Cultural & Landscape Immersion

KYOTO

June 25 โ€” June 29, 2026

Arrival

4:35 PM @ Kyoto Stn

Base

Central Kyoto

Duration

4 Nights / 5 Days

Season

Hydrangea Peak ๐ŸŒธ

Transit & Accommodations

Transitioning from Nagoya City to Kyoto. The route uses the Tokaido Shinkansen for an efficient afternoon transfer.

๐Ÿš„ Transit from Nagoya City SHINKANSEN

Mode Route Depart Arrive
Nozomi / Hikari โญ Nagoya โ†’ Kyoto 15:30 16:05

๐Ÿ’ก Total transit time ~35m. Arrive in time for hotel check-in and an early dinner.

๐Ÿจ Central Kyoto (Recommended)

Stay central for walking access to historic districts, Gion, and Nishiki Market. Easy transit to iconic temples.

๐ŸŒฟ Eastern Foothills Alternative

Traditional B&B experience near Higashiyama temples. Quieter atmosphere, morning shrine walks.

๐Ÿฅข Tattoo-Friendly & Vegan-Oriented Accommodations 4 OPTIONS

Scroll to explore โ€ข All verified vegan-friendly policies

Traditional Japanese House in Kyoto

Vegan Minshuku Sanbiki Neko

~$80

๐Ÿ“ Eastern Foothills โ€ข 100% VEGAN

Traditional B&B with local organic Japanese breakfast included. Family-run atmosphere.

Good Nature Hotel Kyoto

Good Nature Hotel Kyoto

~$200

๐Ÿ“ Central โ€ข HIGHLY FRIENDLY

Boutique luxury with multiple on-site vegan dining options and organic market.

Kyoto Machiya Traditional Townhouse

Toshiharu Ryokan

~$150

๐Ÿ“ Historic โ€ข MEIJI-ERA

Registered wooden heritage building. Adapts vegan requests for traditional breakfast.

Kyoto Station Modern Interior

Cross Hotel Kyoto

~$180

๐Ÿ“ Central โ€ข MODERN

Near historic districts. Western-style comfort with excellent evening dining proximity.

๐Ÿœ Vegan Gastronomy Highlights

Vegan Ramen UZU

teamLab digital art projections. "Green MISO" signature ramen.

Shigetsu (Tenryu-ji)

Shojin Ryoriโ€”Zen Buddhist cuisine in UNESCO temple.

Mumokuteki Cafe

Beautiful "gozen" set meals above an artisan lifestyle shop.

Ain Soph Journey

Famous plant-based "Heavenly Pancakes" and comfort food.

Accommodation Price Comparison

Sanbiki Neko offers best value with full vegan meals.

๐Ÿ“ฑ Essential Apps & Travel Passes for Kyoto

Apps

๐Ÿ’ณ

Suica/ICOCA

IC card works on Kyoto buses & JR lines

๐ŸšŒ

Kyoto Bus Navi

Real-time bus arrival info & route maps

๐Ÿ—บ๏ธ

Google Maps

Accurate bus/train routing in Kyoto

Passes

JR Pass Kyoto Bus 1-Day Pass ICOCA IC Card Kansai Thru Pass

๐Ÿ’ก Kyoto Bus Pass covers all city buses. Kansai Pass for multi-city trips.

25

Day 1: Arrival & Art Dining

Thursday โ€” Transit from Nagoya & Immersive Evening

Shinkansen Bullet Train
15:30 Depart Nagoya Station

Board the Tokaido Shinkansen (Nozomi/Hikari) to Kyoto. Brief 35-minute transit.

โ†—
๐Ÿš„ Shinkansen โ†’ Kyoto 35 min
Kyoto Traditional Street
17:00 Check-in at Central Hotel

Arrive Kyoto Station 16:35. Transfer to accommodation (e.g., Good Nature Hotel).

โ†—
๐Ÿšถ Walk / Taxi 10 min
Vegan Ramen Bowl
19:30 Dinner: Vegan Ramen UZU Kyoto ๐Ÿœ VEGAN

Dine in a darkened room with teamLab digital art projections. Try the signature "Green MISO" ramen.

