Honeymoon In Kyoto

Kyoto is an incredibly romantic city. With intimate restaurants, atmospheric lanes, superb accommodations and a thousand quiet gardens and temples, it’s the perfect place to spend time with someone you love. Here’s our full guide to honeymooning in Kyoto.

Honeymoon in Kyoto Introduction

If you’re looking for a place to honeymoon, Kyoto should be high on your list. In addition to the features listed above, the warmth, conscientiousness and grace of the people will ensure that your honeymoon is unforgettable.

Of course, a little planning will go a long way to making your honeymoon magical. Here, we cover what to do, where to stay, what to eat and we even suggest a few add-ons to complete your honeymoon.

What to Do On Honeymoon in Kyoto

Visit a quiet Kyoto temple

If you’re looking for quality time together, you can’t beat an hour or so spent sitting by a sublime temple garden with no one else around. Enko-ji, Shisen-do and Honen-in are all great places for this.

Take a romantic evening stroll in Kyoto

The lanes of Kyoto are magical in the evening. Here are our favorite places for a romantic evening stroll: Ishibei-koji, Nene-no-Michi, or Kiyamachi south of Shijo-dori.

Climb Daimon-ji in the late afternoon

If you’re fit and enjoy the outdoors, the 30-minute climb up Daimonji-yama in the late afternoon is great. You can watch the sun descend over the distant Arashiyama mountains. Just be sure to descend 20 minutes before the sun goes all the way down. Or, bring headlamps.

Go to Yasui-konpira-gu Shrine

If you’ve just got married, you’ll want to enlist the gods in making sure you have a happy life together. Why not visit Yasui-konpira-gu Shrine and take a trip through the “love-binding stone”?

Go to Kiyomizu-dera Temple

Kiyomizu-dera Temple has its own shrine specifically devoted to romantic matters. It’s called Jishu-jinja and it’s above the main hall. You can buy all kinds of amulets to ensure a lifetime of love. And, on your way out of the temple, you can also walk through the pitch-dark Tainai Meguri and wish on the magical stone in the darkness.

Have a drink at a romantic Kyoto hotel bar

Most of Kyoto’s luxury hotels have romantic bars on their premises, some of them with great views. These include the Hyatt Regency Kyoto, the Ritz-Carlton Kyoto, the Four Seasons Kyoto, the Hotel Granvia Kyoto, and the Kyoto Hotel Okura.

Spend a night at Kinosaki Onsen

For true romance, nothing beats a night at a great onsen ryokan (hot spring inn). The quaint village of Kinosaki, 2.5 hours north of Kyoto by direct express train, is perfect for this. See our full Kinosaki Guide and Map.

Where to Eat On Honeymoon In Kyoto

Kyoto has thousands of intimate little restaurants that are perfect for romantic dinners. Some even have private rooms (koshitsu) where you will dine in complete privacy.

[Kyoto tofu cuisine set meal: Sittipong Chananithitham / Shutterstock.com]

• Yoshikawa Tempura
  Whether you eat at the counter by day or in a room overlooking the garden by night, this lovely tempura restaurant is a great choice.
• Misoka-an Kawamichiya
  This lovely old soba and udon specialist in downtown Kyoto is a beautiful spot for a light lunch or dinner. If you’re lucky, you can dine in a small private nook.
• Kinmata
  For something truly special, call to reserve a kaiseki meal in a private room at this incredibly atmospheric old Kyoto restaurant. There’s usually someone there who can speak English.
• Omen Ginkakuji
  It can be a bit busy here, but the food is great, they speak English, they have English menus, and the old Japanese atmosphere is hard to beat.
• Kagizen Yoshifusa
  For an elegant bowl of matcha and a traditional Kyoto sweet in quiet surroundings, try the lovely tearoom at the back of this old Kyoto store. For something even more intimate, try Saka Maruyama.

Where to Stay On Honeymoon In Kyoto

Your accommodation is the key to making your honeymoon great. Fortunately, Kyoto has a great selection of seriously romantic hotels, ryokan (traditional Japanese inns) and vacation rentals. Here is a very carefully selected list:

Old Kyoto Machiya

This is a collection of old Kyoto houses that have been perfectly restored and designed with superb creative touches. Any of their houses can serve as your romantic hideaway in the city. The owners of Old Kyoto always provide a bottle of champagne and special amenities for honeymooners, at no extra charge. You can’t beat this kind of warm personal service when you’re on your honeymoon. See our pages on individual Old Kyoto machiya: Amber House, Gion House, Indigo House and The Old Modern.

Hyatt Regency Kyoto

(View on Agoda.com)
If you’re looking for an excellent hotel with first-class service, great restaurants, intimate bars and a spa, then the Hyatt is a great choice.

Ritz-Carlton Kyoto

(View on Agoda.com)
The Ritz-Carlton has all the features you’d expect in a world-class hotel, along with a brilliant location just steps from downtown, with great views over the Kamo-gawa River.

Solaria Nishitetsu Kyoto

(View on Agoda.com)
If you’re looking for an intimate hotel in a convenient downtown location, at rates below the above hotels, you’ll be very happy at this riverside hotel.

Kyoto Hotel Okura

(View on Agoda.com)
Another reasonably-priced hotel in a great downtown location is the grand Kyoto Hotel Okura. Check the prices — it’s usually a great deal.

Great Ryokan For Honeymoons in Kyoto

Traditional Japanese inns, or ryokan, are by definition romantic. At a good place, you’ll actually dine in your room. Then, you’ll lounge about in a yukata, or summer robe. For our top ryokan pics, see our Kyoto Ryokan page.

Add a Destination to Your Kyoto Honeymoon

Let’s face it: for some people, a honeymoon isn’t a honeymoon without some time on a tropical island with great beaches and warm water. We get that. The good news is that you can easily add a tropical adventure to your Kyoto honeymoon. And you don’t have to travel far to do so.

Okinawa

From April to November, the beaches of the Okinawa Islands are warm enough for swimming. For white sand and clear water to rival the best of southeast Asia, try the Kerama Islands, near the main island of Okinawa, or head further south to Ishigaki-jima. Best of all, Okinawa is an easy two-hour flight south of Osaka’s Itami Airport (which is a 50-minute bus or taxi ride from Kyoto). Check for prices and availability on Okinawa flights.

Thailand

Thailand is a great place to spend some time on a honeymoon. You can gorge yourself on great Thai food and relaxing Thai massages. And, you can enjoy some of the world’s most beautiful beaches. All at very affordable prices. There are several flights a day between Kansai International Airport (about 90 minutes from Kyoto by train) and Bangkok. The flight time from Kansai to Bangkok is six hours. If you fly to Japan on a Japanese airline, you can do your Japan leg as a layover and save a lot on your ticket (ie, fly to Japan, then fly to Thailand on the same airline and the same ticket). Check for flight deals on your specific dates.

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