Originally the capital of Japan, Kyoto is one of the most popular destinations in Japan famous for its history and incredible cultural sites. When travelling with your family in Japan, there are so many things to do in Kyoto with kids. Having visited a few times with our family, we thought we would provide you with a glimpse into the best things to do with kids in Kyoto.
Our Kyoto with Kids roundup does feature some Klook affiliate deals that we think will help you to plan your visit.
Things to do in Kyoto with Kids
Table of Contents
Visiting Kyoto for the first time? Before you start thinking about where to go in Kyoto it is probably a good idea to work out how long you have up your sleeve so you can decide what you can fit in and what you will need to leave until next time.
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
The Arahiyama Bamboo Grove is an iconic site of Kyoto and also one of the most popular. Whilst you are likely to see quite an array of gorgeous images on Instagram depicting incredible images of the grove with a single traveller along the path between please note that the real experience is anything but one of solitude. Being popular lends itself to be quite crowded during most of the day. If you would like to explore the Arahiyama Bamboo Grove with kids and capture some beautiful images featuring only your children you will need to arrive as daylight breaks or as dusk falls. It is incredible regardless and is definitely a spot to drop by on your trip to Kyoto.
Hours: Always open
Price: Free to visit
Address: Arashiyama, Ukyo-ku. 右京区嵐山
How to get there: 10 min walk from Saga Arashiyama Station, JR Sagano line. 15 min walk from Arashiyama Station, Henkyu railway
Deal: Arashiyama Bamboo Forest Half Day Tour
Tenryuji Temple
Kyoto boasts a plethora of shrines and temples to explore on your trip, however choosing the ones to include on your itinerary can be tricky. Tenryuji Temple was built in 1339, is the most important in the Arashiyama, and is now a World Heritage site.
The buildings have been destroyed and rebuilt countless times over history due to war and fire, however, the original gardens created by the famous garden designer Muso Soseki are still in their original form making them super impressive.
Should you visit? Well, that will depend on your time and whether you can fit it in or not!
Hours: 8:30 to 17:30 (until 17:00 from late October to late March)
Price: 500 yen (an extra 300 yen for entrance into the temple buildings)
Address: 〒616-8385 Kyoto, Ukyo Ward, Sagatenryuji Susukinobabacho, ６８
How to get there: The Tenryuji Temple is a 10-15 minute walk from JR Saga-Arashiyama Station.
Monkey Park Iwatayama
Australia has no wild primates and the only place to get up and close with them is in the zoo, so of course, the opportunity to see monkeys in wild was something we were keen to experience. The Iwatayama Monkey Park is quite unique as it’s the humans that go into the cage to feed the monkeys rather than the other way around. Upon trying this, we quickly learned why – monkeys can get a little aggressive when food is around and the cage certainly protects the kids from the hungry primates.
Monkey food is available for a small fee – ask what the monkey prefer on the day as it can change. We had the choice of peanuts, bananas or apples and chose all three so we could see what was the favourite. Some monkeys threw the bananas back at us!
The walk to the Iwatayama Monkey Park can be a little tricky as you walk up a steep hill into the park. For those with young children, a baby carrier will be your friend on this excursion. Be prepared and don’t approach the monkeys on the way up! At the top you do get a splendid view of Kyoto city – it’s worth the climb jut for that.
Click to read about our visit to Iwatayama Monkey Park
Hours: 9:00 to 17:00 (until 16:30 from Nov to mid Mar); entry ends 30 minutes earlier
Price: 550 yen
Address: 8 Arashiyama Genrokuyama-cho, Nishikyo-ku,
Kyoto 616-0007, Japan
How to get there: 5-minute walk from Hankyu Arashiyama Station and a 15-minute walk from JR Saga-Arashiyama Station
Hozugawa River Cruise
A cruise down the Hozugawa River in a traditional style, flat bottomed boats sounds like an adventure, right? The boats are piloted by professional boatmen who know the river like the back of their hand and guide the boat with oars and bamboo poles with what appears to be seamless ease, even when going through some of the small rapids.
River cruises can be affected by the weather, so check the forecast before booking. The trip itself takes between 90 to 120 minutes with some stops to purchase food. The highlight of the cruise will no doubt be the breathtaking scenery!
Hours: 9:00 to 15:30 (March 10 through November, hourly departures) | 9:00 to 14:30 (December 1 to 10, hourly departures) | 10:00 to 14:30 (December 11 to March 9, departures every 90 minutes) | On busy days boats depart irregularly according to demand.
Price: 4100 yen (no reservations, tickets may be purchased at the boat departure point)
Address: The fastest way is to take a JR train from Saga-Arashiyama Station. It takes only about 10 minutes to Kameoka Station. See website for details.
