Kyoto with Kids – The 7 Best Excursions for Your Family Vacation in Japan's Cultural Capital

I've been looking forward to visiting Kyoto with children for a very long time. Japan's former capital is a 50-minute train ride from Osaka. The city has about 1.5 million inhabitants and is known for its mix of historical traditions and modern urban development.

This is noticeable when you walk through the city center and then visit the countless shrines from there. The best-known shrine is probably Fushimi Inari-Taisha, which is considered the most popular tourist attraction in Japan.

We spent a few days in this traditional Japanese city and took a closer look at what you can do with children in Kyoto. At the end of my Kyoto travel report, there is a bonus tip that might not be for everyone, but we had a great time with it. Therefore, be sure to read to the end!!

Getting there and accommodation Kyoto

We are buying a Keihan Railway. Kyoto-Osaka Sightseeing Pass. This costs approximately 7 EUR and allows you to take the Keihan Railway train from Osaka to Kyoto. It's valid for one day and also includes various attractions. However, we are only using it for the train journey. As an alternative to the Keihan Railway, you can also choose the Shinkansen, but the prices are significantly higher. On the other hand, you'll get there in half the time.

Am Nachmittag kommen wir in Kyoto an und unser Hotel liegt wunderschön am Kyoto Gyoen National Garden. Da ich gerne morgens eine Runde im Wald bzw. in der Natur laufe, kann ich diese Region, die von einigen Hotels umgeben ist nur empfehlen. Wir haben uns für das Noku Kyoto entschieden. Es liegt wie gesagt neben dem Park, aber auch direkt neben der Subway Station Marutamachi. Von dort aus konnten wir bequem überall hinfahren. Aber zu 90% sind wir eh wieder mit Uber und Taxi unterwegs. 🙂

1. Kyoto Gyoen National Garden

The National Garden, also called the Imperial Palace Park, is located in the center of Kyoto. It is open all year round, from about 9 AM to 5 PM. However, I always went there for a run before 9 AM. The entrance is free.

In the middle of the park is the former imperial palace, which was the residence of the Japanese imperial family until 1868. After that, Tokyo became the capital of Japan, and the imperial family had to move. Unfortunately, the buildings in the park cannot be visited. But there are a few pretty little streams and even dense forests that we can walk through.

The Kujo Pond, in particular, was a highlight for us. Koi carp and turtles swim there. A picturesque bridge leads over the pond, making the whole area look like it's from a postcard. There's even a small shrine here, the Itsukushima Shrine. You can reach this spot in a 5-minute walk from the hotel.

The kids found the many large crows in the park exciting and collected feathers, as well as many great little stones that looked different here than they do at home. We like coming here because you can escape the big city jungle and hustle and bustle very well. If you are traveling in Kyoto with children and they like being outdoors, then the park is an ideal excursion destination in Kyoto.

2. Fushimi Inari Shrine, also known as 伏見稲荷大社

Tadaa, so this is it, Japan's number 1 tourist attraction: The Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine. It is dedicated to the god Inari, who is revered as the patron saint of rice, prosperity, agriculture, and business. There are several thousand Inari shrines in Japan, but the one in Kyoto is the most important and also the most famous.

The so-called Torii gates lead up the mountain for several kilometers, forming a kind of tunnel. Each individual gate was donated by a sponsor. These are mostly companies or private individuals from Japan, and they ask for success and prosperity with them. In total, there are 10,000 of these gates on the grounds of the Fushimi Inari Shrine. We walk through what feels like 1,000 gates.

It's a great feeling, and the shrine appears to be very well-maintained. Of course, it's one of the most touristy places in the world, but you can still find yourself alone in nature here from time to time. One area of the shrine is by a small lake, and a section of the gates leads up along a small stream.

We're discovering many spiders, fish, and turtles. Overall, the trip to the shrine is perfect for families. Our kids are happy because they can discover a lot, can't break anything here, and get to run through nature for several kilometers. Well, we don't run that far.

We turn around after a good hour and walk back. Near the shrine, there is also a small market and numerous small, beautiful restaurants and cafés. If you want to explore Kyoto with children, the following tour is suitable Get Your Guide for which the Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine also includes.

