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Where to stay in Kyoto

Pick how you arrive, then your trip.

WHERE TO STAY — KYOTO

Schematic map of four areas to stay in KyotoA map of central Kyoto with the Kamo River, the Karasuma and Tozai subway lines, the Hankyu line, the JR line towards Osaka and the airports, and the shinkansen line sits underneath. Markers at the bottom edge point towards Kansai and Itami airports, which lie south-west of the area shown, and a train marker shows Kyoto Station, where the shinkansen arrives; whichever arrival point is selected above is drawn darker. The same four areas are listed below the map with their travel times.KIX ↙ITM ↙Shinkansen1Kyoto Station2Kawaramachi3Gion-Higashiyama4Karasuma
LINESSubway Karasuma LineSubway Tozai LineHankyu Kyoto LineJR to Osaka and the airportsShinkansen
TRAVEL TIME0–85 min85–95 min95+ min

Tap a pin or a row to see who that area suits — and who it does not.

Pick by trip type

Where to stay depends on how you arrive and what kind of trip it is. Choose your airport, then find your trip.

First visit · Kyoto-focused tripStay inKawaramachi

Kawaramachi

Kawaramachi is the centre of Kyoto, with Gion just across the river. From Kansai Airport it is the Haruka express to Kyoto Station and two short changes, and once you are there much of the sightseeing is on foot.

Kyoto plus the shinkansenStay inKyoto Station

Kyoto Station

If you move on by shinkansen, stay by Kyoto Station. The Haruka express comes here from Kansai Airport with no change, and on the morning you leave the platform is a short walk away.

Early-morning arrivalStay inKyoto Station

Kyoto Station

Check-in is hours away when you land in the morning. The Haruka express takes you to Kyoto Station with no change, so you can leave your bags at a hotel by the station and start sightseeing from there.

Late-night arrivalStay inNear Kansai Airport

Near Kansai Airport

Kansai Airport is far from Kyoto, and if your flight lands after the last trains, getting to the city gets slow and expensive. Book one night at or near the airport instead, and take the Haruka express to Kyoto the next morning.

Travelling with childrenStay inKyoto Station

Kyoto Station

With children and luggage, the Haruka express to Kyoto Station with no change is the easiest way in, and the aquarium and the railway museum are near the station.

On a budget · Long stayStay inKarasuma

Karasuma

For a longer stay, the residential streets around Karasuma Oike have many places suited to longer stays, one subway change after the Haruka express, and the centre is a short ride away.

Couples · A quieter stayStay inGion-Higashiyama

Gion-Higashiyama

For quiet evenings among old streets, stay in Gion or Higashiyama on the east side of the city. It is the longest run from Kansai Airport, but the slower pace is the point.

What about Arashiyama?

Arashiyama, on the western edge of Kyoto, is where many people picture a quiet night in a traditional inn.

If a calm evening there is the point of the trip, one night in Arashiyama is worth it.

As a base for sightseeing, though, the centre wins: Arashiyama is a long way west of Kawaramachi, Gion and Kyoto Station, so every day out starts and ends with that ride.

Ask whether the inn is the trip or a stop on it. If it is the trip, book Arashiyama for that night; otherwise stay in one of the areas above and visit for the day.

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