2 Days in Kyoto, Japan An Accessible Guide for Everyone
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Dreaming of visiting Kyoto, Japan? International travel can be stressful, especially when you have a chronic illness, disability, or chronic pain. That’s why I’m here to help you plan your accessible trip to Kyoto's top attractions, including the Golden Pavilion Kinkaku-Ji, Temple of the Silver Pavilion Ginkaku-Ji, Philosophers Walk, and Fushimi Inari Shrine. I’ll also give you some important Kyoto travel tips. So, if you’re wondering what to do in Kyoto, I’ve got you covered with this 2 days in Kyoto guide.
Want to spend more time in Kyoto? You could easily spend 5 days in Kyoto exploring all the sites. If you have longer to spend in Japan, consider these amazing 2 week Japan Itineraries.
Looking for some travel inspiration or to better understand the culture of Japan? There are some great books to read before visiting Japan.
Accessible Japan - Kyoto
Kyoto can be a somewhat challenging city for those with mobility issues. However, the city has made some real progress in the last few years at making its public facilities and transportation more accessible. Still, these accessible areas are not always readily marked and you may need to ask the staff at temples and shrines where the separate, accessible route is.
Many of the city’s taxis are wheelchair accessible, as are 80% of Kyoto’s buses. Another great way to get around is by purchasing a Japan rail pass. If you are traveling by train and require assistance, you should ask one of the station workers at the entrance. Most train lines will have separate seating areas for people with disabilities. The seats, called yusen-zaseki are located near the train’s exits and are clearly marked in a different color than the rest of the seating. Even if I was somewhere without yusen-zaseki, I found most people were all too happy to give up a seat when they saw me walking with my cane. Major train stations will have elevators to the platform making it easy to visit Kyoto's main attractions, but many of the smaller train stations do not have elevators. When in doubt, ask. Nobody wants to fly thousands of miles only to ride the train for hours looking for a stop with an elevator. Japanese trains are nice, but they’re not that nice.
Another alternative is the Kyoto Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus. Which will take you to all major attractions.
2-Day Itinerary
This 2-day Kyoto Itinerary includes multiple UNESCO World Heritage sites, temples, and shrines. If you are looking to explore the sake breweries of the Fushimi Ward, the Kyoto spring cherry blossom festival, the Gion District, and/ or Iwatayama Monkey Park, you will want to leave yourself additional days.
Kyoto Must Visit Attractions:
Golden Pavilion Kinkaku-Ji
One of the best places in Kyoto is Kinkaku-Ji. This Golden Pavilion is probably the most famous temple in Kyoto. It originally belonged to powerful statesman, Saionji Kintsune. Over its long history, the structure has been burned to the ground on more than one occasion. Most notably in July of 1950 when it was torched by a young monk with severe mental health issues as part of his attempt at suicide. He survived the blaze and was sentenced to seven years in prison, but was later released due to his mental illness. He died tragically of tuberculosis six years later. In 1955 the structure was rebuilt into the awesome temple that stands today. And yes, the gold exterior is actual gold. Five million dollars worth of gold to be exact.
While the paths and walkways around the complex are wheelchair accessible, the gardens are not. This means you can’t enter the tea garden/snack area. (pictured above)
2. Silver Pavilion Ginkakuji
The Silver Pavilion is a quick bus ride across town. And if you’re expecting it also be coated in a layer of shiny precious metals, you’re about to be sorely disappointed. But you know what they say, don’t judge a book by its title. Wait. That’s not it. Okay, you caught me. I have no idea why they call it The Silver Pavilion. They just do.
What was I saying? Oh yeah. The Silver Pavilion consists of six temple buildings, a massive moss garden as well as a garden constructed out of dry sand. The moss garden, the sand garden, and the areas around the buildings are wheelchair accessible. There’s also a wheelchair accessible bathroom by the gift shop. One word of caution, the street leading up to The Silver Pavilion has a bit of an incline and may be difficult for some manual wheelchair users. But overall the grounds are pretty easy to navigate.
Leaving the Silver Pavilion grounds will lead you directly into Philosopher’s Walk.
3. Philosopher’s Walk
If you visit in early April, you’ll find the cherry blossom season in full swing along Philosopher’s Walk. But you’ll also find a ton of people who also thought early April was the ideal time to visit Philosopher’s Walk. We visited in late summer, so while there were no cherry blossoms, there was far less crowding and the entire walk was filled with beautiful greenery. And cats. So many cute cats!
The walkway is located alongside a canal that runs from Nanzenji and Ginkakuji. It was named for 20th-century Japanese philosopher and Kyoto University professor, Nishida Kitaro who used to walk this path as part of his daily meditation. The walk takes about 30 minutes to complete, but if you’re stopping to take photos and admire the views, it will (and should) take you longer.