Website: Hozugawa River Cruise website
Deal: Arashiyama Day Trip in Kyoto with Sagano Romantic Train and Hozugawa River Boat Rides
Kiyomizudera Temple
Head to Kyoto and you run the risk of being templed out. It’s tricky to work out which ones to include on your itinerary to ensure the kids are still having fun. Kiyomizudera Temple is one of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto UNESCO World Heritage sites. For many, it is the temple you *have* to visit if you can only fit one in as it is a temple suited to everyone including kids
Founded back in 780AD, Kiyomizudera Temple is situated on the site of the Otowa Waterfall in the forested hills east of Kyoto. Its very name is derived from the fall’s pure waters. It has a magnificent view and always beautiful.
Hours: 6:00 to 18:00 (until 18:30 on weekends and holidays from mid-April through July and every day in August and September)
Price: 400 yen
Address: Kiyomizudera can be reached from Kyoto Station by bus number 100 or 206 (15 minutes, 230 yen). Get off at Gojo-zaka or Kiyomizu-michi bus stop, from where it is a ten-minute uphill walk to the temple.
Website: Kiyomuzydera Temple website
Maruyama Park
If you’re heading to Kyoto during cherry blossom season, Maruyama Park is one place to head for a true cherry blossom hanami experience. Hanami is the name for cherry blossom viewing parties and this park is the most popular (and crowded) in all of Kyoto.
In the very middle of the park is a gorgeous, giant weeping cherry tree (shidarezakura) which lights up at night and is the glory of the park.
Whilst the park is very very busy during cherry blossom season, it is one of the best spots to head for a true Japanese cherry blossom experience. The crowd is nothing like what you will see in Australia either, everyone is polite and it feels very organised.
Hours: Open 24 hours.
Price: FREE (it’s a park!)
Address: 463 Maruyamacho, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 605-0071, Japan
Kyoto Railway Museum
My children adore trains so it makes total sense that the Kyoto Railway Museum has found itself on our list of things to do in Kyoto with kids.
Opened in April 2016, the Kyoto Railway Museum was built by JR West on the old site of the Umekoji Train and Locomotive Museum. It is quite possibly one of the best train museums in the country so is certainly worth a visit.
Kyoto Railway Museum is a whopping 30,000 square metres in size and spans three floors. At the moment it has 53 returned trains that showcase Japan’s train history. This includes steam trains right through to the bullet train, called shinkansen in Japan. The kids will love the chance to actually walk underneath the freight trains and see their inner workings! What a blast!
Hours: 10:00 to 17:30 (entry until 17:00) | Closed Wednesdays (except when Wednesday is a national holiday and during spring and summer school holidays), December 30 to January 1
Price: 1200 yen
Address: Kankijicho, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, 600-8835, Japan
Website: Kyoto Railway Museum Webpage
Kinkaku-ji | Golden Pavilion
After I saw images of Kinkaku-ji on Instagram a few years ago I decided that it had to be on our list but is it for kids? It is crowded, you can’t actually go inside HOWEVER the area is quite open and glorious. My kids loved the opportunity to run around (respectfully) and there were a few icecream shops outside that made it perfect.
For me, it needs to be on the Kyoto with kids list but perhaps for my own selfish bucket list reasons.
Hours: Open every day 9:00 to 17:00
Price: 400 yen
Address: We headed to Kinkaku-ji with the kids on the bus via Kyoto Station. We went direct via Kyoto City Bus number 101 and it took around 40 minutes.
Website: Head to the Kinkakuji Website for more details
Deal: Golden Pavilion Kinkaku-ji Tour with National Licensed Guide in Kyoto
Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine
If you’ve ever entered “Kyoto” into google no doubt you’ve landed on a few images that show a glorious trail of torii gates that appear like a tunnel. It’s Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine and is one of the most famous sites in Kyoto. You *have* to visit!
Famous for the thousands of vermilion torii gates that lead you up sacred Mount Inari. It’s a spectacular site. A spiritual site. Throughout the site the kids can marvel at the foxes that they’ll find everywhere. They are said to be Inari’s, the Shinto god of rice, messengers.
The walk to the top takes around 45 minutes although most visitors only make it to the Yotsutsuji intersection for the view before heading back down to the bottom.
Hours: Open 24 hours a day
Price: FREE
Address: 68 Fukakusa Yabunouchicho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0882, Japan
Website: Head to the Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine website for more details
Nijo Castle
The Samurai are very important in Japanese history and have an air of mystery about them. A visit to Nijo Castle is worth the visit as the castle itself features amazing nightingale floors which chirp as you walk on them.
Read about our trip to Nijo Castle in Kyoto with kids
Hours: 8:45 to 17:00 (October to June) | 8:00 to 18:00 (July and August) | 8:00 to 17:00 (September)
Admission ends one hour before closing time | Entry to Ninomaru Palace from 8:45 to 16:10 (until 17:10 in July and August)
Price: 600 yen; an additional fee of 400 yen is required to enter the Ninomaru Palace
Address: 541 Nijojocho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, 604-8301, Japan
Deal: Nijo Castle and Ninomaru Palace Admission Ticket in Kyoto
Gion and Geishas
How can you visit Kyoto and not see a Geisha? Well, it turns out seeing a Geisha is actually a lot harder than you think. Travelling with our children we decided against heading to a formal Geisha tea ceremony as I was afraid that it wouldn’t hold my kids attention for too long. However, I knew that they would love spotting a Geisha in the wild.
