3 things to do Updated 16 September 2026

Things to do in Kyoto

Things worth doing, bookable and self-guided

3 things to do in Kyoto, bookable and self-guided, each carrying a verdict.

A flat-bottomed wooden boat being poled through the rapids of the Hozu gorgeWorth it

Hozugawa boat ride

Three boatmen pole and row a flat-bottomed boat sixteen kilometres down a gorge. It has been a working river route since the seventeenth century.

¥6,000 About 2 hours Kameoka to Arashiyama
KyotoExplore

Not to be missed

ArashiyamaHoshinoya Kyoto
The Shishinden ceremonial hall and white gravel courtyard at the Kyoto Imperial PalaceWorth it

Kyoto Imperial Palace

The one major Kyoto sight that costs nothing and needs no ticket. Most guides still say you have to apply in advance. You do not.

Free Closed Mondays Imadegawa
KyotoExplore

Not to be missed

Nijo CastleKyoto National Museum
White-walled sake brewery warehouses along the Horikawa canal in FushimiWorth it

Fushimi sake district

White-walled brewery warehouses on a canal, a working sake town, and a museum visit that now refuses banknotes.

¥600 9:30–16:30 Chushojima
KyotoExplore

Not to be missed

Fushimi Inari TaishaSake Bar YoramuYudofu

The rest of Kyoto

Every other collection in the city guide, with what is in it.

Sights 6 Museums 3 Districts 4 Restaurants 6 Bars 3 Where to stay 4 What to eat 4 Walks 2 Events 2