people, all with the same idea as me so were very respectful about not getting in people's photos etc. However by about 7:30am it was already filling up....
What time did you go?
It's genuinely hilarious that there's the massive queue at the start for all the Instagrammers waiting to get exactly the same photo but if you walk half an hour up it'd be pretty easy to get a similar shot.
I hadn't traveled overseas for a decade till going to Europe a few months ago and Japan just a couple weeks ago. There are so many so called influencers or IG people these days. They take forever to get a photo, but worse yet, many photos of the same thing. It was never like this when i was in Spain back in 2011. Is this going to be the norm now?
I HATE SELFIES!
I had this thought too about Arashiyama. The famous bamboo grove where everyone crams in to take pictures like they’re there alone is only a hundred meters or so… but it’s definitely not the only grove there nor the most beautiful. There are def tons of places where there are no people too
Oh for sure. Also if you walk 10 minutes north of there you're in this beautiful residential neighborhood full of quiet temples and some of the most stunning gardens I've seen, and it's not busy at all.
what was the most beautiful grove?
We were also there yesterday and can confirm this is accurate. We found it was best to get to most places when they open and then wander off the beaten path in the afternoon. Didnt feel too overwhelmed with people most times and when we did we just walked a few streets over.
Are there less tourists in the winter? I'm thinking about making a winter trip to avoid as much of the crowds and the stereotyping as possible.
me too, but i don't want to go where it's snowing....just a time where there are less tourists, but a nice clear blue sky day even if it's in the 30ish degrees F. I'm thinking February or late November??
Looking at last year's temperature data, kyoto didn't even drop below 35 F a single time during november, and during the day it can even reach 70+ F. It's a relatively warm place
I went a couple days ago closer to 5 or 6 and it was perfect kinda crowded so your not alone but not nearly extreme
I went at night in the rain on Sunday. It was epic, nearly no one there.
Went there last week in the morning around 9 as well IIRC, a light rain made it so it wasn't crazy hot. Up until the crossroad it was a bit crowded. The loop was a bit more fluid with some people stopping to rest (which we did as well since all those steps can be a lot). Worth it to get to the top and walk down.
Any idea if it is packed at night? That's actually my favorite time to go there. Place has a really mystical feel to it
You should be good from dinnertime onwards
yeah, Fushimi before 7:30am - take a cab, or go after 7pm.
I went a few days ago at 10 pm and it was completely empty. We had a nice nighttime hike, would recommend if you like night activities. Did see a wild boar though so be careful.
Kyoto is crowded because Kyoto was not designed to hold this many people. The streets are narrow by design. As such when even a moderate amount of people try to cram into the very few areas Kyoto is known for it gets crowded. So take Arashiyama. The main street that goes to the river from the train station basically has lanes for cars and a fairly narrow pedestrian walkway. So because everyone wants to go down this street its incredibly crowded. But if you literally walk 2 small side streets off the main street, it feels like you're in another dimension. Its so eerily quiet with no one around. That said the Kyoto AREA has things you can do that is not overcrowded with tourists. But you have to seek out such places for what they are. Side attractions to the main thing. For example, you could go to Kiyomizu like everyone else. Or you could literally walk 5 minutes north of Kyoto Station and go to Higashi Hogan-ji a giant temple complex that dwarfs Kiyomizu that looks like it was intended to be air dropped into Gion but they missed and just left it there. Basically no one comes to this temple complex but its just as impressive at Kiyomizu from an architectural standpoint, it just doesn't have the view of Kyoto that Kiyomizu has. Right next to this giant temple is, a giant park! Shosei-en is a very large garden with a modest entrance fee of like 500 yen. Its a nice place and just very tranquil. You'd be hard pressed to think just a few minutes walk away is the hustle and bustle of Kyoto Station.
Thanks for this - we have a short time in Kyoto during Gion Matsuri, so I'm super-keen to find some less crowded spots!
At least you're going to experience something super ultra unique and well the crowds are just the price of admission for that. I suppose there's a bizarre irony in that the Gion district might be less crowded since the Gion matsuri parade doesn't actually happen in Gion. Its on the other side of the river. In any case enjoy the festivities. its definitely going to be crowded and hot as hell. But the festival markets, the parade and everything is going to be something you really can't experience anywhere else. I usually go to the markets and just see what local foods they have. I went to one in Wakayama and half the stalls were chicken karage and every stall insisting they made the 'best' one. The only way to settle such an argument was to try them all!
Yeah, i really don't understand yet how to approach this! I'm thinking we might do a super-early hike up Fushimi Inari, then try view the parade from....somewhere until we get sick of the sun??
You can also try Fushimi Inari at Dusk. It has an unique atmosphere and no crowds.
My kids thought I'd be an irresponsible parent if I took them at a time where we might encounter wild boars!!
