Can Kyoto be a day trip from Tokyo
Can Kyoto be a day trip from Tokyo
Overview
In this episode, John Daub tackles a frequent viewer question: Is it feasible to visit Kyoto as a day trip from Tokyo? Standing at Yasaka Jinja in the heart of Gion, John breaks down the logistics of leaving Tokyo Station early morning, hitting major Kyoto sights, and returning by evening. While technically possible using the Shinkansen, John argues strongly against rushing through Japan's cultural capital.
John outlines a hypothetical "speed run" itinerary involving Kinkakuji, Ginkakuji, and Kiyomizudera, demonstrating how quickly time disappears when traveling by bus and train. He walks viewers through the historic Higashiyama district, from Maruyama Kōen up the iconic Ninenzaka slope to Kiyomizudera Temple. Along the way, he contrasts the "checklist" style of tourism with a more immersive experience, encouraging viewers to stay overnight to truly absorb the atmosphere.
The video serves as both a practical guide and a philosophical take on travel in Japan. John emphasizes using taxis to save time, avoiding the trap of trying to see everything with a Japan Rail Pass, and respecting the local culture by slowing down. He concludes at the steps of Kiyomizudera, reaffirming that while you can do Kyoto in a day, you shouldn't if you want to enjoy it.
Highlights
- 00:08 John introduces the big question at Yasaka Jinja: Can Kyoto be a day trip from Tokyo?
- 01:24 Spotting tourists in colorful yukata (summer kimono) on the way to Kiyomizudera.
- 02:31 The hypothetical itinerary: Shinkansen at 6:30 a.m., Kinkakuji by 8:15 a.m.
- 03:50 Walking Ninenzaka: The scenic path loaded with shops and old wooden buildings.
- 05:04 Green tea ice cream break and contrast in weather from 48 hours prior.
- 06:00 Transport tip: Skip the bus to Ginkakuji; take a train to Demachiyanagi then taxi.
- 07:27 The "bus, picture, bus" style of tourism common among younger travelers.
- 08:30 Identifying fake maiko (apprentice geisha) posing for photos during the day.
- 10:44 Why you should stay overnight: Tokyo hotels are small, expensive, and miserable.
- 11:30 Taxi tip: Starting fare 450 yen, great for saving time over buses.
- 13:59 Passing the famous Starbucks in Kyoto with a view from the top stairway.
- 15:30 Final verdict: Yes you can, but no you shouldn't.
- 19:23 Experience is the best teacher: John is doing it in the heat and finding it hard.
- 21:53 Matcha culture: Sip hot from a cup in a garden, not from a pet bottle.
- 28:02 Arrival at Kiyomizudera: Crowded but neat mix of foreign tourists and students.
Timeline / Chapters
- 00:00 Intro at Yasaka Jinja
- 01:24 Walking toward Kiyomizudera
- 02:31 The Day Trip Itinerary Breakdown
- 05:04 Higashiyama District & Snacks
- 06:00 Transport Tips: Train & Taxi vs Bus
- 08:30 Tourism Culture: Maiko & Cosplay
- 10:44 Accommodation Advice
- 13:59 Ninenzaka & Starbucks
- 15:30 Final Verdict on Day Trips
- 21:53 Matcha Culture & Stairs to Kiyomizudera
- 25:02 Crowds at Kiyomizudera
- 28:02 Conclusion & Shoutouts
Japan Travel Tips
- Shinkansen Timing: Leave Tokyo Station on the first Shinkansen around 6:30 a.m. to maximize time.
- Seat Reservations: You need a reservation for guaranteed seats, or use jiyūseki (non-reserved seats).
- Transport in Kyoto: Buses can take over an hour. Use trains to nearby stations (e.g., Demachiyanagi) and take a taxi for the last leg.
- Taxi Costs: Taxis start around 450 yen (~$4 USD); 800 yen for 3 km. Often worth it to save time over roundabout bus routes.
- Accommodation: Stay overnight in Kyoto. Tokyo hotel rooms are small, expensive, and rushing back is miserable.
- Pacing: Don't try to see Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and Hiroshima in 4-5 days. You won't enjoy it.
- Photography: You can see a lot quickly, but you won't absorb the culture.
- Food: Sit in a garden and sip hot matcha from a cup to get the spirit of Kyoto, rather than drinking from a pet bottle.
Japanese Language & Culture Notes
- Shōrō / Torii: John references the orange structures at Yasaka Jinja. While he mentions shōrō (bell tower), he describes orange torii gates, which are iconic to Kyoto shrines like Fushimi Inari and Heian Jingū.