3. Nijo Castle (Nijojo) Kyoto

That was a great trip that is really exciting for the whole family. We visited Nijo Castle in Kyoto and spent a whole morning there. Nijo Castle is known as the residence of the famous leader Tokugawa Ieyasu, which I don't know anything about, though. He is the first shogun of the Edo period.

Frankly, I was more interested in the construction and architecture. The gardens around the castle or fortress are also a real eye-catcher. The kids found the moat with koi carp and turtles most exciting. Depending on the season, there is a beautiful botanical garden here, with many plum trees and cherry blossoms, of course.

By the way, the castle has only been open to the public since 1939. It was donated to the city of Kyoto. Admission in 2024 costs about 4 EUR for adults, and half that for children. I liked the gardens there the most. Everything was beautifully green and lovingly landscaped.

From our hotel, we could walk to Nijo Castle, but you can also get there quickly from the city center by subway.

4. Kinkaku-ji – Golden Pavilion Kyoto

The Golden Pavilion in Kyoto was built in 1397 by a shogun as a retirement residence. It was completely destroyed by fire in 1950 but rebuilt a few years later. The top two floors are completely covered in gold leaf, which gives the temple its distinctive appearance.

The Zen temple is situated on a so-called mirror pond, which reflects the temple in its calm waters. The sight is truly breathtaking. The gardens surrounding the temple are also a wonderful example of Japanese garden art, with all the many small islands, bridges, and rock formations.

Kinkaku-ji is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most visited attractions in Kyoto. We are also in Kyoto during a holiday week, which further increases the number of domestic tourists. However, there were no queues, and the crowds were also manageable. The grounds are not very large, but everything disperses here because there are countless small paths, so people don't get in each other's way.

We continue from the temple through the gardens. A small stream runs alongside the path. We discover a giant spider in the water, which is currently hunting. Rather, our daughter discovers it and is totally fascinated by its size. For the kids, the Golden Pavilion in Kyoto is a super exciting excursion because there is so much to discover in the gardens. Overall, however, we only spend about an hour here. Therefore, we visit a second temple on the same day, Kiyomizu-dera Temple. Another highlight in my Kyoto travel report.

2. Kiyomizu-dera Temple

The Kiyomizu-dera Temple, founded in 778, is slightly older than the Golden Pavilion. That was long before Kyoto became the capital of Japan. However, the current temple structure dates back to 1633. It has been destroyed repeatedly in attacks and wars. After all, everything here is made of wood. 🙂

The temple is located on a hill in eastern Kyoto, and from up here, you have a great view of the city. We don't walk all the way up to the main building, but are already impressed by all the shrines and buildings below.

If you have some extra time and energy, you should definitely walk to the main building, which is famous for its wooden terrace. It was built without a single nail, making it an impressive feat of traditional Japanese architecture.

However, we, and especially the kids, were getting tired, so we looked for the next restaurant in town to recharge our batteries.

6. Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

Today is our daughter's birthday, and she's been wishing to celebrate it in the jungle for quite some time. While there isn't a jungle in Japan, there is a beautiful bamboo forest with a unique atmosphere. Arashiyama is a district located in the western part of Kyoto. It lies at the foot of the mountains and is attractive in every season, not just during cherry blossom season in spring.

Arashiyama has numerous temples and shrines, but we're skipping all of them this time. We find a picturesque lotus pond. The lotus flowers cover the entire pond, so we can't see the water at all. It's impressive because I've never seen so many lotus flowers in one place.

After a few more meters through the bamboo forest, we arrive at a small picnic area. This is perfect for our birthday celebration in Kyoto. The kids have invited their cousin Liam and his mom. Our daughter is happy and excited that she can finally celebrate her birthday in the deepest bamboo jungle in Japan for once.

Conveniently, there's a small coffee cart a few meters away that offers really delicious coffee. So, we parents got our money's worth while the kids searched the forest for insects, bugs, spiders, snakes, and whatever else crawls around. And another trip that is perfect for visiting Kyoto with children.

7. Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama

There is a very famous wooden bridge that crosses the Katsura River. It's called the Togetsukyō Bridge, which means „Moon Crossing Bridge.“ I have no idea if my translation program translated that correctly, but it sounds creative and spaced out.

Directly behind the bridge is the Iwatayama Monkey Park. It costs a few yen to enter and you first walk uphill for about 30 minutes. The monkey park is located practically right at the summit of a small mountain. Once we reach the top, we find a small hut where you can buy apples and peanuts for the monkeys. From the hut, we can feed the wild monkeys.