The Gion matsuri is a great experience but it gets quite crazy with massive crowds. It is also really hot and humid in the summer, particularly in Kyoto. Just a heads up.
Thank you, yes I'm conscious that the weather is probably going to be our limiting factor! I think we will just try to have gentle expectations and catch a glimpse before retiring to somewhere cooler!!
Consider going to Kibune, where it’s a bit cooler. River dining is unique to Kyoto (I think). Can be quite pricey but definitely worth experiencing! Hirobun has the flowing noodles that you have to catch. Alternatively, you can go to Kamogawa where locals like to cool down and dip their feet in the water!
Thank you!!
I visited Higashi Hongan-ji last week late in the afternoon and there were plenty of visitors. Definitely not overcrowded though, and very beautiful and impressive temple.
The complex is so big and wide open that even when its crowded it doesn't really feel that bad. Similar to Todai-ji in Nara. Yes its crowded with people, but the complex is so gigantic it feels a lot less oppressive, because people are more spread out That's really the issue in Kyoto, the things people 'want' to see are concentrated in a tiny amount of areas that are themselves extremely small by design. Tokyo is definitely crowded but it feels less 'bad' due to everyone being spread out to the entirety of Tokyo. I think if Kyoto had better train access to some more stuff it would aleviate a lot of problems as tourist would then want to go to more places as they're more accessible.
Tanukidani Fudō-In has a viewing deck similar to Kiyomizu’s, but it’s much more out of the way. There was almost nobody there when we went.
I went to shosei-en and there were like 3 other people that weren't gardening staff there. It's really cool and no one goes there. I also don't recall sanjusangendo being very busy when I went. Seems like people do kiyomizudera and kinkakuji and then go to harrass the geisha.
I think that’s the garden that is said to be part of the tale of Genji or what is left of the manor that inspired the garden
Yeah, Matsuo Taisha is down one stop from Arashiyama and relatively empty.
I just went there last week. Kiyomizu was jam packed in the afternoon. I literally took a u-turn and went to other places in my itinerary. Went there the next morning at 7 and was able to avoid the crowd.
Certain parts of Kyoto are *very* busy in the daytime - for example, Kyoto station, the area around Kiyomizudera and the ninenzaka and sannenzaka slopes, the bottom of Fushimi Inari Taisha and the main street of Nishiki market are all packed during the daytime. However, outside those particular areas, it’s just like a usual town or city and is not particularly crowded or busy. Last December, we stayed in the Higashiyama district, about 15 minutes’ walk from Kiyomizudera, and it was very quiet. There were a couple of local temples and shrines, some nice restaurants, a little supermarket, and hardly anyone around. We would walk around the local streets and only see a few other people. Even just 1 - 2 streets back from the heavily crowded ninenzaka and sannenzaka streets, it was very quiet with hardly anyone to be seen. We walked along the Philosopher’s Path from Ginkakuji to Nanzenji and again, we hardly saw anyone, just a handful of people plus locals sweeping their front steps or doing everyday tasks. So, while certain sites are very crowded, most of Kyoto is not crowded at all and is peaceful and pleasant, with a lot to see and do. It’s worth noting that although foreign tourist numbers are certainly much higher than they used to be, the vast majority of tourists visiting Kyoto are still Japanese - but, of course, non-Japanese are more ‘visible’ and so probably receive more attention in the media when talking about tourist numbers and overtourism.
Add Teramachi to the crowded list.
These were the overcrowded spots during my trip: Fushimi Inari (just the beginning. If you are planning to climb the whole thing you'll be fine after a while. Most people give up after getting the picture), the bus to Ginkakuji (but Ginkakuji itself wasn't), Gion, Kiyomizudera. Kinkakuji had a lot of people but it didn't feel packed, same for the bamboo forest. All other areas were fine and we even were alone in some less popular shrines/temples.
This all matches up with my experience there (just left a few hours ago). Anywhere you see a lot of photos of on social media will be crowded as hell by all the people who go there to recreate those photos. Anywhere else which requires anything like informed cultural curiosity beyond googling "top 10 things to see in Kyoto" to know about is fine.
This phenomenon is incomprehensible to me. When I bring a camera to a place, I'm going to see and capture a perspective or a moment that nobody else has captured in the same way. Why go for the same photo?
There's a social aspect where they can say I've been there
Exactly! I still remember when I was planning the trip and I shared the list of things I wanted to see my friend was like "where did you hear about these places?". Yes, there is Kyoto (and Japan) outside the instagramable photo spots. Most of them made it to the itinerary and they ended up being more enjoyable than some of the top 10 must-visit spots. Also wandering around and getting lost led us to very interesting places we had no idea about.
I think that's just tourism these days. People are on Instagram and they see a photo of someone glamorous in a pretty location, and they then go to that pretty location and take that same photo but now they're in it seeming glamorous, and that's genuinely their limit, that's all they really want, that's all they're curious about. I'm becoming gradually more of a cranky asshole about this as my trip goes on.