- Yukata: Casual summer cotton kimono often worn at festivals or by tourists in historic districts.
- Maiko: Apprentice geisha. John notes that real maiko do not pose for photos during the daytime; those posing are likely tourists in costume.
- Jiyūseki: Non-reserved seats on trains. Cheaper but no guarantee of a seat.
- Matcha: Powdered green tea. John emphasizes the traditional way of consuming it (hot, in a garden) vs. modern convenience (cold, in a bottle).
- Heian Era: Historical period (794–1185) known for the development of Japanese culture and the distinctive orange vermilion color of shrine structures.
Food & Drink Guide
- Green Tea Ice Cream (05:04)
- Found at Gion Marumaru Snack Shop.
- John enjoys this while walking through Higashiyama.
- Matcha (Powdered Green Tea) (21:53)
- John advises against drinking matcha from pet bottles.
- Recommendation: Sit in a garden and sip hot matcha from a cup to experience Kyoto's spirit.
- Japanese Sandwiches (Sando) (31:16)
- Mentioned as upcoming content for the main channel.
People
- John Daub: Host and narrator. He walks the route, provides commentary, and answers the viewer question.
- Peter von Gomm: Fellow American YouTuber and friend. John gives him a shoutout at the end for entertaining the livestream chat.
- Kevin: Mentioned as someone John filmed with yesterday in Osaka.
Key Takeaways
- Technical Feasibility: Yes, you can visit Kyoto from Tokyo in a day using the Shinkansen.
- Recommendation: No, you shouldn't. You will be tired, won't enjoy it, and won't absorb the culture.
- Efficiency: Use taxis instead of buses to save time between sites.
- Experience: Stay overnight to experience regional food and avoid the "hub-and-rail-pass" rush.
- Reality Check: Kyoto is not a Disney ride; it requires time to appreciate.
Notable Quotes
- 01:24 "The problem is, are you going to enjoy it?"
- 03:50 "Old wooden buildings that scream 'I'm in Kyoto.'"
- 07:27 "You can see a lot, but you can't really absorb it."
- 10:44 "It's not a Disney ride."
- 13:59 "Final answer: No. Yeah, you can, but you shouldn't."
- 19:23 "Experience is the best teacher—I'm doing it now in the heat, hard."
- 21:53 "Sit in a garden, sip hot from a cup to get Kyoto's spirit."
- 28:02 "Unless zero time, don't shotgun it in six hours—you'll regret not staying longer."
Related Topics
- Shinkansen travel guides
- Kyoto temple hopping
- Japan Rail Pass planning
- Higashiyama walking routes
- Geisha and Maiko culture
- Japan travel pacing
Search Tags
#only-in-japan-go #kyoto #tokyo #day-trip #shinkansen #gion #kiyomizudera #ginkakuji #kinkakuji #travel-tips #japan-travel #higashiyama #yasaka-jinja #ninenzaka #matcha #yukata #maiko
Full Transcript
00:08 John Daub: So this is Yasaka Jinja in Gion, central Kyoto. I was asked a really good question by a viewer: Can Kyoto be a day trip from Tokyo? Is it possible to leave Tokyo Station in the morning, do Kyoto—meaning seeing everything—and come back by evening? This seems the perfect place to answer it. But just taking in a bit of Yasaka Jinja first. It's shōrō (orange torii gates), I guess made during the Heian era. When you see that orange, it's from the Heian era—they were the first to make it. Heian Jingū in the center is the exact same color. It's a massive period in Japanese history.
01:24 John Daub: Look at these nice, beautiful girls wearing colorful yukata. I'm walking from here all the way to Kiyomizudera, one of the biggest temples in Kyoto, if not Japan. You can walk through Yasaka Jinja to get there. But can Kyoto be done in a day? The answer is yes—it depends on what you want to do. A lot of people come to Japan with limited time, maybe four or five days. You want to see Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, all really fast with a Japan Rail Pass. Yeah, you can do it. The problem is, are you going to enjoy it?
02:31 John Daub: Leave Tokyo on the first Shinkansen around 6:30 a.m.—you need a reservation, or go for jiyūseki (non-reserved seats). You get to Kyoto in about an hour and 45 minutes, so around 8:15 a.m. Take a bus straight to Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion)—it opens at 8:30 or 9. Spend no more than 20 minutes: picture in front of the pond and out. Then bus to Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion), another hour, arriving around 10:30. See it for 30 minutes, walk Philosopher's Path a bit, bus here to Yasaka—now it's noon, lunchtime. Half your day gone.
