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Things to do in Kyoto this weekThursday 15 October

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10#3 in Kyoto this week

Gion Legacy of Geishas - Free Walking Tour

FreeDaily · 2 hrs★ 4.9

Experience the Enchanting World of the Geisha on Our Kyoto Night Walking Tour Step into the magical realm of the Geisha on our captivating night walking tour in Kyoto. Wi

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Happening now in Kyoto

Visiting Kyoto?Add your dates and this page leads with what’s on while you’re here.

Sun's out in Kyoto

23°C and dry today: get outside

FreeFree Walking Tour Kyoto Daily · 3 hrs · ★ 4.9 on GuruWalkHimeji Castle Day Trip8 hrs · Kyoto Station (JR / Shinkansen) · From ¥2,500FreeGion Legacy of Geishas - Free Walking TourDaily · 2 hrs · ★ 4.9 on GuruWalkHozugawa River Boat Ride from Kameoka2 hrs · Kameoka (Torokko Kameoka / JR Kameoka station area) · From ¥6,000FreeKyoto Night Free Walking Tour Gion Geisha Daily · 2 hrs · ★ 4.8 on GuruWalkNara Day Trip by Kintetsu: Todai-ji and Nara Park8 hrs · Kyoto Station (Kintetsu Kyoto Line) · From ¥800FreeKyoto Free Walking Tour in Gion & HigashiyamaDaily · 2 hrs · ★ 4.9 on GuruWalkUji Day Trip: Byodo-in and Tea Town4 hrs · Kyoto Station (JR Nara Line to Uji, about 20 min) · From ¥700FreeKyoto Historic Center - Free Walking TourDaily · 2.5 hrs · ★ 4.7 on GuruWalkFreeKyoto Gion: 2-Hour Geisha Culture & History Guided Walking TourDaily · 2 hrs · ★ 4.8 on GuruWalkFreeKyoto: Arashiyama Bamboo Forest at First Light (Small Group, Crowd-Free)Daily · 2 hrs · ★ 5 on GuruWalkFreeKyoto Invisible: Forbidden Tales, Mysteries & Hidden gemsDaily · 2 hrs · ★ 4.9 on GuruWalkFreeNijo Castle the Samurai secret Nijo Castle History Walking Tour – World Heritage (Admission ticket is not included)Daily · 1.5 hrs · ★ 4.9 on GuruWalkFreeKyoto: UNESCO World Heritage Arashiyama Walking Tour with Admission includedDaily · 1.5 hrs · ★ 4.9 on GuruWalkFreeKinkaku-ji Temple, Kyoto’s Iconic Golden PavilionDaily · 1.3 hr · ★ 4.9 on GuruWalkFreeKyoto: Nishiki Market & Hidden Local Gems with a Local GuideDaily · 1.5 hrs · ★ 4.8 on GuruWalk

Tonight in Kyoto

Free8am百万遍さんの手づくり市Thu 15 October, 8am · Hyakumanben Chion-ji9am特別展 源氏物語 王朝のかがやき (The Tale of Genji exhibition)Thu 15 October, 9am · Kyoto National Museum, Heisei Chishinkan · From ¥2,20010am禅とジブリ (Zen and Ghibli)Thu 15 October, 10am · Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art, Higashiyama Cube · From ¥1,900TonightKyoto Experiment 2026Thu 15 October · ROHM Theatre Kyoto, KYOTO ART CENTER and other venues

Food: where locals eat

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Local favourites in Kyoto

Kikunoi Roan 菊乃井 露庵Kiyamachi · $$$$Kyoto Nishiki Market 京都錦市場Nakagyo / Nishiki · $Hyotei Bekkan 瓢亭別館 (Asagayu)Nanzenji · $$$Shoraian 松籟庵Arashiyama · $$$Francois Kissaten フランソワ喫茶室Kiyamachi · $$Honke Daiichi-Asahi 本家第一旭 本店Kyoto Station · $Inoda Coffee Honten イノダコーヒ本店Sanjo / Nakagyo · $$Kaikado Cafe 開化堂カフェShichijo / Kawaramachi · $$Nakamura Tokichi Shijo 中村藤吉 四条店Shijo / Kawaramachi · $$Omen Shijo Pontocho 名代おめん 四条先斗町店Pontocho · $$Saryo Tsujiri Gion Honten 茶寮都路里 祇園本店Gion · $$Shinshindo Teramachi 進々堂 寺町店Nakagyo / Teramachi · $$

Going out

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Bars, live music and nights out

Fri 10pmConnected Underground with Stefan GoldmannFri 16 October, 10pm · Club Metro · From ¥2,600Sat 11pmDEN-EN with MaemmSat 17 October, 11pm · Club Metro · From ¥2,500Club Metro 京都メトロMarutamachi / Keihan Jingu-Marutamachi · $$Jittoku 拾得Nishijin / Kamigyo · $$Kyoto Brewing Company Taproom 京都醸造Minami-ku / Kujo · $$Live Spot RAG ライブスポットラグKiyamachi / Sanjo · $$Takutaku 磔磔Kawaramachi / Shimogyo · $$UrBANGUILD アバンギルドKiyamachi / Sanjo · $$Kizakura Kappa Country 黄桜カッパカントリーFushimi · $$Live Theater Gion JTN 祇園JTNGion · $$$Ki Bar PontochoPontocho · $$

Walking tours

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Free, tip-based, self-guided and guided

▶ VideoKyoto Walking tourAny time · From €248 Hours with Four Seasons: KyotoAny time · From €2Street walk near Kyoto Station BuildingAny time · From €2

Tours & day trips

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Booked with the operator

Fushimi Sake District and Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum4 hrs · Chushojima Station (Keihan) or Momoyama-GokomachiKurama and Kibune by Eizan Railway8 hrs · Demachiyanagi StationSagano Romantic Train (Torokko) Through the Hozu Gorge24 min · Torokko Saga Station (Arashiyama)
New in KyotoYour first month in Kyoto, plannedFour weeks, sixteen small steps: your people, your places and a Saturday routine.For hotels & hostelsRun a hotel or hostel in Kyoto?List your trivia nights, pub crawls and tours here for free, in front of everyone looking for something to do.