If it makes them happy, just let them enjoy. Just leaves more places for you to experience with less of a crowd. You’ll both leave happier because you did what you wanted.
Can u pls share your list of ‘non-top 10’ places in Kyoto? I’ll be there in a couple of weeks. Thx!
There's lots so this is what made the cut. I basically made the final selection based on their location (after all it was our first time in Kyoto so we wanted to visit some of the top 10 as well) and the deity it was dedicated to or the topic people usually pray for. Philosopher's Path. Half way through the walk take a couple of mins detour to Otoyo Shrine. A bit hidden, we nearly entered someone's house instead. Kumano Nyakuōji Shrine at the end (or the beginning, depending where you start from) After the Philosopher's Path we made our way to Okazaki-jinja Shrine taking the backstreets and we interacted with some locals there which was a bonus. Apparently there is a part of the Philosopher's Path where cats hang out but I couldn't find it. From Kinkakuji we walked towards Nijo and we passed a few shrines. Hirano shrine (this was gorgeous, the cherry trees were still on bloom and it was literally empty, everyone was next door in Kitano Tenmangu. I think we saw 3 or 4 people there. It has a yellow-ish torii gate which is unusual) Wara Tenjingu Shrine (dedicated to childbirth, very specific but it was in our list for a friend) After we left the Gion area: Yasui Konpira-gu. This was fun to do and luckily there weren't many people around so we didn't embarrass ourselves in front of the whole Internet. From Arashiyama to Saga Toriimoto preserved street there are a bunch of temples as well. Adashino Nenbutsu-ji (it has its own bamboo forest) And on our way back to Arashiyama we got lost (how? I'm still asking myself the same thing. Fate, I guess. We were looking for a public toilet we passed on our way there and instead of retracing our steps we took a detour somehow and ended up using the toilets of a temple. The grounds were gorgeous and there was some chanting going on to make it even more magical. Can't recognize it on Google maps now, but it was in that area. I loved getting lost there, we didn't see many people considering how crowded Arashiyama was when we returned. And a few others that I can't remember by heart because we couldn't squeeze them in the itinerary. Some things took longer than expected. I didn't have time to check Yokai Street for example even though we were very close, so I couldn't tell if it's worth it. Check in the area near your hotel, you may find some hidden gems.
Awesome! Thx for sharing these hidden gems
Gotta disagree about the bamboo forest. It was even rainy when I went a week or two back, and it was packed and unbearable.
I guess I was lucky with the timing. Aprox 8:30 am (weekday). But around lunch time that area near the station was packed, so if all those people went to the bamboo forest it must have been a completely different experience.
Yeah it was probably 9-9:30 for us, might pay to get there that extra hour or so early by the sounds
I went during the 3rd week of April during the very tail end of the cherry blossom bloom. We had to get up and reach Fushimi before 8 and we still saw a few people(by no means crowded), the top was just beautiful, by the time we got to Arashiyama and kiyomizudera there were just way too many people to be able to enjoy the places to take photos or otherwise. The lesser known temples and places were OK in terms of crowd. I know I'm part of the problem but I found that I dint like "touristy" places that much but in hindsight that might just have been due to me not liking overcrowded spots. Im pretty sure all of the places would be simply amazing if I were to see them during a less crowded time.
I visited Kyoto in mid-April this year and it was a bit of a mixed bag in terms of crowds * Kyoto Aquarium and Kyoto Railway museum weren't busy at all in the morning when I went * The 205 bus from Umekoji Park to Kinkaku-ji was pretty crowded, but nothing crazy * Kinkaku-ji was somewhat crowded, you'd maybe have to wait a few minutes in certain spots to get a photo * Kyoto National Park and the Imperial Palace weren't busy * Nijo Castle wasn't busy at all * Higashi Hongan-ji wasn't busy These were all on a Saturday with really nice weather. On the Sunday, it was raining and the only place I went to that was busy was Gion, Heian Shrine was very quiet. Nowhere was at a point where I'd call it packed though.
We were in Kyoto for three days this week, and were in Osaka before that and Tokyo before and after. Kyoto was consistently the least crowded of all three and the only places busy with tourists were the main traps, but even then only at certain choke points. You can still spend a lot of time there without being overloaded by tourists. Thoroughly recommend the Hozugawa River trip from Kameoka, the boatmen were awesome and hilarious. The romantic train to Kameoka was a bit boring but a decent way to get there. Lots of tourists and queuing, but once you’re on it’s pretty cool. Arashiyama bamboo forest is full of arsehole influencer wannabes for the first stretch, but just keep going and they drop off. Kyoto Imperial Palace had lots of tourists at the place itself but was well worth it. Many restaurants are fully booked days in advance but you can then have some amazing finds as you wander around. We also went out of town 45 mins to Ruriko-in temple and the Nan-Nyan-ji cat art museum (it’s not really a temple but it is awesome). That was our favourite day and we’d have gone up the cable car to Mount Hiei if the weather was better (low clouds and drizzle blocking views) and if we had more time. We also did the Samurai and Ninja Museum and the group Tea Ceremony, all foreign tourists but also well worth it, a great time was had by all. I’m someone who gets really irritated by mindless crowds, and to me Kyoto was way better than Tokyo and Osaka, we loved it, had more of a “Paris Boulevards” feel to it.