The path itself is dicey at best for wheelchair users as you can see in some of the photos above. Heck, it was dicey for someone like me who chronically rolls her ankles due to Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. Luckily, there’s a newer side street located next to the bumpy pathway. Word of warning, use the bathroom at Ginkakuji before you leave because there are no accessible bathrooms along the path or in the surrounding shops and restaurants. If you have difficulty walking the path there are plenty of benches along the way to stop and take a rest. There are also tons of shops and places to get a bite to eat in the streets just off the pathway. Unfortunately, many of the shops involve stairs and are not wheelchair accessible.
My treat at the end of Philosopher’s Walk, delicious matcha green tea ice cream inside a puff pastry. A Kyoto must eat!
4. Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine
The Fushimi Inari Shrine sits at the base of the Inari Mountain. The mountain has many smaller shrines along a 2.5-mile path which takes approximately 2 hours to walk up. Guests in wheelchairs will be able to see the first two shrines and the first stretch of path. Unfortunately, the rest of Fushimi Inari is not accessible.
The shrine is a short walk from the famous Fushimi-Inari Station on the Keihan Main Line.
Fushimi Inari draws several million worshipers during the Japanese New Year and has been featured prominently in several major films. It is one of Japan’s oldest Shinto Shrines and one of Kyoto’s most photographed attractions.
Fushimi Inari
5. Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
There are many awesome things to do in Arashiyama, but perhaps the most well-known attraction is the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove. This incredible bamboo forest is also one of the most accessible attractions for wheelchair users and those who depend on mobility aids. The smooth paths with a slow incline ensure everyone can enjoy the soaring bamboo forest located near Tenryuji Zen Temple. It’s a great spot to relax and appreciate the natural beauty of Japan.
The forest is cared for by local volunteers who look after the trees, remove old growth, and repair fences. The bamboo itself is used by local artisans to create crafts sold in the shops nearby.
To get there, take the train to Hankyu’s Ashiyama Station or JR’s Saga-Arashiyama Station. Both stops are wheelchair accessible and the stations both include accessible toilets and elevators.
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove Kyoto
I wish I had more time to spend in Kyoto to really explore the city. But I only had a week to spend in Japan and wanted to spend most of it in Tokyo. (Which I’ll tell you all about in another post.) The bullet train trip from Tokyo to Kyoto takes about 2 hours and 40 minutes. The trains are super comfortable and offer delicious snacks, drinks, and beer.
Kyoto - Where to Stay
We stayed at the Century Hotel in Kyoto, one of the best hotels near Kyoto Station. Century Hotel is a four-star hotel located 2 blocks from the train station. It was really easy to get to and didn’t require hailing a cab. Plus, their breakfasts were seriously amazing. Rooms start at about $76 US a night. Word of warning, I stayed in four different hotels in Japan and every single room was quite tiny by US standards. Something to keep in mind when choosing your room type. While many rooms are technically wheelchair accessible, some of them have a pretty tight turning radius. Pay attention to square footage when booking.
Here’s more information on the best areas to stay in Kyoto and Kyoto Hotel recommendations,
How Long to Stay in Kyoto
While I have seen some people do Kyoto in a day, I would not recommend a one-day Kyoto trip from Tokyo, especially if you travel at a slower pace, need to plan wheelchair-friendly routes, or deal with chronic pain. There’s a lot to take in and crisscrossing the city can take quite a toll on the body. 2 or 3 days in Kyoto is a perfect amount of time to arrange a great Kyoto itinerary and see the best shrines in Kyoto, the best temples in Kyoto, Kyoto Tower, and a few other landmarks in Kyoto like Philosopher’s Walk.
Before I sign off, there’s one more thing travelers should know about visiting Japan, particularly travelers with health issues. Traveling to Japan with medication can be tricky. Japan is surprisingly strict about the medications you’re allowed to bring into the country. If you plan on bringing medication to Japan, please consult Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare. When I visited I didn’t know this and waltzed right through Customs the same way I always do. Fortunately, I was lucky and they didn’t search my bag. But a quick internet search will show you a ton of people who weren’t so lucky.
How strict are they? Some over-the-counter medicines including types of inhalers, allergy medications, and sinus medications are illegal in Japan. Products that contain stimulants or Codeine are prohibited. This includes medicines that contain Pseudoephedrine, such as Actifed, Sudafed, and Vicks inhalers. In addition, many prescription pain medications and stimulant drugs including medications like Adderall are prohibited from coming into Japan. There are NO exceptions for bringing these illegal medications into Japan, even if the medication is legally obtained outside of Japan. Make sure you carry a separate prescription medication bag with all of your medications in their original packaging and bring copies of your prescriptions. Anyone who must carry more than one month’s supply of prescription medications, or are carrying syringes (pumps) or a CPAP machine, must obtain a Yakkan Shomei, a type of import certificate, in advance and present the certificate with your prescription medicines at Customs. If you do not comply, you risk arrest and detention. For more info, check out the US Embassy and Consulates in Japan website.
I know, that’s seriously a huge hassle and not a great note to end this post on. So I’ll leave you instead with this cute picture of a Godzilla on a bicycle that I spotted in one of the shops off Philosopher’s Path.
As promised, Godzilla on a Bike.
