Is Kyoto Good for Kids? Our Honest Take

Short answer: yes - Kyoto has a real mix of moments that click with a 5-year-old and a few that don't, and knowing which is which ahead of time can help with your planning. Here's exactly what we did and how it actually went.

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Jackson on the playground slide at Arashiyama Monkey Park

Our family at the top of Arashiyama Monkey Park, with the Kyoto skyline behind us

A quiet Kyoto street, with a creek running beneath the road behind us

Jackson watching the monkeys roam and climb near the shelter at Arashiyama Monkey Park

Our family inside the feeding shelter at Arashiyama Monkey Park

Beside the river in Arashiyama, with a traditional Japanese boat behind us

A sign at Arashiyama Monkey Park reminding visitors not to feed the monkeys outside the shelter

Jackson with an ice cream at the halfway point of the Fushimi Inari hike

The Bamboo Grove

Honestly, this one was a bit underwhelming for us - Jackson especially. It's a beautiful photo, but as an actual experience to stand in, there isn't much to it, and we didn't spend much time there. If you're building a Kyoto itinerary with a young kid, I wouldn't plan much time around this one specifically.

Arashiyama Monkey Park - A Real Highlight

This was the highlight of Kyoto for us. It's a steep hike to get up there, but it's genuinely worth it, especially with kids.

At the top, there's a small playground with swings, a slide, a seesaw, and a few structures to climb on. At the time of our visit, Jackson only got to go down the slide once before it closed due to high temperatures, worth keeping in mind if you're visiting when it’s hot.

Right near the playground is a structure you can go inside to purchase food and feed the monkeys. You have to be inside that structure to feed them, which keeps everyone safe. Outside, you'll see plenty of monkeys roaming freely, but it's important to keep your distance. There are employees stationed around the area making sure visitors do too. They'll remind you to stay standing, not sit, not look the monkeys directly in the eyes, not crouch down or approach them, and definitely not to feed them unless you're inside the shelter. Also, when in the shelter be sure you only feed them the snacks provided for purchase and not anything you personally brought.

On top of all that, you also get a beautiful view of the Kyoto skyline from up there - a nice bonus on top of an already great stop.

A young boy smiling inside the feeding shelter at Arashiyama Monkey Park in Kyoto, Japan, with a monkey visible in the background.

Exploring Downtown Kyoto

We spent time just wandering the streets of downtown Kyoto too, and it has a completely different feel from Tokyo or Osaka. It felt much more cultural, and closer to what you probably picture when you imagine Japan in your head.

A young boy sitting on his dad's shoulders while exploring a downtown street in Kyoto, Japan.

Nishiki Market

We visited Nishiki Market during our time in Kyoto and really enjoyed sampling different seafood along the way and doing some shopping. A great, walkable stop that gives you a taste (literally) of local food culture without needing to sit down for a full meal.

Fushimi Inari Taisha - The Full Hike

We visited Fushimi Inari Taisha and completed the full hike. We arrived early in the morning and it was still very crowded but once you pass the Yotsutsuji intersection, the point where you get a view of the Kyoto skyline, the crowds thin out significantly, since most people turn around there.

We're glad we kept going. That said, worth setting expectations: the actual top of the hike isn't somewhere you'll want to spend a lot of time once you get there - it's more about the journey and the thinning crowds than a big payoff at the summit itself.

One practical tip: be sure to bring some yen with you on this hike. There are plenty of trailside vendors along the way selling snacks, drinks, and all kinds of little knickknacks and souvenirs so cash can come in handy.

On our way back down we stopped at Yotsutsuji intersection to enjoy the view and some ice cream.

A father and son smiling under the vermilion torii gates on the Fushimi Inari Taisha hike in Kyoto, Japan.

So, Is It Good for Kids?

Genuinely, yes. The Bamboo Grove is skippable with young kids, but the Monkey Park is worth building real time around, and Fushimi Inari is absolutely doable as a family hike if you're prepared for some crowds early on. Kyoto has a different pace and feel than Tokyo or Osaka, and that's part of what makes it worth including.

More From Our Japan Trip

This is one piece of a full 14-day trip through Japan. For the complete picture of what we spent in Kyoto, check out our Kyoto cost breakdown.

For the complete route, see our 14-Day Japan Itinerary, or check out the full trip cost breakdown.

Want the exact plan we used, hotel-by-hotel and day-by-day? Grab our 14-Day Japan Guidebookfor our full itinerary, transportation, hotels, timing, and planning logistics, built from this exact trip.