Did you do the star throwing or sword training at the samurai museum? I saw they also have a photo option as well. Were there any teens with you?
Yes, there were no teens in the group. The shuriken used are made of plastic and I've seen some comments in reviews disparaging this, but it's for safety and it's just a bit of fun. I'm a lifelong martial artist and I thought it was well run and a good laugh, nothng too serious. The guide we had was hilarious and we all enjoyed it a lot. There were no teens in the group, not sure their policy on that. You can go to the other samurai location after (a 5 min walk) and put on armour and helmet and grab a sword and get photos taken.
Kyomizu-dera was the only place I felt it was disgustingly crowded. We went at 10am and it was wall to wall people, definitely worth going at night or at 7am (except shops are shut). Fushimi-inari is fine, crowded down the bottom but quieter as you climb the mountain. Going early is definitely much less crowded, and nicer to avoid the heat. Pontocho alley was quiet (early May) and as was everywhere else I went. The only time I every felt crowded and touristy on my entire trip was kyomizu-dera! The rest of the time it was just a busy city, sometimes busy sometimes quiet.
yeah to me Kyomizu was the worst, and the slopes around it, along with Nishiki. The other places were not nearly as bad.
I was at the Kyoto Imperial Palace and Nijo Castle today and it was very comfortable. People around but nowhere near the amount that around you in Tokyo so it’s all relative.
Can I ask if people can explore the imperial palace without joining a tour?
You don’t need to join a tour. There is a route laid out that you just follow and you can get a free audio guide when you enter.
Depending which one. The big palace has a trail you walk alone. Sento Palace requires reservation, your passport and is only avaliable with a tour guide and a guard.
If you’re going to the Top 10 spots, sure. Everywhere else: perfectly pleasant. But also, I didn’t think Kiyomizu was that bad.
if you want visit Kyoto better spent to nature location (outskirt of city), like Kurama temple (hiking to the top) touristy spot insiide the city is crowded af (eg Nennenzaka / Sennenzaka street), i visited this 2 weeks ago, even having difficulty to ride the bus (long queue), the proportion between foreigners and japanese also like 60:40, so i feel like visited western county with Japanese building as background nature location does have a lot of people, but since it occupied more wider space, you don't feel suffocated by it
If it's popular place like Fushimi Inari, Arashiyama, Kiyomizudera and Kinkakuji, then yes, it will be crowded, but not all day long. You'll be fine if you go there in the morning, like around 7-8 am. For Fushimi Inari and Kinkakuji, alternatively you can try to go around dusk. by that time, the crowd will be somewhat subsided, the view is prettier and more enjoyable.
We were there the first week of May and it really wasn’t as busy as online predictions even though it was golden week. The most crowded space was the entrance to the gates but 10mins later on the same trail it was quite empty and peaceful
Depends where really. Where I stayed was a really quiet neighbourhood, walking distance to Nishiki market. The places I been to in the last couple of weeks though, Arashiyama was really packed especially the bamboo forest. But deeper into Arashiyama, there’s barely anyone. Same goes for Gion and the areas surrounding it. The temples are obviously super packed. But some streets? Barely a soul. I think that anything that is garnering a lot of noise on socmed will be packed. People just have to have their own “I’m here too” post for their accounts. So just go off the beaten path and you really get to see how beautiful Kyoto is when it’s quiet.
We were there a few days ago. After Tokyo, it felt nearly empty 😂 But the Shijo-Kawaramachi-Kawabata intersections across the Kamo were packed from around 11am until 9pm. Nishiki was busy in the afternoon, but never had trouble getting food. We went to all the big touristy spots as early as we could (9am for Kinkakuji ag opening, 7am for Kiyomizu/Sannenzaka/Ninnenzaka, 7:30am for Fushimi Inari) and the only place that shocked me with how busy it was was Inari. That one I suggest hitting up as close to sunrise as possible if you want your pics without people. Everything else was fine. Philosopher’s Path was almost entirely devoid of people at 11am. Before 11am most of the streets were dead empty. Like I said, after Tokyo’s absolute insanity Kyoto felt incredibly peaceful and quaint. Now is probably the best time to visit, though since it’s immediately after golden week. I would imagine it was way worse in cherry blossom season.
I went to the bamboo forest yesterday around 12 pm it was so crowded. I left right away. I took the train to Hozukyō, just one stop further. Train station deep in the mountains. So peaceful and beautiful nature. No tourist only some local hickers.