โ†—

Day 1 Energy Profile

Transit dayโ€”save energy for sightseeing.

26

Day 2: Iconic Landmarks

Friday โ€” Kinkaku-ji, Nishiki Market & Kiyomizu-dera

Golden Pavilion Kinkaku-ji Kyoto
09:30 Kinkaku-ji (The Golden Pavilion) ICONIC

Visit Kyoto's most iconic structure, a Zen temple covered in gold leaf reflecting in the Mirror Pond.

โ†—
๐ŸšŒ Kyoto Bus 101/205 โ†’ Shijo 35 min
Nishiki Market Kyoto
12:00 Lunch: Nishiki Market

Explore "Kyoto's Kitchen" for vegan street food: yuba (tofu skin), pickled vegetables, soy milk donuts.

โ†—
๐ŸšŒ Kyoto Bus 207 โ†’ Kiyomizu-michi 20 min
Kiyomizu-dera Temple
14:30 Kiyomizu-dera & Sannenzaka ICONIC

Explore the massive wooden stage of Kiyomizu-dera and walk through historic Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka.

โ†—
๐Ÿšถ Walk via Ninenzaka 15 min
Gion District
17:00 Gion District Walk

Observe preserved machiya architecture. Watch for geiko (geisha) heading to evening appointments.

โ†—
๐Ÿšถ Walk to Teramachi-dori 10 min
Traditional Japanese Dining
19:00 Dinner: Mumokuteki Vegan Cafe ๐Ÿœ VEGAN

Hip spot serving beautiful "gozen" set meals above a lifestyle shop.

โ†—

Day 2 Activity Distribution

๐Ÿฏ Sightseeing Tips

  • โ€ข Visit Kinkaku-ji at opening (9:00) for better photos
  • โ€ข Kiyomizu-dera is best during sunset hours
  • โ€ข Wear comfortable shoes for Sannenzaka's stone steps
27

Day 3: Rural Nature

Saturday โ€” Ohara Village & Hydrangea Gardens

Ohara Mountain Village
09:00 Day Trip to Ohara

Tranquil mountain village one hour north of the city. Escape the crowds.

โ†—
๐ŸšŒ Kyoto Bus 17 from Kyoto Stn 60 min
Sanzen-in Temple Moss Garden
10:30 Sanzen-in Temple

Moss gardens at peak vibrancy. Hydrangea garden with over 1,000 plants in bloom (late June peak).

โ†—
๐Ÿšถ Walk through Ohara village 5 min
Local Vegetable Cuisine in Ohara
12:30 Lunch: Ryoso Chatani

Local minshuku (family inn) specializing in seasonal local vegetable cuisine.

โ†—
๐Ÿšถ Walk to temple area 10 min
Hosen-in Frame Garden View
14:30 Hosen-in Temple (The Frame Garden) LANDSCAPE

Experience the "picture frame" garden, where the ancient 700-year-old pine tree is perfectly framed by the temple's architecture.

โ†—
๐ŸšŒ Kyoto Bus 17 return to central 60 min
Itadakizen Vegan Cuisine
19:00 Dinner: Itadakizen Kyoto

Organic vegan fusion in a beautiful traditional townhouse setting.

โ†—

Hydrangea Bloom Calendar

Late June = Peak bloom season ๐ŸŒธ

28

Day 4: Torii Gates & Zen Landscapes

Sunday โ€” Fushimi Inari, Arashiyama & Otagi Nenbutsu-ji

Fushimi Inari Torii Gates
08:30 Fushimi Inari-taisha ICONIC

Hike through thousands of vermilion torii gates winding up the mountain. Early access avoids crowds.

โ†—
๐Ÿšƒ JR Nara Line + Sagano Line 50 min
Shojin Ryori Buddhist Cuisine
12:30 Lunch: Shigetsu at Tenryu-ji SHOJIN RYORI

Inside the UNESCO-listed temple. Zen Buddhist vegan cuisine served on traditional lacquer trays.

โ†—
๐Ÿšถ Walk through Tenryu-ji grounds 5 min
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
14:30 Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

Walk through the iconic bamboo forest and cross the Togetsukyo Bridge.