The best way to spot a Geisha is to head to Gion’s restaurant precinct as dusk falls. It is at this time that the Geisha head to their first booking for the evening. It was at this time that the kids spotted two Geisha on two different occasions, but just like a butterfly, they were quickly gone. We had a fleeting glimpse.
You might like to take a Gion tour (kids are free) if you are lost on where to go and what to see. The Gion Evening Tour is recommended on Klook. Kids under 6 are free!
If you are super keen to make sure you have an experience, the interactive dinner with a Maiko (that’s a Geisha in training) might be for you. This Klook experience welcomes kids and is a bucket list experience. Click for full details on the Maiko Dinner Experience.
Address: Head to Gion to spot a Geisha or Maiko
Website: Klook offers a range of experiences
Kyoto International Manga Museum
The Kyoto International Manga Museum was opened back in 2016 and covers three floors and a basement. Within the walls are shelves and shelves of manga. It is the ultimate spot to stop if you love Japanese manga and a little fun too!
Hours: 10:00 to 18:00 (entry until 17:30) | Wednesdays (or following day if Wednesday is a national holiday), New Year holidays, irregular maintenance days
Price: 800 yen (special exhibitions not included)
Address: The Kyoto International Manga Museum is located a two minute walk from the Karasuma-Oike Subway Station (5 minutes, 210 yen from Kyoto Station).
Website: Kyoto International Manga Museum Website
Toei Kyoto Studio Park
Japan has numerous theme parks scattered across the country however heading to Toei Uzumasa Eigamura also known as Kyoto Studio Park and you will be pulled back in time to the Edo Period. The studio has been built to replicate a small town during this period and has a scattering of traditional buildings including a ninja house.
Head to Toei Studios for an immersive experience where you with find a traditional court house, a Meiji Period police box, a replica of the old Nihonbashi Bridge and part of the former Yoshiwara red light district. Workers across the park are garbed in traditional clothing and the kids will be encouraged to join in many of the acts happening around the studio.
Hours: Typically 9:00 to 17:00; slightly longer and shorter hours depending on the season and weekday; admission ends one hour before closing time.
Price: 2200 yen (some attractions require additional entrance fees)
Address: 10 Uzumasa Higashihachiokacho, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto, 616-8161, Japan
Website: Toei Kyoto Studio Park Website
Purikura: Photo booth fun for kids
Purikura or Print Clubs, are a form of photo booths where you can take a series of photos and then add features to the photos, sort of like SnapChat filters. You can find them in Japanese arcades which usually have a floor dedicated to purikura. The floor is likely to have a number of rows featuring a variety of booths for you to choose from.
Once you choose your preferred Purikura booth it is important that you change the language to English if possible. If not, the typical method of using the booth is to insert your coins. It will then come to life and prompt you through the process of entering your name, choosing your background and characters to add. You will then take your images (perhaps 4-5 different shots) which is followed by a chance to sweeten up your face and add some funny images or words. Some machines will even let you change your hair and eye colour. Be mindful that many have a timelimit!
Price: you will need a handful of coin. Purikura usually starts at around 400 yen for one sheet of images
Address: found all over Japan!
Kyoto Kaleidoscope Museum
Kyoto Kaleidoscope boasts over 250 different kaleidoscopes with 5o on rotation at each time. You can experience the endless , incredible spectacular array of colours , patterns and designs in these wonderful instruments and you can even make your own!
Hours: 10:00‐18:00 (last entry until 17:30) | Tue.－Sun. , national holidays | Mon. (open if Mon. is a national holiday and closed the next weekday ) , Winter holidays Dec.25 – Jan4.
Price: Fee
Adult (high school student age and above) ￥300 | Child (junior&junior high school student age) ￥200 | Below junior school student age FREE
Address: 3min. walk from Exits 3-1 and 3-2 of the Karasuma oike subway station.On the southside Aneyakoji‐dori, east of Higashinotoin‐dori.
Website: Kyoto Kaleidoscope Museum Webpage
Getting to Kyoto
Kyoto can be reached by almost any transport means making it a very accessible city to visit.
By Plane
If travelling by plane is your thing xx
By Train
Japan boasts one of the most advanced train systems in the world. When heading to Japan for a holiday we typically invest in a JR Pass which provides almost unlimited access to the JR lines throughout the country.
A shinkansen ride from Tokyo to Kyoto takes under 3 hours and is super easy to book. This is our preferred method of transport when in Japan itself.
By Bus
Japan also has a good bus system across most of the country but they are a lot slower than the train systems and no less in price comparatively. They may be an option if visiting some of the smaller townships in Japan that do not have train connectivity and you want to get to Kyoto.
By Car
Japan has quite a number of car rental companies. To drive in Japan you will need an international car licence and we highly recommend travel insurance to protect you and your family in case of misadventure. Like Australia, the Japanese drive on the left side of the road.
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