Kyoto Day Trip from Osaka: Nanzen-ji, Kiyomizu-dera and the Golden Pavilion

The Golden Pavilion in Kyoto reflected in its pond, framed by trees

If you're basing yourself in Osaka, a Kyoto day trip from Osaka is one of the easiest and most beautiful things you can do. Kyoto is only about an hour away by bus, and in one day we saw a huge green temple complex, the famous wooden stage at Kiyomizu-dera with views over the whole city, and the Golden Pavilion reflected in its pond. Here are all my photos from the day, shot on the LUMIX S9 with my 35mm f1.8 and 85mm f1.8.

This was our second day in Osaka. I spent most of it shooting sample photos for my LUMIX S9 review, so I didn't talk to the camera much in the vlog, but I came home with a lot of photos. We loved Kyoto so much that we went back to stay there for a few days after Osaka, and you can watch that in my Kyoto vlog. Watch the Kyoto day trip.

Morning at Nanzen-ji: green gardens and a brick aqueduct

Our first stop was a beautiful temple complex at Nanzen-ji, and it was so green. Huge wooden gates, moss, stone pillars carved with writing and maple trees everywhere. I put the grip on my S9 for the day because I knew I'd be shooting from morning until night, and it makes such a difference to comfort. See the temple.

Wooden noticeboard among tall trees at a temple in Kyoto

LUMIX S9 + 35mm f1.8. Edited with my Disposable Film preset.

Huge wooden temple gate surrounded by green maple trees in Kyoto

LUMIX S9 + 35mm f1.8. Edited with my Disposable Film preset.

Person standing under a massive wooden temple gate in Kyoto

Tall stone pillar carved with Japanese writing among green trees

LUMIX S9 + 35mm f1.8. Edited with my Disposable Film preset.

Fresh green maple leaves with a soft blurred background, shot on a 35mm at f1.8

LUMIX S9 + 35mm f1.8. Edited with my Disposable Film preset.

Wooden sign pointing to the Nanzen-in garden in Kyoto

Nanzen-ji. LUMIX S9 + 35mm f1.8. Edited with my Disposable Film preset.

I found a dragonfly resting on a wooden railing and tried to see how close I could get before it flew away. It was so still I think it was sleeping. Little details like this are worth looking for at temples, especially when there are lots of people around the main buildings. See the dragonfly.

Dragonfly resting on the edge of a wooden railing with a green background

LUMIX S9 + 35mm f1.8. Edited with my Disposable Film preset.

Old red brick aqueduct with arches in a green garden in Kyoto

The brick aqueduct at Nanzen-ji. LUMIX S9 + 35mm f1.8. Edited with my Disposable Film preset.

Large carved stone monument surrounded by plants at a Kyoto temple

LUMIX S9 + 35mm f1.8. Edited with my Disposable Film preset.

Stone marker in a mossy temple garden in Kyoto

Maple leaves glowing against a dark background at a Kyoto temple

LUMIX S9 + 35mm f1.8. Edited with my Disposable Film preset.

Wooden temple gate rising above green trees in Kyoto

LUMIX S9 + 35mm f1.8. Edited with my Disposable Film preset.

Kiyomizu-dera: Kyoto's famous wooden stage

Around lunchtime we made it up to Kiyomizu-dera, the temple built on a giant wooden stage on the side of a hill. This is where I switched to the 85mm. From the hillside you can look across the forest to the temple and the bright orange pagoda, and all the way to Kyoto Tower and the city. The longer lens is perfect for picking out the buildings between the trees.

Forested hillside in Kyoto with an orange pagoda peeking through the trees, shot on an 85mm

LUMIX S9 + 85mm f1.8. Edited with my Disposable Film preset.

View over the trees to Kyoto city and the mountains

LUMIX S9 + 85mm f1.8. Edited with my Disposable Film preset.

Green hill with a small orange pagoda in the forest in Kyoto

LUMIX S9 + 85mm f1.8. Edited with my Disposable Film preset.

Unedited

Edited with Disposable Film

Unedited on the left, edited with my Disposable Film preset on the right. LUMIX S9 + 85mm f1.8.

Kiyomizu-dera temple and its wooden stage above the trees with Kyoto city behind

LUMIX S9 + 85mm f1.8. Edited with my Disposable Film preset.

Kyoto Tower and the city framed between green leaves

LUMIX S9 + 85mm f1.8. Edited with my Disposable Film preset.

Bright orange three storey pagoda at Kiyomizu-dera framed by trees

Kiyomizu-dera. LUMIX S9 + 85mm f1.8. Edited with my Disposable Film preset.

Afterwards we wandered back down to the main street, where I had a chestnut soft serve, and stopped to watch matcha being whisked. It was such a lovely break before the last stop of the day. See the main street.

Hands whisking matcha in a ceramic bowl at a tea counter in Kyoto

LUMIX S9 + 85mm f1.8. Edited with my Disposable Film preset.

The Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku-ji)

Our last stop was the Golden Pavilion. Unlike the other temples and shrines we visited, which are all close together, this one is a bit further away, so you'll need to catch a train to get there. It was really busy with lots of people, but because the temple sits on a pond surrounded by water, it's actually easier than you'd think to get a clean photo of it. See the Golden Pavilion.

