Lonely Planet Kyoto: Plan the Trip of a Lifetime | Detailed Itineraries & Maps | Insider Tips | Covers Gion & Southern Higashiyama, Imperial Palace, Arashiyama and more

by Tom Fay

 Lonely Planet's local travel experts reveal all you need to know to plan the trip of a lifetime to Kyoto.Discover Kyoto's most popular experiences and best kept secrets - neighbourhood by neighbourhood - from exploring the sprawling temple grounds of Ninna-ji during cherry-blossom season, to delving into the world of comics at the Kyoto International Manga Museum, and digging into lunch at Yoshikawa for a plate of the best tempura in the city.Build a trip to remember with Lonely Planet's  Kyoto  travel Our classic guidebook format provides you with the most comprehensive level of information for planning multi-week tripsUpdated with an all new structure and design so you can navigate Kyoto and connect experiences together with easeCreate your ideal trip with exciting  Perfect Day itineraries with suggestions of unmissable attractions and activities to match your passions, plus day trips from Kyoto so you can explore the surrounding areasGet fresh takes on must-visit sights including the gardens of Ginkaku-ji; Kyoto National Museum; and explore the sprawling temple grounds of Ninna-jiSpecial features on day trips from Kyoto, plus essays on Kyoto cultureExpert local recommendations on when to go, eating, drinking, nightlife, shopping, accommodation, adventure activities, festivals, and moreEssential information toolkit containing tips on arriving; transport; making the most of your time and money; LGBTIQ+ travel advice; useful words and phrases; accessibility; and responsible travelConnect with Kyoto culture through stories that delve deep into local life, history, and traditions Inspiring full-colour travel photography and maps including a pull out map of KyotoCovers: Kyoto Station & South Kyoto; Downtown Kyoto; Imperial Palace & Around; Gion & Southern Higashiyama; Northern Higashiyama; Northwest Kyoto; Arashiyama & Sagano plus day trips to Nara; Osaka; Himeji; Kobe; Lake Biwa; Ohara; Kurama & Kibune; Miyama; Amanohashidate
 Create a trip that's uniquely yours and get to the heart of this extraordinary city with Lonely Planet's  Kyoto.  

Genres: Travel, Japan, Nonfiction, Reference, Japanese Literature

192 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2012

Reviews

[s_evan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kyoto is a wonderful place to travel to, and this guide helped me get a sense of the lay of the land, see what our options were, and get a few food suggestions too that were worthwhile. Some issues with this guide's descriptions/mapping out (need to flip around a lot) and giving more directions to less accessible/more busing/walking places would gave been helpful. Overall though a great book for a great city!

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

6th edition, 2015. If you are going to Kyoto, you won't regret bringing this along, even if you already have the LP Japan guide. I used both, and while a good amount of the Kyoto book is included in the country guide, this is still worth having. It will fill you in on the major attractions and the neighborhoods of downtown Kyoto, but also some of the places on the outskirts of town, like Arashiyama, where I spent a lovely day.

[Redfox5 · Rating 4 out of 5]

49 days till Japan! I shall be spending two nights in Kyoto but after reading this, I wish we were spending a little more time there.

This was an informative little guide, that has helped me narrow down some of the top sights I want to visit. I’ve also been using this with TripAdvisor, saving all the places I want to go on there.

Like all of these types of guide book, can get a little dull reading description after description or restaurants and shops, might be best to read this in small bites, rather than tackle it all at once.

I also liked that Kyoto history was included at the back, as I know very little Japanese history. It’s nice to have some background information.

I would recommend this I’d you are planning a trip to Kyoto, helped me get more excited for my trip!

[Beata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super helpful. Good information and great maps of various neighborhood walks. Kyoto is way too full of stuff to be able to pick the essential sights, and I appreciate their highlighting of top pics. I've been to Kyoto before, but this book was still essential for me to plan a good trip.

[Tonya Lowery St. John · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very helpful little guide to have as I explored Kyoto. I keep in on my Kindle so it doesn't take up too much space and the search feature is very helpful.

[Kasey Mazak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kyoto by the Seasons and Kyoto’s Top 10 are awesome sections in this Travel Guide:

“…There’s also the Kyoto Heritage Preservation Association’s Autumn Special Exhibit, when 20 or so historic structures generally closed to the public – like Toji’s five-storey pagoda – open their doors…The Autumn Special Exhibit takes place over roughly 10 days in late October and early November (for details see http://www.kobunka.com/).”

“Nishiki Market positively oozes old Japan atmosphere and you can imagine what it was like here before someone decided to attach the word ‘super’ to the word ‘market’.”

[Shaunda Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the 7th edition (2018), which is the most recent available.
The information is very helpful, and it’s written in a clear but engaging style, all of which I appreciated.
However, since COVID, many of the recommended restaurants are no longer open, and the prices cited for several I looked at have almost doubled.
It’s still a helpful guide, but anyone using it should be sure to confirm current information online before making firm plans.

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting - have been to Kyoto & brought back some great memories! Also ,learned some things I wished I would have known about when there.

[Caitlin Leivers · Rating 4 out of 5]

i love lonely planet travel books. it was good to have a book devoted exclusively to Kyoto in order to learn more in-depth information.

[C.D. Storiz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good planning resource for my upcoming trip.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to travel! 😩

[J C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chock-full of practical information, the most useful of all being, to the monetarily shoe-strung me, various costs associated with varying selections of eateries, sleeperies, and activities.

Anything the traveler needs is here. My dad has found the series in general too cluttered but I think it's perfect: There's a short history, bite-sized expositions of local culture and local sights, and dedicated segments to walking tours and nearby excursions. To top it off, a leisurely picture spread awaits for when you get too bogged down in the details -- perfect for before-the-trip fantasizing.

[Greta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm leaving for Kyoto in less than a month and this reading was essential to give me more than a basic idea of the city I'm going to reside in. Extremely detailed guide with hundreds of details and interesting information. It doesn't take for granted that their readers are ignorant about Japan either, which is very refreshing. Definitely will recommend.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Useful travel guide covering not just where to go and what to see but some cultural background as well. Lots of practical information that helped me get around the city on my own.

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved how this book was divided into neighborhoods. Most of the info was helpful.

[Zina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Will review this when I'm back from my trip

[Allie Frickert]

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