When planning your family trip to Japan, it can be easy for a parent to feel overwhelmed: Which destinations are most likely to be enjoyed by kids and parents alike? Will there even be kid-friendly attractions? These worries usually stem from Kyoto’s reputation as a historical city, full of solemn temples and museums – a lot that you might worry “kids can’t touch.” But Kyoto has much more to offer than just its ancient treasures.
If you’re trying to decide between Tokyo and Kyoto for your family vacation – or simply whether to add Kyoto to the itinerary or not – here are five reasons Japan’s ancient capital might surprise you.
Kyoto is Much Less Overwhelming than Tokyo
Tokyo is one of the world’s largest cities, and also remarkably dense. Shinjuku Station is the busiest railway station in the world, and notoriously complex to navigate, even without the rushing crowds of commuters and tourists, let alone a family in tow. Kyoto, on the other hand, is generally sized on a much more human scale. It’s a city of some 1.5 million people, and vibrant in its own right, but much more manageable for traversing, sightseeing, and dining than its eastern counterpart.
That’s not to say Kyoto doesn’t have crowds, and you may want to plan your outings to some more popular locations around non-peak visitor hours (generally, this will mean earlier mornings), but step away from the most popular sights or streets and you’ll find a quiet city with much to explore – and the chance to take a breath and decide on your next destination!
You’ll Find Nature and Outdoor Exploration Around Every Corner
Kyoto is located in a valley surrounded by mountains – if your family is up for a short hike, you can climb Mt. Daimonji and back for a view in a few hours’ time – and the city is full of family-friendly opportunities to enjoy nature.
The Kamo River
The Kamo River runs through the center of Kyoto and is lined by walking paths on either bank for pedestrians and cyclists. The river delta area near Demachiyanagi Station in particular has stepping stones and is a popular place for kids to play (the water is very shallow in this section of the river, but be sure to stay with your children if they’re small!). Renting bikes and riding up the river with kids for a picnic, or to reach some temples along the way can easily make for a great family activity, too – and burn off some of their extra energy if they need to!
Sagano Romantic Train (Torokko Train)
The Sagano Romantic Train is one of Kyoto’s most scenic rides, winding through the forested Hozugawa River gorge just to the northwest of Kyoto. Both kids and adults can really enjoy this experience, riding in the open-air carriages through the mountains and seasonal scenery, which is especially beautiful in autumn. The sightseeing train is easiest to combine with a trip to Arashiyama, where one of the train’s stops is located.
Kyoto Botanical Gardens
Japan’s oldest public botanical garden is a peaceful place for families to explore, since they aren’t very popular or well-known with most tourists to the city. The grounds are huge, and include everything from plum and cherry blossom groves, ponds, lawns, bonsai displays, and an English-style garden. You can even find some play equipment near the south entrance.
Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama
A short walk uphill from the main Arashiyama attractions will reward you with incredible views over Kyoto and the chance to see some adorable wild Japanese macaques roaming freely in the park. Children and teens especially might enjoy feeding the monkeys from inside the observation hut (at this park, people stay in an enclosure to get close to the macaques!).
If you visit during the summer, fireworks displays at summer festivals are fun showstoppers for adults and kids alike. Just be aware that these events tend to attract huge crowds, especially heading to and from the viewing area, which could be stressful for travelers with families, so you may want to either leave early, or choose a spot where you can watch the fireworks from a fair distance away and skip the returning crowds.
Kyoto is Simply Magical for Everybody
Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine
You’ve almost certainly seen photos of this shrine before, and if you can make an early visit to beat the crowds – or hike up the mountain high enough for them to thin – it’s well worth the visits. Kids should enjoy the hike, too, exploring up through the thousands of vermillion torii gates that make this shrine feel more interactive than some other shrine or temple locations.
Nijo Castle
Nijo Castle doesn’t look like any European castle (but it does have a moat!), but it’s centrally located, and should be an exciting visit for the whole family. You can take guided tours with English-speaking guides to explain the significance of the gilded paintings on the ceiling, or the “nightingale floors” made to squeak under the feet of would-be assassins.
Kyoto International Manga Museum
This more modern museum is an especially good pick for pre-teens and teens with a passion for manga or anime: it has over 300,000 manga available to browse, plus exhibits on Japan’s manga culture.
Kyoto Has a Surprising Number of Specifically Kid-Friendly Attractions, Too
While it may not have Tokyo’s Disneyland or Sea, Kyoto is home to a surprising number of family-friendly spots that are easily accessible, and much less likely to be mobbed!
Kyoto Aquarium
Located near Kyoto Station, the Kyoto Aquarium features penguins, seals, dolphins, jellyfish, and one of Japan’s largest displays of giant salamanders, which live in the mountain rivers around Kyoto. It’s a great indoor attraction for rainy days or with little ones that love amphibians and other critters. Plus, the aquarium is located next to Umekoji Park, which has a grassy field perfect for kids to run around and play in.
Kyoto Railway Museum
One more attraction you’ll find beside the park in this area is the Kyoto Railway Museum, which has over 50 different types of retired trains, and will surely delight any kid who’s a fan of locomotives. You can even take a short ride on a steam train.
Kyoto City Zoo
Japan’s second-oldest zoo is home to elephants, giraffes, lions, red pandas, and more, and is compact enough for younger children to explore comfortably.
From Kyoto, You Can Access Incredible Day Trips
If you’re up for a trip outside the city, Kyoto is an excellent gateway to other popular cities and spots in the Kansai region in Western Japan. Nara, with its park full of famous deer, is just 30 to 40 minutes away by train. Once in the park, you can purchase special “crackers” to feed the deer, who roam freely throughout the park – and aren’t shy about demanding a snack. Just be careful to watch especially young children here around the animals.
If you head south, you can reach Osaka in about 30 minutes on the regular special express train (depending on your final destination in the city). Osaka is its own maze to explore, but if your kids are hankering for even more aquarium time, you can always take them to the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan, which has some truly impressive tanks and sea life.
In about an hour to an hour-and-a-half, you can reach the port city of Kobe, which also has a variety of historical neighborhoods and kid-friendly attractions like a waterfront ferris wheel and tower lookout, a zoo, petting zoo, ropeway, and more.
If you want the opportunity to explore a little further into Kansai with your kids, Kyoto will work just fine as a base, and the ability to explore within the city is well worth it.
So, is Kyoto as stuffy as its reputation implies? A resounding no seems like a safe answer here!
Kyoto offers a style of travel that’s very different from Tokyo, but that difference is exactly what many parents may appreciate. In Kyoto, you can find open spaces to explore, hands-on cultural experiences, beautiful nature, and even some opportunities for children to experience Japan in meaningful ways.