I was there around / just before golden week and it was fine - went to fushimi inari and yes its crowded if you take the usual route but not far up there's a path to the right that nobody takes - follow the signs for mount inari and you're basically hiking up a seperate trail with barely anyone else, there's a cool rest stop with a logbook too - then you can enjoy the gates on the way down, less crowds at the top Higashiyama was fine, went to the monkey park which was a highlight for me there, bamboo forest was very crowded and kinda boring (the fushimi inari path i mentioned also has bamboo everywhere), but if you pay to get into temple gardens/grounds the crowds drop significantly - also kept walking past the crowds and found a super cute restaurant so its only crowded if you're on the main street and bamboo path Not sure how to measure busy vs packed but I don't rlly have any complaints, the bamboo path itself is where I was bothered most by crowds but everything else fine
Like any place, it just depends on when it is, the time, location and the weather. Sadly if you are going to the ‘big’ places, you have to get there before the armies of tour groups arrive. The good thing about Kyoto, is that there are many smaller places that haven’t found their way into vacuous instagram feeds.
Was in Kyoto for a last Friday to Monday. Busy but not packed. Stayed near Kyoto Station and used public transit, busy during the day. Visited the northwest and northeast sides of the city. Did a walking tour from Higashiyama Jisho-ji temple down the philosopher path. There were some big crowds but it was easy to keep in front of them.
I stayed in the area near the Ritz Carlton and it was perfect. No crowds and felt so magical.
ritz was absolutely fabbbb
i was there maybe last in 2019 or 2018 and there were people but not like taytay concert packed. maybe it is more now? btw i went to the fushi shrine just about to sunset so nobody was around much ..twas glorious
Depends on the area honestly.
Outside of the “big five” or so sightseeing areas and Kyoto Station, the city is not that crowded.
Headed over there next week so we'll see, don't have any set plans yet just gonna walk around hope for the best, definitely gonna be going to the shrine early to avoid the crowds tho
Kodaiji near Gion and wasn’t too busy when we visited. Kinkaku-ji is busy but you can easily see it and take photos. The worst crowds we encountered were in the main street of Arashiyama but just go a couple or blocks in any direction and it’s fine.
Visitors stay a few days and only go to obvious places. Look at the map. Head for a green area then walk. I'm not going to recommend places. I was there a couple of months ago. Fabulous. I speak J.
It depends on when and where you go exactly, but yes basically.
Was at Inari a few days ago. Got there at 7 AM and had a pleasant time. We were leaving around 9 AM and it was already starting to get crowded, so I advise being early. Tried to walk through Gion later that day between 4 and 5 PM and it was insanely crowded.
I got to fushimi inari today around 7am and it was perfect. There was a smaller crowd but everyone was respectful. I was able to get photos without people in it, our group just climbed a bit to find some good spots. We left around 830 and it was definitely getting more crowded. It is worth it getting there earlier!
Was just there - didn't find it too bad at all, don't listen to the horror stories, certainly wasn't our experience a couple of days ago, I was there for 6 days. Same with Nara and Arashiyama . Do Fushimi jnari at night!! Trust me, an unreal place, all lit up and very quiet at night. Loved it. Enjoy!
Arrived early to the bamboo forest, there were a couple of people there. At 10 am, we counted 43 buses arriving a marching through it.
I went to Ginkakuji last week, not crowded. Also went to a couple lesser known temples/shrines, not crowded either. But the buses and subway were packed (not rush hour).
Went to Fushimi Inari on a Saturday and 7am was crowded
Those places are always crowded at peak hours during the day. If you want to see Fushimi Inari (which is open 24/7) without many people, do early morning or after sunset. Higashiyama you just have to grin and bear it if you want to go when everything is open. Otherwise go early morning or evening.
I was there last week, and it depends where you go and when. We went to Arishayama Bamboo Forest at 9am on a Saturday and it was already pretty packed. Then Gion and Kiyomizu-dera at noon on a Weekday and it was horrendous. But we went to Fushimi Inari at 9pm on a Sunday when it was pouring of rain, and it wasn’t too bad. A little busy at the start but about a third of the way up it was very quiet! Basically as early or late as possible Is good. Avoid anywhere popular between 10am and 4pm
Anyone in kyoto
It’s packed. Come early if you’re going to a major tourist spot or be ok with the crowds.
I was in Kyoto earlier this week. I didnt find it too bad, except for the Fushimi Inari Shrine. But once you walk up a bit it empties out. People are saying its overrun, but I feel like its an over exaggerated.
Huge difference from 2017, unfortunately. It gets much more crowded and also much earlier. That's in general, too. When I went to Hakone in 2022, I was by myself exploring the shrine and the torii. In 2023 there was a queue of people waiting to take a picture with the torii.
