If you’re exploring the Golden Pavillion, Kinkakuji with kids, here are my recommendations for that immediate area.
Even small children are very very impressed by Kinkakuji – more so than other temples and shrines in Japan. It’s literally a beautiful and shiny option!
How to get to Kinkakuji
I recommend taking a bus from Kyoto Station. Take bus number 105 or bus number 205 – it takes around 40 minutes and costs 230 yen each way.
You could also take a 30 minute taxi and the cost will be approximately 3500 yen.
*Also, if someone in your group has mobility issues or you are stuck for time to see the temples in Kyoto, it is possible to rent an English speaking taxi driver/tour guide. I can recommend booking with sightseeing taxi Hiroshi Taxi (prices listed on this website.)
While you are at Kinkakuji with Kids
Kinkakuji is open from 9am-5pm daily ( I wouldn’t arrive later than 4pm though) and costs 400 yen to enter.
I recommend a baby carrier over a stroller for sure. The paths are full of lovely pebbles and lots of little steps. Park your stroller at the entrance and return to it later.
Little Treats at Kinkakuji with kids
There are ice-cream vending machines near the ticket gates ( coin only last time I was there.) My advice is to promise/ keep as a reward at the end. Bit of incentive never hurt anyone right?
Family-friendly restaurants near Kinkakuji
If you’re closer to Kinkakuji ( the Golden pavillion)around lunch time or dinner, I recommend IN THE GREEN Italian restaurant for their incredible pizzas ( my kids love the margherita and I love my pizza covered in veggies.) The location itself is gorgeous.
The restaurant is only 150 metres from Subway Kitayama Station, exit 3. If you’re coming from Kinkakuji, you can bus and walk and train and walk ( see google maps) but I recommend jumping in a cab for 13 minutes ( it will cost around 1600 yen) – and show them the address below.
I would expect to pay around 2000 yen for an adult lunch and 3000 yen for dinner.
They welcome children and the entire restaurant is non-smoking. You can ask to sit indoors or on the terrace. Click here to see what the In the Green Kyoto looks like inside.
Reservations are possible. They do accept credit cards.
Call ahead ( or scroll down to the calendar on their website) on weekends as they occasionally host functions and are booked out.
IN THE GREEN KYOTO
京都市左京区下鴨半木町
SHIMOGAMOHANGICHO, SAKYO-KU, KYOTO-SHI
OPEN EVERYDAY FOR LUNCH 11:00AM-3PM
OPEN EVERYDAY FOR DINNER 5PM-8PM
OPEN EVERYDAY AS A CAFE 11AM-8:30PM
IN THE GREEN KYOTO WEBSITE
If you prefer something more casual, I recommend the sushi train restaurant called Kura Sushi – the Kinkakuji branch. It is 8 minutes walk from Kinkakuji and very english friendly. They accept most major credit cards and are a smoking free restaurant. Open 11am-midnight every single day. They also have charging electricity points for phones.
They do not take reservations but there are 196 seats in the restaurant so I think you’ll be ok.
It is very budget friendly – I’d expect to put aside 1500 yen per adult for lunch or dinner.
If you enjoyed this information I think you’ll also like this post on Central & Northern Kyoto written by Kyoto local, Lin. It also includes information on Daitokuji which is only 25 minutes walk/ 7 mins cab from Kinkakuji.
See here my general Kyoto with Kids advice.
