Tokyo or Kyoto? Which Should You Visit?

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When planning a trip to Japan, it seems only natural to want to visit the country’s capital, Tokyo, right? Then again, you’re worried the city is too overblown, so you’re considering going to Kyoto instead. How do you choose between the two?

You don’t have to pick between Tokyo or Kyoto if you don’t want to. You can see them both, even in the same day, by taking the shinkansen or bullet train.

In this article, I will share all the best things you can see in both Tokyo and Kyoto. This way, you can plan an itinerary that has you making the most of your trip to Japan rather than choosing one city over the other.

Why Visit Tokyo?

The better question is why not visit Tokyo? As a blog dedicated to this city, I have written extensively about all the perks you’ll find in Tokyo. For example, if you want to check out the souvenirs and gifts you might buy across Tokyo, click here.

Shopping is just one of countless activities you might fill your time with during your stay in Japan. Make it a point to plan the following for your Tokyo itinerary.

Larger-Than-Life Structures

Tokyo certainly has its fair share of these. For one, there’s the Tokyo Skytree. Not only does it stand taller than any other building in Japan, but it’s higher than any in the entire world! The Skytree is over 2,080 feet, so it’s certainly earned that distinction. While a lot of radio and television stations do operate in the Skytree, it has its fair share of shops and restaurants as well. Make it a point to get to the top of the observation deck at some point to see some unbeatable sights.

Besides Tokyo Skytree, you also don’t want to miss the Unicorn Gundam Statue. Whether you stop by during the day or at night, this huge statue embodies Tokyo’s culture well. It’s nearly 70 feet tall and does attract a crowd. That said, it’s worth it to take a picture (or 10) near this impressive Gundam statue.

I also want to recommend a natural structure, in this case Mount Fuji. One of the best-known Japanese landmarks for a reason, Mount Fuji is almost 3,800 meters at the tallest points of the mountain. You don’t necessarily have to hike it, but you definitely can if you’re so inclined. Otherwise, you can always hang back and take pictures.

Sumo Wrestling Matches

If you’re in the mood for some spectator sports, sumo wrestling is a pretty good one. This isn’t necessarily a Tokyo thing, either; you can find sumo across Japan. That said, three of the biggest sumo events of the year do take place at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo. Make sure you plan your visit for December, January, or May to catch these events. These aren’t just one-night sumo matches, either. They’re tournaments that last for a little more than two weeks!

Parks

If you’d prefer to spend your time out in nature, you’re more than covered. I recently wrote a post about the 12 best Tokyo parks. These include Yoyogi Park, Ueno Park, Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park, Odaiba Seaside Park, and Showa Memorial Park.

Most parks attract their fair share of human traffic, but expect the parks to get especially busy in the spring when cherry blossom season begins.

Eating and Drinking

No matter your budget or cravings, you can surely find a restaurant, café, or eatery that suits you across Tokyo. As of 2009, Tokyo had 160,000 restaurants, says BBC. That number has surely only grown in a decade. Also, as recently as 2018, Tokyo boasted more restaurants with Michelin stars than any other in the world, says Food Drink & Franchise.

Nightlife

Seeking the nightlife? There is absolutely no shortage in Tokyo. Here’s an article on our blog that breaks down all the places you can go at night. You can do more than just eat or drink in Roppongi, too. There’s also arcades, karaoke bars, live sports (like sumo), observation decks, park parties, and so much more.

Theme Parks

For the family-oriented or roller coaster thrill-seekers, Tokyo has a lot to offer in the way of theme parks. Tokyo Disneyland is among the best-known parks, but it’s far from the only one. Your other options include:

• Yomiuri Land
• Sanrio Puroland
• Tokyo Disney Resort
• Tokyo Joypolis
• Hanayashiki Amusement Park

Why Visit Kyoto?

As I’ve written about, Kyoto came first. It was once the capital of Japan before Tokyo took that role and hasn’t relinquished it since. Therefore, you should spend time here, too, as it’s an important city in Japan.

Here are some sights to plan for when in Kyoto. Get your itinerary ready!

Larger-Than-Life Structures

While there’s no Tokyo Skytree here, Kyoto does have an abundance of tall buildings. You won’t miss the Skytree much when you see Kyoto’s answer to it, the Kyoto Tower. It’s 328 feet tall, so it’s much more modest than the Tokyo Skytree. The Kyoto Tower weighs 800 tons and has nine stories. Inside, you can find stores and restaurants.