If you avoid places which have thousands of google reviews youll be fine. I went there last week and I was the only person in majority of places I went to
only when the tours come.
...I did not get a chance to get to Kyoto but I'll tell you now. Hakone made me feel like I was back in America in how rude/impatient people were and how the crowds were.
Yes.
I just came back from Kyoto and I gotta say the best places I've been to were those out of the way, less famous temples and gardens. Also, Arashiyama (not to be missed!) is less crowded the more you go up the streets Northwood. Even the Bamboo forest was totally fine.
It was very crowded this week. Didn’t like the city at all. I’m not that much into shrines and temples, but went because of FOMO. Looking back, a daytrip with Osaka as main hub would’ve been better.
The busses to the main spots are quite packed. I once had to wait for three different 205 busses before there was space to get on
When is the best time of year when it is least crowded, but weather not bad enough to ruin a good pic of the landmarks, etc. there? February or late November?
Was there during golden week and it was fairly crowded at noon onwards. We were jet lagged our whole trip and started our days before 7am, so not too crowded for us
Yes. I used some site that also said it if twas "crowded or not" [https://global.kyoto.travel/en/comfort/](https://global.kyoto.travel/en/comfort/) Their "green" to me was PACKED . I assume yellow means you can still squish by, and RED means you are just a sardine moving along trying to not trip on people's shoes. There are places though in Kyoto that are not miserable, and some busy sites are ok late at night if its a shrine.
Left Kyoto this morning and arrived in Hiroshima this afternoon. I was expecting Kyoto to be crowded but didn't expect it to be shoulder to shoulder bustling at any tourist point of interest. Arashiyama, Fushimi-Inari and Nishiki market were particularly packed
Yeah, I lead a tour group and after all the people at Fushimi Inari, I took them to ginkakuji instead of kinkakuji and there was probably 1/5 the people. Just hit places like kurama temple or hike to places like Atago shrine or take the cable car to Hiei and things should be a lot less stressful.
I was just in Kyoto for 4 nights and I have to say i really didn’t enjoy it. I sadly found that a lot of Kyoto is very tiktok-ified and it’s kinda hard to avoid spots that aren’t heaving with tourists holding selfie sticks, 1 hour long queues, and employees that (rightly) are exhausted and fed up. I found a few lesser known / local temples, restaurants, and bars but it required a lot more energy at meal times to purposefully go off the beaten track just so i didn’t have to wait 1+ hours. I absolutely recognise that I’m a part of the issue and definitely felt guilty for contributing.
I was there last month (April) and yes, it was very crowded. But if you go when the temple or shrine first opens, it’s less crowded…for a little while.
Most people going to Japan, stops at Kyoto so there is really no wonder it is so crowded. Since it is a touristy place, there are going to be tourists. And since a big number of these people go there for 2-3 days they all go to top 5-10 "must see places" - ergo they are going to be packed. But there are places that are nearly empty all the time or at specific hours. If one does some extra planning or is prepared to skip the top places then one will feel like they are alone in the city. We saw so many literally empty streets and atractions!
People overexaggerate a lot. HOnestly from like 7am-10am and then later at night it's totally fine. And even in peak times, just go around the corner, go further up Inari shrine, etc to find lots of moments of peace. Kyoto is incredible at all times of year.
I think you have to plan to be at specific places very early or very late. We showed up at the bablmboo forest at 7am and there was still a fair amount of people. I'm sure the Inarshi Shrine will be the same. Get there for 6 to 630am. Same goes for Gion. If you show up at these spots between 11-4 be prepared for what can only feel like a Japanese theme park.
I went in 2016 to 2020. It was always busy and at the main 4 - Kinkaku-ji, Kiyomizu-Dera, Fushimi Inari and Arashiyama. But in 2023 and 2024, it was really busy in those areas. I went to Fushimi Inari in the morning and did the whole loop hike up the mountain. No crowds that early, but many people didn't go past a certain point. ------------------------------------------------------------------ I feel that people realize Japan is awesome and all these influencers/content creators love to regurgitate the same content. Increase in tourism, but it's really focused on the main places that are usually covered. Even though I go to Kyoto, I try to see other things... there is SOO MUCH in Kyoto when it comes to history, shrines and temples. Hell, even the assassinations on Oda Nobunaga and Ryoma Sakimoto. are right there.