Visitors walking through the entrance gate at a Kyoto temple

LUMIX S9 + 85mm f1.8. Edited with my Disposable Film preset.

Golden Pavilion reflected in its pond, framed by a pine tree

The Golden Pavilion. LUMIX S9 + 35mm f1.8. Edited with my Disposable Film preset.

My tip here is to walk the path slowly and look for something to put in the foreground. I used the pine branches and the irises along the edge of the water to frame the pavilion, and on such a still afternoon the reflection was almost perfect.

Unedited

Edited with Disposable Film

Unedited on the left, edited with my Disposable Film preset on the right. LUMIX S9 + 35mm f1.8.

Reflection of the Golden Pavilion and trees in a still pond

LUMIX S9 + 35mm f1.8. Edited with my Disposable Film preset.

Side view of the Golden Pavilion with its gold walls beside the pond

Incense sticks in a burner in a dark temple building

LUMIX S9 + 35mm f1.8. Edited with my Disposable Film preset.

Wooden ema prayer plaques hanging at a temple in Kyoto

LUMIX S9 + 35mm f1.8. Edited with my Disposable Film preset.

Visitors blurred by a slow shutter speed outside a temple shop in Kyoto

LUMIX S9 + 35mm f1.8. Edited with my Disposable Film preset.

Quiet streets on the way back

On the way back we walked through quiet residential streets, and I couldn't stop taking photos. Old wooden houses, potted plants, tiny shrines, air conditioning units and people riding past on bicycles. After the crowds at the temples, it was so nice to see everyday Kyoto.

Woman riding a bicycle across a pedestrian crossing on a quiet Kyoto street

LUMIX S9 + 35mm f1.8. Edited with my Disposable Film preset.

Cyclist in a white shirt riding past a traditional wooden house in Kyoto

Narrow lane with old wooden houses and plants in Kyoto

LUMIX S9 + 35mm f1.8. Edited with my Disposable Film preset.

Plants growing in front of a wooden wall with a hanging wooden sign in Kyoto

LUMIX S9 + 35mm f1.8. Edited with my Disposable Film preset.

Air conditioning units and leafy plants against a wooden house in Kyoto

LUMIX S9 + 35mm f1.8. Edited with my Disposable Film preset.

Quiet street with traditional houses and greenery in Kyoto

LUMIX S9 + 35mm f1.8. Edited with my Disposable Film preset.

Blue one way sign beside a pink flowering plant and a wooden house

LUMIX S9 + 35mm f1.8. Edited with my Disposable Film preset.

Traditional two storey wooden house on a corner in Kyoto

LUMIX S9 + 35mm f1.8. Edited with my Disposable Film preset.

Wide view of traditional wooden houses on a Kyoto street

LUMIX S9 + 35mm f1.8. Edited with my Disposable Film preset.

Woman riding a bicycle past traditional wooden houses in Kyoto

LUMIX S9 + 35mm f1.8. Edited with my Disposable Film preset.

Bonsai style pine tree and pink flowers outside a house in Kyoto

LUMIX S9 + 35mm f1.8. Edited with my Disposable Film preset.

Person in a sun hat cycling past an old house with a wooden fence in Kyoto

LUMIX S9 + 35mm f1.8. Edited with my Disposable Film preset.

Tips for a Kyoto day trip from Osaka

Start early. The temples are greener, quieter and easier to photograph in the morning.
Group the temples that are close together and leave the Golden Pavilion for last, since you'll need transport to get there.
Bring two lenses. A 35mm for the gardens and details, and an 85mm for the views across the forest from Kiyomizu-dera.
Look for foreground. Branches, leaves and flowers help hide the crowds at busy spots.
Wear comfortable shoes and pack light. I used a simple sling bag all day. See my bag.

If you have more than a day, I'd really recommend staying in Kyoto for a few nights. My Kyoto travel photography guide has many more spots, and from Kyoto you can also do a Nara day trip to see the deer. Back in Osaka, see my Osaka photography spots and Osaka street photography at night, and our Tokyo vlog for the last leg of the trip.

Kyoto day trip FAQ

Can you do a day trip to Kyoto from Osaka?

Yes. Kyoto is only about an hour from Osaka by bus, so it's very easy to see a few temples and be back in Osaka for dinner.

What should I see on a Kyoto day trip?

We visited Nanzen-ji with its brick aqueduct, Kiyomizu-dera and its wooden stage, and the Golden Pavilion. That's a full but very doable day.

Is the Golden Pavilion close to the other temples?

No, it's a bit further away than temples like Kiyomizu-dera, so you'll need to catch a train to get there.

How do you photograph the Golden Pavilion with crowds?

Because it sits on a pond, you can shoot across the water. Use trees or flowers in the foreground to frame it.

What lenses should I bring to Kyoto?

I used a 35mm f1.8 for the gardens and streets and an 85mm f1.8 for the views from Kiyomizu-dera, both on the LUMIX S9.

I hope this helps you plan your own Kyoto day trip from Osaka. All of the photos from this day were edited with my Disposable Film preset. Browse all my packs in the Lightroom Presets for Portraits collection, and if you're stuck between a few, you can buy any 3 presets and save 10%.