Standing at 330 feet is the Nidec Corporation Head Office Building. Following that is the Kyocera Headquarters Building at 311 feet. Outside of private corporations, the Kyoto Station will also leave you in awe, as it’s 230 impressive feet tall. You can easily get to Kyoto Tower from the station, so check out both buildings! If you can stay at the Kyoto Hotel Okura, this dizzying building has a height of 197 feet.

Sports

There are no sumo wrestling matches in Kyoto as of this writing, but luckily, that’s not the only sport in Japan. The city is also home to:

• Basketball team the Kyoto Hannaryz
• Football club the Kyoto Sanga FC
• Marathon event the Kyoto Marathon (every February), where runners will sprint 42.195 kilometers or 26.22 miles

If you want to see something like sumo, check out a kosen judo event. Kyoto has always been heavily involved in kosen judo. Before the 1940s, the city ran a series of schools training prospective students in this form of judo. Their judo students have the most wins at the Nanatei league as well.

Kyoto has its own sporting arena, the Takebishi Stadium Kyoto. This went from by the name Kyoto Nishikyogoku Athletic Stadium until very recently. Around since 1942, you can fit nearly 21,000 people in there. They often gather to see the Kyoto Sanga FC football games.

Parks

Like Tokyo, Kyoto has plenty of parks for you to enjoy. Here’s an overview as well as some information about each park.

• Hiuchikatachi Koen Skate Board Park: If you own a skateboard and you’re looking for a place to ride around Kyoto, make sure you hit up this park. It’s got plenty of rails and ramps to keep you entertained for hours.
• Pontocho Park: The picturesque Pontocho Park may not be large, but it has great views of a nearby river. Cats sometimes do pass through the park, but some people might not mind that.
• Shutoku Park: A small and simple park, you can sit and take a break here during a busy day or even enjoy a stroll.
• Shugaku-in Imperial Villa: Also referred to as the Shugaku-in Detached Palace, the Shugaku-in Imperial Villa is in Kyoto to the east. It contains teahouses and other outbuildings as well as gardens. Many residents here have declared the gardens a masterpiece.
• Arashiyama Park Nakanoshima Area: With a children’s plaza, an observation deck, and a perimeter of trees, this park in Ukyo Ward, Kyoto makes for another nice stopping place.
• Umekoji Park: The flower displays here will amaze, even once cherry blossom season ends. Make sure you take some time to visit the nearby aquarium!
• Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama: Want to know why this is called the Monkey Park? It’s because lots of Japanese macaque monkeys live here, more than 170. Not only can you see the Oi River and Mount Arashiyama, but you can even feed the monkeys too if you buy food at the park.
• Kyoto Gyoen National Garden: Once home to a palace, the Kyoto Gyoen National Garden still has tons going for it. For instance, you can take in streams, cherry blossoms, trees, and flowers amongst a neatly landscaped park.
• Maruyama Park: If you’re in Kyoto for cherry blossom season rather than Tokyo, then hoof it to Maruyama Park. This is the place for watching cherry blossoms, so expect some pretty big crowds.

Eating and Drinking

Although maybe it doesn’t have as many restaurants as Tokyo, trust me when I say you won’t be starving in Kyoto. The food here will amaze, as you can order familiar dishes like pizza or Italian food as well as dine at restaurants dedicated to sushi, barbeque, steaks, or even Chinese cuisine. Of course, if you want authentic Japanese food, Kyoto has it in spades.

For those nights of fine dining, take a look at these Michelin-starred Kyoto restaurants courtesy of Culture Trip:

• Yonemura, a western/Japanese restaurant in Gion
• Motoi, a French establishment
• Ajiro, a Shojin eatery
• Nakamura, a Kaiseki establishment with a history going back to sometime around the 17^th or 19^th century
• Hyotei, a Japanese restaurant in the Nanzenji Temple

Before setting foot in any of these establishments, you might want to brush up on your Japanese etiquette.

Tokyo has Roppongi, the hub of nightlife. As for Kyoto, you can find nightlife just about anywhere. Whether you want to spend the evening drinking, dancing, or absorbing the atmosphere at a nightclub, you’ve got options. Here are some picks to consider:

Nightlife

• Moonlight Emi, which opens at 8 p.m.
• Club Ibiza, with hours from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
• Forum Kyoto, which opens at 5 p.m.
• (le club Jazz), which opens at 7 p.m.
• Kyoto Star Bar, with hours from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m.
• Azure, a gay bar
• Kiyamachi Samboa, which opens at 5 p.m.
• L’Escamoteur, with hours from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.
• Ki Bar, which opens at 6 p.m.
• Zoro Peace Lounge Kyoto, with hours from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m.
• barcode, a karaoke bar with hours from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.
• World Kyoto, with hours from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.
• Kitsune Kyoto, a nightclub with hours from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.
• The Common One Bar Kyoto, with hours from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Getting Between Tokyo and Kyoto Via the Shinkansen

As I said earlier in this article, I recommend you take the shinkansenor bullet train to get between Tokyo and Kyoto. I have a great article on this blog about navigating the two cities.