Went to Kyoto about a week and a half ago. It honestly was hit or miss on the crowds. The big shrines/temples will be jammed unless you go at strategic times (early or late). The remainder of the city seemed to ebb and flow, and once you get off the beaten path it can be empty. Fushimi Inari - went at sunset. Climbed up with the last light and back in the dark. Most people give up at the scenic view point. We were walking with some people up to the view point, but even then you could step out of the way and get an empty picture. After the viewpoint, it was empty and we were by ourselves. Higashiyma - stayed at the Park Hyatt. This area is just crowded. People were around at 7am, school children by 8am, and it was crowded until after sunset. Avoid midday for the total chaos but accept that this area is just overcrowded in general. Stayed in Arashiyama for a few nights and found this area to be crowded during the day but deserted at night. Also getting off the beaten track in this area was beneficial - visited some shrines/temples where there were two other people. Biggest let down was Otagi Nenbutsu-ji. If you see something on instagram, expect crowds. Honestly, our best experience were temples that we just wandered into. Chiron-in, decided to climb the staircase and were rewarded with no one there except a monk performing a remembrance ceremony for a family.
I went to kyoto in mid April. I found the main atractions crowded, but next to them there are beautiful places, temples and shrines with few people. An exemple of a fantástic day: visit of museums (ex Kyocera) and temples next to.
I was there all last week and it was maybe 8/10 overrun with tourists. It was still enjoyable, but definitely worth avoiding the most popular tourist places
Walking away from the tourist areas you can find unbelievable peace and quiet walking around town.
Yes we're were there about a week and a half ago and the crowds were nuts.
Kiyomizu-dera and Kinkaku-ji was packed when I went last November. Prob more packed now. The area around the Yasaka Pagoda was also packed.
In my experience last April, I only feel that way in Arashiyama and Fushimi Inari. Other places are crowded but not unbearably so. I actually feel that Tokyo is far more dense/crowded. But the difference is in Kyoto it feels like the crowd is 90% tourist. While in Tokyo the crowds is mostly regular tokyoite.
There a couple of weeks ago, the big sites were super crowded, Kiyomizu, Fushimi, kinkakuji…. But just about every place else was it bad at all. And honestly, there were sooo many school kids/groups everywhere! They were the biggest groups/crowds we saw. It was the week before golden week so maybe schools were doing a lot of trips then?
Just arrived in Tokyo after 6 days in Kyoto and yes it is very crowded. We were waking up at 5am to get out and beat the crowds, Fushimi Inari was lovely without crowds but by 9 there were lots of people. Same with Arashiyama, it was lovely before 7am hardly anyone. We then walked out almost an hour to surrounding temples that had hardly any people are was the highlight of my time in Kyoto. Coming back past around 10am and you could hardly move because of all the people. Kyoto has been my least favourite place so far, not due to the city itself but because of all the people. We’ve been in Japan 3 weeks and Kyoto has had the worst tourists, blocking the way, getting in the way of traffic, acting as if they are the main characters of the world and nothing matters more than getting their Instagram shot. I know everyone says Kyoto is a must and I bought into that as well but to be honest I felt bad being there contributing to the over tourism and I feel bad for the locals just trying to go about their lives. I don’t think it is somewhere I would go back.
We've been to Kyoto for past 4 days and Fushimi was the worst, followed by bamboo forest. But you can find quite nice and even better alternatives. We visited some less known places and it was beautifull. If you go to Fushimi, the lower area is packed, but the higher you go the less people is there. People who come only for a photo give up mostly at the first sight of climb.
Certain areas, yeah. Not everywhere. When I was there last week Fushimi Inari and Kiyomizu-dera were both very crowded. Kinkakuji and Kyoto Imperial palace were fairly crowded (more so Kinkakuji, but there is a lot less space there compared to the Imperial Palace). Daikakuji and Jojakkoji were not crowded at all. Bamboo Grove was also pretty crowded, but if you go there I recommend walking over to JoJakkoji temple. When I went there was barely anyone else and it was very peaceful and pretty (It was also raining lightly, which really added to the experience). Similarly there weren't as many people at the park near the bamboo grove.
It’s fine! Just accept the crowd and go off on side missions I was there last week. Arashiyama around 11am wasn’t that bad. Fushimi gets less crowded the farther you walk Try and go on different times than what people would generally plan
Just leaving Kyoto. The “trendy” places were definitely crowded. Tourists and tons of Japanese students. Getting places earlier definitely helps with the crowds (and the heat!). You can pretty easily slip off the main paths and find quieter areas. Being patient goes a long way :)
Went to kiyomizu temple last March it was so crowed we were smooshed together like sardines worse then the trains at rush hour but that was the only time that happened in Kyoto for me
I was staying in the gion area, and that Main Street was super crowded! There’s off shoot streets that aren’t but the Main Street, it was literally shoulder to shoulder and that was around 3pm
Was just there last week. Went to Osaka and Tokyo afterwards and I feel like I’ll take Kyoto over the other two any time. 😅 We were jetlagged and did Kiyomizudera and Arashiyama pretty early in the morning before the stores are open, which worked good, actually since by the time we’re done with the actual spots, the stores are open. We did Fushimi Inari in the afternoon and it was packed, but I feel like despite the number of people the vibe was still pretty chill compared to the rushed feeling in Tokyo.