Festivals & one-offs

FreeThu 12pm時代祭 (Jidai Matsuri)Thu 22 October, 12pm · Kyoto Imperial Palace to Heian JinguFreeThu鞍馬の火祭 (Kurama Fire Festival)Thu 22 October · Yuki Shrine, Kurama

Get outside

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Parks, beaches, walks and hikes around Kyoto

FreeFushimi Inari Mountain Trail (Inariyama)about 2.5 hrsFreeHigashiyama Dawn Walk: Kiyomizu-dera to Gionabout 4 hrsFreePhilosopher's Path Walk (Ginkaku-ji to Nanzen-ji)2 km · about 1 hrFreeKyoto Trail Higashiyama Course (Fushimi Inari to Mt Hiei)24.6 km · about 3 hrsFreeKyoto Cycling Course West: Katsura River, Arashiyama and Kinkaku-jiabout 8 hrsFreeSaga-Arashiyama Temple Walkabout 8 hrsFreeKyo-Navi Walking Course: Sanjusangendo and Chishakuinabout 3 hrs

Free this week

Free百万遍さんの手づくり市Thu 15 October, 8am · Hyakumanben Chion-jiFree東寺 弘法市Wed 21 October, 8am · Toji TempleFree時代祭 (Jidai Matsuri)Thu 22 October, 12pm · Kyoto Imperial Palace to Heian JinguFree鞍馬の火祭 (Kurama Fire Festival)Thu 22 October · Yuki Shrine, KuramaFreeFree Walking Tour Kyoto Daily · 3 hrs · ★ 4.9 on GuruWalkFreeGion Legacy of Geishas - Free Walking TourDaily · 2 hrs · ★ 4.9 on GuruWalkFreeKyoto Night Free Walking Tour Gion Geisha Daily · 2 hrs · ★ 4.8 on GuruWalkFreeKyoto Free Walking Tour in Gion & HigashiyamaDaily · 2 hrs · ★ 4.9 on GuruWalkFreeKyoto Historic Center - Free Walking TourDaily · 2.5 hrs · ★ 4.7 on GuruWalkFreeKyoto Gion: 2-Hour Geisha Culture & History Guided Walking TourDaily · 2 hrs · ★ 4.8 on GuruWalkFreeKyoto: Arashiyama Bamboo Forest at First Light (Small Group, Crowd-Free)Daily · 2 hrs · ★ 5 on GuruWalkFreeKyoto Invisible: Forbidden Tales, Mysteries & Hidden gemsDaily · 2 hrs · ★ 4.9 on GuruWalkFreeNijo Castle the Samurai secret Nijo Castle History Walking Tour – World Heritage (Admission ticket is not included)Daily · 1.5 hrs · ★ 4.9 on GuruWalkFreeKyoto: UNESCO World Heritage Arashiyama Walking Tour with Admission includedDaily · 1.5 hrs · ★ 4.9 on GuruWalkFreeKinkaku-ji Temple, Kyoto’s Iconic Golden PavilionDaily · 1.3 hr · ★ 4.9 on GuruWalkFreeKyoto: Nishiki Market & Hidden Local Gems with a Local GuideDaily · 1.5 hrs · ★ 4.8 on GuruWalk

Coffee & breakfast

Where the day starts well

Francois Kissaten フランソワ喫茶室Kiyamachi · $$Inoda Coffee Honten イノダコーヒ本店Sanjo / Nakagyo · $$Kaikado Cafe 開化堂カフェShichijo / Kawaramachi · $$Nakamura Tokichi Shijo 中村藤吉 四条店Shijo / Kawaramachi · $$Saryo Tsujiri Gion Honten 茶寮都路里 祇園本店Gion · $$Shinshindo Teramachi 進々堂 寺町店Nakagyo / Teramachi · $$

More in Kyoto

Kyoto: what's on, answered

What's on in Kyoto this weekend?

This weekend (17 October and 18 October) there is 1 event listed in Kyoto, including DEN-EN with Maemm. Free walking tours run every day too.

Are there free things to do in Kyoto?

Yes: 12 free walking tours (tip-based, booked through GuruWalk) and 4 free events this week.

What tours can I do in Kyoto?

There are 7 tours and day trips to book, including Himeji Castle Day Trip and Hozugawa River Boat Ride from Kameoka and 3 self-guided walking tours you can start on your phone at any time, from FreeGuides Tours.

Where should I eat in Kyoto?

Local favourites include Kikunoi Roan 菊乃井 露庵, Kyoto Nishiki Market 京都錦市場, Hyotei Bekkan 瓢亭別館 (Asagayu) and Shoraian 松籟庵, and for a drink, Club Metro 京都メトロ and Jittoku 拾得.

Where can I go hiking near Kyoto?

Walking and hiking routes within 30 km of Kyoto include Fushimi Inari Mountain Trail (Inariyama), Higashiyama Dawn Walk: Kiyomizu-dera to Gion and Philosopher's Path Walk (Ginkaku-ji to Nanzen-ji).

How is this page put together?

It covers 15–22 October and is refreshed several times a day from FreeGuides' own weekly research of Kyoto, booking partners and self-guided tours from tours.freeguides.com. Times and prices come from each organiser, so check before you go.

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