To recap, you can ride the shinkansen anytime between 6 a.m. and midnight. After midnight, you’d have to find an alternate means of getting around, so watch how long you stay out at a bar or club! Either that or get a hotel in the city you’re visiting for the night.

You can bring two bags or pieces of luggage with you, so toting an overnight bag is a possibility. Each bag must weigh no more than 66 pounds. The luggage also cannot exceed 98 inches for the width, depth, or height.

If you happen to have a snack or a meal on you, you can eat it onboard the train. Otherwise, you can buy beverages, including beer, during your ride. You can also purchase some food to nibble on.

It is a somewhat long trip from Tokyo to Kyoto on a shinkansen train. You’ll ride for three hours and 40 minutes. Plan accordingly. It’s also not a very cheap trip. The fare costs between 10,300 and 11,600 yen. That’s $96.87 to $109.09 USD.

If you’re staying in Japan for seven days, you might split it so you’re in Tokyo for the first or four three days and then Kyoto for the last three or four or vice-versa. This way you’re not spending that kind of money daily to get around. You could if you really want to, but it’ll chew through your budget fast. I can help you plan your Tokyo itinerary with this article, which does include plans for three days. You’ll have your time very much occupied, but you’ll get to see a lot!

Navigating Crowds

Tokyo, as Japan’s capital, has 9.273 million residents per 2015 data through the United Nations. The same data source says that, as of 2015, 1.475 million people live in Kyoto. You might think you can avoid the crowds by going to Kyoto over Tokyo. Then you get there and realize that Kyoto is just as crowded.

You don’t want to waste precious time waiting in line or navigating through heavy throngs of people. Sometimes, that’s unavoidable, but it’s all about how you plan your trip. Here are some pointers for getting away from the crowds.

Trains

• New Year’s gets especially crowded on the trains, says Japan Rail Pass. Either avoid public transportation before or after New Year’s or reserve a seat so you’re not shut out. Do anticipate crowds if you must travel.
• Stick to either the train’s last or first car during rush hour traveling. They may be less busy.
• Avoid certain trains lines, as they have more people than others. These include:
  • JR Keihin-Tohoku line
  • Chiyoda subway line
  • JR Sobu Express
  • JR Tokaido line
  • Tokyu Denentoshi line
  • JR Chuo line
  • JR Yokosuka line
  • Odakyu line
  • Tozai subway line
• Get on the first train at 5 a.m. (not the shinkansen) to beat the crowds.
• Avoid traveling between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. in the morning.
• Don’t ride the train on Sundays if you can help it, as that day is busy as well.

Restaurants

• Always have a backup plan in case the first place you want to eat at is busy.
• Call ahead and reserve a table if you can.
• Get there early to be on the safe side.

Parks

• Go to a park during the week when a lot of people have to work.
• Get in line before parks or shrines open. Most of the time, that’s at 9 a.m., but the times can and do vary.
• Like a restaurant, have a backup park to visit in case the one you want to see has too many people.
• Limit your weekend trips to parks right before they open or right before they close.

City Travel

• Get up very early in the morning before people leave for work to come across less people in the streets.
• Plan your routes smartly, choosing less-taken roads and paths that aren’t as congested.
• Keep walking when you see a crowd instead of turning around. The crowd often thins out.

I do want to reiterate that whether you travel to Tokyo or Kyoto, if it’s springtime and the cherry blossoms are falling, you will come across more people than usual. That’s pretty much unavoidable. Other busy times include the start of the foliage season in November as well as May’s Golden Week.

Conclusion

If you’re torn between going to Japan to visit Tokyo or Kyoto, know that there’s no need to choose. These major cities are worth seeing, and you can reach both in the same day by riding a bullet train. The trip does take about four hours, so plan your itinerary around this.

You deserve to experience all Japan has to offer when you come here, so don’t restrict yourself to one city over the other. With a tight itinerary, you can check off lots of destinations and landmarks in just a few days!