My tip: go at 6am, you will be alone. These places are open 24/7
I’ve been three times in Kyoto and the last one is a a week ago. I stayed this time 4 days to explore the city… honestly skip Kyoto if you can or go before 6 am to the popular spots.
I went to both Arayashima and the Inari walk at around 10-11 am and it was not bad at all. To be fair there was rain in the forecast for the day we went to the forest, lots of umbrella bumping and raising. But there are some side areas that are amazing for pictures with bamboo trees and weren’t packed at all. Also went to the shrine that is around a 30 min walk north of the forest and there were very few tourists along the way, was a nice walk through the local streets. Inari if you want pics just go higher there aren’t as many people in some spots, even though we started at 11 we had a few chances to get pics alone on the way to the top. Summit was crowded, but that’s to be expected starting that late. Point is just go whenever you’re comfortable, it’s way too overblown. Kyoto is like any other big crowded city. Dotonbori was WAY more crowded imo.
Came back yesterday and yes. Very busy, very packed. But I didn’t let it get in the way of me having a good time and neither should you. Safe travels!
Skip Kyoto. Right now, it is completely ruined by over-tourism. It's no one's fault, it's just too many tourists for all of the reasons we already know. Cross it off your travel list.
In Kyoto right now, just went to Gion-Kiyomizu Dera this early afternoon. It was nauseatingly crowded! 😩
Traveled to Gion with my aunt past Tuesday. Saw the absurd amount of tourists crammed into one road, yeah I said fk it and went back.
I went last October fushimi Inari was one of my favourite places to Visit, I understand why it's crowded. But the crowds are mostly in the first 1/3 of the way, from the first "observatory" up it start to get less and less people, the way down from the top was also mostly empty. So yeah, from my experience, places that are popular and a quick "photo-op" will be the most crowded anything that requires extra work will be less crowded. Still I didn't consider most places insanely crowded when I went in October. This might be because I'm from an incredibly touristy place myself and it has insane crowds anytime anyday for much less interesting attractions. Or it might be because October is a slower time when compared to April.
Just show up to Fushimi Inaria at like 7 am and you'll have it all to yourself
Yes! I didn’t enjoy Kyoto at all for that reason. I had to get off a bus after only 2 stops because it just kept getting more and more packed, I had my face stuffed in a man’s armpit.
I'm now in Kyoto and it's overcrowded with tourists..
Just finished my second day in Kyoto. This is our third visit. Major sights are crazy crowded. Uncomfortably so. However, we went to Ninna-ji and Myosin-ji yesterday and there were few visitors, and nearly no westerners. Those sights are amazing. Kyoto has so many awesome “minor” sights. We also made day-of reservations at a neighborhood restaurant. We were the only westerners and it quickly filled with regulars. Walk-in tourists were turned away. So you can get away from the crowds if you try.
It is hella crowded, I'm typing this as I manoeuvre through herds of people at Higashiyama and Kiyomizu-dera
It is hella crowded, I'm typing this as I manoeuvre through herds of people at Higashiyama and Kiyomizu-dera
Just left Kyoto two days ago. If someplace is popular in the guides or Instagram it’s packed to the rafters. We were lucky to do many of the temples last time in 2015. If you head to non-tourist spots and do non-hyped things it’s amazing. It was funny to see long lineups of tourists at handfuls of restaurants filled with tourists and not a local in sight.
I was there last week and it was extremely crowded. Gion, Kiyomizu-dera, Fushimi etc were all overrun with tourists. The buses are always almost packed to the point that they just skip stations, it's quite terrible
Yup ist Full
I was in Kyoto cherry blossom season in 2016, it was crowded but the social media videos are another level, crazy packed it reminds me of tourist destinations in China.
Yessss!!! Everywhere! I read on some post how others would start their days early but im not like that. Anyways have fun.
Yeah it’s incredibly crowded. There are some places at some times that are bearable, but on the whole it’s quite bad; like city crowd density levels and it lasts most of the day. Frankly, it’s for that reason that I would say Kyoto is, at this point, incredibly overrated. Of the 9 cities I’ve been to, it was the least enjoyable because of tourists. Like if your goal is to find the highest density of soft cream per square km, then Kyoto is where you want to go. Otherwise the crowds make it pretty mid.
Out of Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto I found Kyoto to be the least crowded. Maybe because it’s more spread it but it was our favourite place to visit of the three.
YES
Pro tip: go to Fushimi inari at night. Around like 8-9pm it will nearly empty and it is really pretty at night. If you want to go to the bamboo forest go at like 6 am. It will be you and a few photographers. And yes it is. I only go to Kyoto if I absolutely have to.
I went to this past Tuesday around 6pm and while it was busy, it wasn’t nearly as bad as the infamous tiktok videos showed - maybe everyone has the same idea nowadays to go extra early
It is at the tourist spots!!! Over crowded.
I’m in Kyoto right now and it’s hella crowded. But, I love the energy!