03:50 John Daub: From here, walk the path toward Kiyomizudera through Ninenzaka, one of Kyoto's most scenic parts—loaded with shops, old wooden buildings that scream "I'm in Kyoto." Takes about 40 minutes, then up the hill—might wait in line—so 1:30 or 2 p.m. Wrap around to Gion, shop a bit, subway to Kyoto Station by 5 p.m. You rocked it, no breaks, flew through—but you'll come home with lots of pictures. For me, you'd want to stop, eat lunch. Right now I'm in Maruyama Kōen, where the cobbled streets to Kiyomizudera start.
05:04 John Daub: Oh, green tea ice cream and crazy music at Gion Marumaru Snack Shop. There's ample time for snacks closer to the roadway—this is the middle stretch. I left Ginkakuji this morning on a beautiful sunny day, big contrast to 48 hours ago. This is Higashiyama, east side up against the mountain—you can walk from Ginkakuji to Kiyomizudera, but it's long. We've established you can do it in a day. To get to Ginkakuji fast from Kyoto Station, skip the forever bus—over an hour. Train to Demachiyanagi, then 15-minute crowded bus or 8-minute taxi for under 1,000 yen. I was first at the door.
07:27 John Daub: Out of Ginkakuji in 25 minutes, bus 204 to Yasaka in 40—50 minutes total from exit to entrance. That's insane. Now, do you want to enjoy your trip? Just take pictures, or let the culture soak in? Or hit guidebook spots like Lonely Planet, snap and move? Lots of 18-30-year-olds do that—bus, picture, bus. You can see a lot, but you can't really absorb it. That's not a real maiko—she's dressed for pictures. Maiko don't pose daytime. You'll see lots of cosplay tourists here—pretty street though.
10:44 John Daub: I highly recommend spending the night, not rushing back to Tokyo's hotel crunch—small rooms, miserable, expensive. Stay here. Everyone I talked to wishes they had more time—they want to cram Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto. "Today we're seeing Kyoto?" Preposterous—it's not a Disney ride. Taxis are your friend to save time—start at 450 yen (~$4 USD), 800 yen for 3 km. No excuse not to over buses' roundabout routes. Now near Ninenzaka—I livestreamed here last year.
13:59 John Daub: Old tea houses, past that famous Starbucks I featured. One of my first green tea ice creams was here. This is Ninenzaka—that iconic street from news and TV. Starbucks up there—great view from the top stairway. Wrapping up: Can you do Kyoto as a day trip? Final answer: No. Yeah, you can, but you shouldn't. Chill out here instead. Yes, pictures and fake album from the internet. No, you won't enjoy it much, see everything, or avoid tiredness.
19:23 John Daub: Experience is the best teacher—I'm doing it now in the heat, hard. Now enjoying the livestream, up to Kiyomizudera for b-roll, then back to Osaka for a 3 p.m. restaurant meetup—filmed with Kevin yesterday, Patreon might get a pic. Here's Ninenzaka live. Thanks for watching—come to Japan, but research, stay overnight, no hub-and-rail-pass everything. Stay local for regional food—Kyoto has unique stuff not in Tokyo. Food's huge here; don't shotgun it in heat.
21:53 John Daub: This street says Kyoto—walked it countless times over 20 years. Matcha in pet bottles? Opposite of what I'm saying—sit in a garden, sip hot from a cup to get Kyoto's spirit. Now the stairwell to Kiyomizudera—left and you're there. Steps more challenging now—shopping street wasn't like this 20 years ago, shops more original then. Conquered the stairs—left to Kiyomizudera.
25:02 John Daub: Little jam from tour groups blocking steps. Lots of people, few speaking Japanese—mix of foreign tourists and students on field trips from surrounding areas. They practice English, great photo ops. Shortcut—there it is, entrance to Kiyomizudera. Quest complete!
28:02 John Daub: So many people from everywhere—neat but crowded. Ending livestream having shown you Kiyomizudera—Only in Japan GO has been where every J-vlogger has. Goodbye from the steps—gotta film main channel. Thanks for watching; answered roundabout to annoy and adventure. Unless zero time, don't shotgun it in six hours—you'll regret not staying longer. Do it right: more time off, quit the job if needed. I'm here forever, married to a local—bringing Japan images.
31:16 John Daub: Shoutout to Peter von Gomm entertaining chat—check his channel. YouTube, monetize Peter already! He's grinding months, promised April now June—no super chats. Do better; he's going places with Voice of God. Subscribe—he deserves it. Going in to film main channel episode—Japanese sandwiches one uploading soon. Definitely subscribe, like—bye from Kiyomizudera. Stay cool.