It's like we humans are in a cage and the monkeys come to the bars from the outside and eat. It's great, and not just the kids enjoy it. A mother comes with a baby monkey to eat, so cute. Even the little one takes its own apple, but the mother immediately takes it away again. So mean!

The monkeys are not shy, but they are still very aggressive. You shouldn't get too close to them. Outside the hut, there is a pond where they swim and play, and sometimes hiss and fight. Nothing is fenced off here, so you have to make sure the monkeys stay far enough away from you. There are two security guards who keep a close eye on the area.

The view of Kyoto from up here is incredibly beautiful. We also caught a super day, with a blue sky, few clouds, and sun. It is very hot, though, but along the path there were fans in the forest and even a small air-conditioned room to rest and catch our breath. How convenient.

The Arashiyama district was my highlight in Kyoto. If you want to explore Kyoto with children, you'll find endless possibilities here. We only saw a fraction of it in one day. On my next visit to Kyoto, I would definitely come back here and have to update my Kyoto travel report.

Bonus Tip: Animal Cafés

Cat cafes are all the rage in Japan. As mentioned above, they are not for everyone, and you should of course decide for yourself whether you want to show this kind of thing to your kids. There are cafes that treat the animals better, and of course there are also cafes that just want to profit from them. After a lot of research, I found two cafes in Kyoto that love their animals and treat them accordingly. There are strict rules if you visit one of these cafes as a guest.

Mipig Café – Piglet Café Kyoto

The first cafe I can wholeheartedly recommend is the Mipig Cafe in Kyoto. You have to make a reservation there, which we did on the same day. It costs about 60 EUR for 30 minutes entrance, and you have little cute pigs running around you. What might sound expensive at first is an absolutely cool experience. We had such a fun 30 minutes, and the kids laughed nonstop and had a blast. It was absolutely worth it. Drinks are also included in the price, though there are only vending machine coffees.

The focus is on the animals, not on the coffee. There are also very strict rules here, and two supervisors are always present, per room with approximately 10 animals. For example, you are not allowed to pick up the pigs, you can't go to them yourself, and there's also an area you are not allowed to enter at all. The animals can retreat there if they don't feel like interacting with people. Otherwise, the animals have to come to you on the blanket that you get at the entrance.

When such an animal comes willingly, it also wants to be petted and cuddled. This is not the case in all cafes. In many, the animals can't get away at all or are brought to you, even if they don't want to. This is better at the Mipig Cafe in Kyoto.

Puchi Marry Cat Cafe Kyoto

We went to a second café the same day, a cat café. The Puchi Marry Cat Café in Kyoto is also located in the city center. There are many, many other cat cafés, but Puchi Marry is the most ethical one I could find. The cats here also have plenty of places to retreat, and you are absolutely not allowed to wake them if they are sleeping.

In both cafes, the animals appeared relaxed, which is a sign that they are well cared for.

Animal cafés are, of course, ideal for visiting Kyoto with children. Therefore, I'm mentioning them here as a bonus in my Kyoto travelogue. It's basically like with everything: the idea is good, as long as the animals aren't exploited. In both cafés that I'm mentioning here, we didn't get the impression that the animals were being exploited or mistreated.

Excursion Tips Travel Report Kyoto with Children

Conclusion - Travelogue Kyoto with Children

Kyoto is a beautiful city. Much more traditional and cozy, as the Swiss say, than other cities in Japan. Buildings have to be constructed in a specific architectural style here, which is why Kyoto has no skyline. It looks authentic here and the people were all incredibly nice and accommodating.

Surrounded by mountains and nature, there are many great retreats in Kyoto, especially if you're traveling as a family. Plus, there's, of course, a lot to discover, which is why Kyoto is definitely more fun with children than without.

Most of the time, I write travel reports at the end of my trip. That's also the case now, as I've since been to many other cities in Japan, such as Osaka, Tokyo, Naha, Nagoya, etc. All other cities I visited were different from Kyoto. Kyoto was indeed the most beautiful city I visited in Japan. Therefore, I was particularly looking forward to this travelogue about Kyoto.

Have you been to Kyoto before? What did you like best there? What should we see next time we're there? What else is missing from my Kyoto travel report?

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