โ†—
๐Ÿšถ Walk north along river path 25 min
Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Stone Statues
16:30 Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple LANDSCAPE

Visit the 1,200 unique stone statues set in a peaceful forested hillside. A hidden landscape gem.

โ†—
๐Ÿšƒ Randen Tram + Hankyu to Kawaramachi 40 min
Vegan Pancakes
19:30 Final Kyoto Dinner: Ain Soph Journey ๐Ÿœ VEGAN

Famous plant-based "Heavenly Pancakes" and comfort food. Perfect farewell to Kyoto.

โ†—

Day 4 Spiritual Index

๐Ÿฎ Inari Hiking

The hike to the summit takes about 2 hours. Most visitors turn back at the Yotsutsuji intersection for the best views.

๐Ÿ—ฟ Otagi Statues

These statues were carved by amateurs in the 1980s. Each has a different expressionโ€”some are laughing, some hold tennis rackets!

29

Day 5: Birthday at Super Nintendo World

Monday โ€” Universal Studios Japan Celebration ๐ŸŽ‚

JR Train to Osaka
08:00 Transit to Universal City

JR train from Kyoto Station to Universal City Station (~50 min).

โ†—
๐Ÿšƒ JR Special Rapid + Yumesaki Line 50 min
Universal Studios Japan
09:00 Birthday Perks at Guest Services ๐ŸŽ‚ BIRTHDAY

Head to Guest Services (left of main gate) for Birthday Sticker. Crew members and characters give special greetings all day!

โ†—
๐Ÿšถ Walk inside park 10 min
Super Nintendo World Mario
10:30 Super Nintendo World โญ POWER-UP

Use a Power-Up Band (ยฅ4,200) for interactive Key Challenges and digital stamp collection.

โ†—
๐Ÿšถ Walk to Kinopio's Cafe 2 min
Pizza at USJ
12:30 Birthday Lunch: Kinopio's Cafe ๐Ÿ• VEGAN OPTIONS

Portobello Mushroom Pizza or Yoshi's Favorite Fruit & Veggie Saladโ€”both verified plant-based.

โ†—
๐Ÿšถ Walk to DK Country expansion 5 min
Hollywood Dream USJ Ride
14:30 Donkey Kong Country

New area! Ride Mine Cart Madness and summon Rambi the Rhino via interactive bongo drums.

โ†—
๐Ÿšƒ JR Yumesaki + Loop Line to Namba 25 min
Osaka City Skyline
16:30 Osaka Check-in

Check into Osaka hotel (e.g., Swissotel Nankai Osaka). Rest before birthday dinner.

โ†—
๐Ÿšถ Walk / Taxi in Shinsaibashi 10 min
Vegan Japanese Cuisine
19:00 Birthday Dinner: Paprika Shokudo Vegan ๐ŸŽ‚ BIRTHDAY

Stylish, rustic vegan restaurant in Osaka city center. "Veganized" Izakaya experienceโ€”perfect birthday celebration.

โ†—

5-Day Step Tracker

Total: ~73,000 steps over 5 days.

๐ŸŽฎ Power-Up Band

Essential for interactive experiences. Syncs with Nintendo account. Collect coins & stamps throughout the park.

๐ŸŽ‚ Birthday Magic

Characters will wave, sing, and make extra effort for anyone wearing the birthday sticker. Special photo ops!

Iconic & Landscape Assets

โ›ฉ๏ธ

Fushimi Inari-taisha

Thousands of vermilion torii gates winding up the mountain.

๐Ÿฏ

Kinkaku-ji

Zen temple covered in gold leaf reflecting in the Mirror Pond.

๐ŸŒฒ

Kiyomizu-dera Temple

UNESCO wooden stage with panoramic views and historic streets.

๐Ÿœ

Vegan Ramen UZU

Intersection of Michelin-tier plant-based flavor and digital art installations.

๐ŸŒธ

Ohara Village

Rare star hydrangea and moss-carpeted temple grounds at peak bloom.

๐ŸŽฎ

Super Nintendo World

Birthday celebration with interactive experiences and vegan dining.