A field guide for
exploring Kyoto

Who makes it

Roam Kyoto is made by Daniel, who lived in Kyoto for a while, near Shijo-Omiya station. These days he splits his time between Tokyo and Montreal, and he also makes Roam Tokyo.

What you'll find here

The heart of the site is the interactive Kyoto travel map. Every pin has the practical details: the nearest station, a cost band, how long to allow and when to go.

Around the map sit neighbourhood guides for the areas you might stay in, and seasonal collections like autumn colour and rainy days for when the timing shapes your trip.

By the numbers

• 314 hand-picked places
• 14 neighbourhood guides
• 5 travel guides
• 115 events on the calendar

There's also an events calendar for festivals, markets and exhibitions.

A sister site

Roam Kyoto is a sister site of Roam Tokyo, which covers Tokyo the same way, with a map, neighbourhood guides and an events calendar. If your trip takes in both cities, you'll find the same layout on each.

How the site is made

The written guides are drafted with AI assistance from the map's data.

Photos are Creative Commons photos of the actual place, from Flickr and Wikimedia Commons, credited to the photographer with the licence on every page that shows them. A place without a suitable photo simply doesn't have one.

When something's wrong (a closed temple, a changed price, a moved bus stop), a note to hello@roamkyoto.com gets it fixed.

Hotel recommendations

When you book a hotel through Roam Kyoto, the site may earn a small commission through Stay22. It doesn't change what's on the map or which areas the guides suggest.