Day Trip From Osaka: Kyoto Itinerary

From Osaka to Kyoto

A day trip to Kyoto from Osaka privileges travelers to fully breathe in nature. Kyoto has it all. Part city with major department stores. And, all nature with temples, gardens, lush mountains, and tranquil waters.

9:00 AM Sightseeing in Kyoto

Start the day in Kyoto with a glimpse at some of Kyoto’s most known landmarks. The most notable destinations within the city are:

– Kinkakuji Temple
The most famous of Kyoto’s temples; also known as the Golden Pavilion
– Philosopher’s Path
A walking path between the Ginkakuji Temple and Nanzenji Temple. Gorgeous during autumn and cherry blossom seasons
– Higashiyama District
A preserved historic district with a main street full of restaurants and shops
– Nijo Castle
A UNESCO World Heritage site notable for its preservation of castle architecture during the feudal era
– Imperial Palace
Located in the Imperial Park, the Palace housed the Imperial family until 1868 when the capital moved to Tokyo

Kinkakuji Temple, also known as the Golden Pavilion. The most famous of Kyoto’s temples. Golden serenity shimmering beautifully against the water. The whole composition of the temple in the middle of the landscaping is pure beauty

1:00PM Tempura at The Ritz Carlton, Kyoto

After the morning of sightseeing, reward yourself with a luxurious tempura bar experience.

The Ritz Carlton, Kyoto along the tranquil Kamagawa River privileges guests to an unforgettable Kappo-style tempura meal at their Japanese restaurant, Mizuki. The master tempura chef fries the tempura one piece at the time according to your eating pace. The experience is pure luxury and artistry.

The Ritz Carlton, Kyoto along the Kamagawa River. The hotel, on the left, fits into the scenery with its understated, low-key luxury appearance. The classy exterior translates to the classy hotel and restaurant experience

The chef preparing the tempura plate. The menu changes according to the seasonal availability and the freshness of local seafood and vegetables. The ingredients are beautifully and tastefully organized in wooden boxes

Guests enjoy each piece of tempura one at a time. This allows for the luxury of pace and time to eat, the full appreciation of the ingredient’s taste and appearance, and the mastery of the chef’s frying technique

Hokkaido Camembert cheese and sweet potato. The menu consists of seasonal and local ingredients highlighting the best of the season, the region, and the country. The flavors are subtle against the delicate batter having you really taste and appreciate the freshness and quality of the individual ingredient

Tempura Mizuki
The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto
Kamogawa Nijo-Ohashi Hotori
Nakagyo-ku
Kyoto
+81-75-746-5555
Lunch, 12:30pm to 2:30pm
Dinner, 5:30pm to 9:30pm

3:00PM Exploring Nishiki Market

Walk off lunch in Kyoto’s Kitchen. Nishiki Market first opened in 1310 as a fish wholesale district. Today, generations-old shops and restaurants still fill the 5-block covered shopping street.

Nishiki Market is a covered shopping street, 5 blocks long. The market specializes in fresh seafood, produce, snacks, and kitchenware. Locals and tourists alike fill the market every day. Despite the crowds, the Japanese market atmosphere is surprisingly pleasant

Seasonal ingredients, like chestnuts during fall and winter months. The chestnuts are sold in its various states of the shell. Also, look at the size of this cabbage – the vegetables are impressively massive

Kyoto specializes in miso paste, pickled vegetables and more. Here in the market, you will find several shops selling these regional specialties. You can educate yourself about the varieties of miso paste before buying a pack or jar

Kyoto is also known for its eggs. This translates into tamago shops and specialty desserts. At this tamago shop in the market, you can watch as the several chefs masterfully roll together the tamago before placing them into the molds and packaging

Nishiki Market
Nishikikoji-dori, Nakagyo-ku (between Teramachi and Takakura)
Kyoto
Daily, 9am to 5pm

6:00PM Dinner at Katsukura

After walking through Nishiki Market, enjoy dinner at Katsukura, a famous chain of katsu restaurant which originated in Kyoto. Eating Katsukura in its hometown is somehow even tastier than the branches in Tokyo and around the country.

Katsukura’s subtle entrance. Walk through the entrance, down a hallway, and into a little garden. Then you enter the restaurant which is dimly lit to dramatize the natural décor. While Katsukura is a chain, their branches in Kyoto pride themselves in its quality and attention to detail

Pork tonkatsu set. From the first bite to the last, you will thoroughly enjoy the heavenly crunches of the panko batter around the marbled cuts of pork. Plus, the quality of their sauces and sides further enhances the dining experience

Katsukura, 5 locations in Kyoto:
– 16 Ishibashi-cho, Sanjo-dori Kawaramachi nishi-iru, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto City
– Katsukura Kyoto Stn. Bldg.
– The Cube 11th Fl. Kyoto-eki Building
– Karasuma-dori Shio-koji sagaru
– Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto City
Daily, 11am to 10pm

How to get from Osaka to Kyoto for a day trip

There are 4 train lines from Osaka to Kyoto, varying in time and price.
– JR Shinkansen. 15 minutes, ~1500 yen
– JR Kyoto Line. 30 minutes, ~600 yen
– Hankyu Railway. 40 minutes, ~400 yen
– Keihan Railway. 50 minutes, ~400 yen

You can also hire a car (which your hotel concierge can arrange) and drive from Osaka to Kyoto. Each way takes about 2 hours.

Want to spend a night or two in Kyoto? Stay at The Ritz Carlton, Kyoto!

The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto
Kamogawa Nijo-Ohashi Hotori
Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto
+81-75-746-5555
Book your stay via Agoda
Book your stay via Booking.com
Book your stay via Hotels.com
Book your stay via TripAdvisor

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Angela

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