Kyoto 京都

Half-day on foot, before 08:00 if you can; 28-inch bags forbidden; three rescue anchors along the slope.

rescue coverage 99% · max p90 6.9′ · half

90 minutes to half a day, flat, late afternoon or evening; bags painful; respect the signed private lanes.

rescue coverage 100% · max p90 6.3′ · 90m

Go at opening light (before 08:00); the lower gates take 60–90 min, the full mountain loop 2–3 h of stairs.

rescue coverage 100% · max p90 5.7′ · half

Out by 07:30 or skip it: the bamboo grove is a 10-minute corridor that fills by 09:00; flat, bags painful.

rescue coverage 91% · max p90 7′ · half

Covered, flat and central: the rain-day and evening cluster; Nishiki before 11:00, Pontochō after dark; bags painful in the arcades.

rescue coverage 98% · max p90 7′ · half

Morning cluster far from the centre: Kinkaku-ji at opening, walk the Kinukake road to Ryōan-ji; 3 hours; buses are slow and crowded — taxi out, bus or taxi back.

rescue coverage 99% · max p90 6.7′ · half

One cluster per morning, afternoons light; the solver keeps each day inside its time envelope.

One day only: Higashiyama from opening, down through Gion, lunch in covered Nishiki — one direction, downhill, no cross-city rides.

Two mornings, two clusters: Higashiyama to Nishiki, then Fushimi Inari at first light; skip Arashiyama rather than rush it.

Six clusters, one per morning, one rain-proof day held in reserve, and a light last day with bags; afternoons stay empty on purpose.

Short mornings, one stop fewer, seated rest after every sight, nap back at the hotel by 13:00; no Kiyomizu slope with a stroller.

Landed after 22:00 last night: sleep in, start at 11:00 in the covered centre, keep the day flat and close to the bed.

Swap any day for this chain when rain is forecast: one indoor hall, one museum, a covered market, a seated café — under 1 km of open-air walking.

A 10-minute path, not a destination: be there before 08:00 or skip it; it is open at all hours and free.

Go before 08:00; turn back at Yotsutsuji unless you want 2–3 hours of steps. No entry cutoff — the grounds do not close.

The quiet Zen temple inside Gion: the crowd bailout from Kiyomizu; 45 minutes on tatami verandas, shoes off.

Be at the gate at opening: the one-way loop takes 30–40 minutes and fills with tour groups by 10:00; you see the pavilion from across the pond only.

Go at opening (06:00); 45 min is the minimum worthwhile visit; leave the slope before 10:00.

The rock garden is a sit, not a walk: 30–45 minutes on the veranda, shoes off; quieter than Kinkaku-ji before 10:00.

Kyoto's best rain-day sight: one long indoor hall of 1,001 statues, 30–40 minutes, shoes off; combine with the National Museum across the road.

The garden is the visit: enter at opening, exit by the north gate into the bamboo grove; skip the halls if short on time.

The grounds never close: use it as the free end of the Higashiyama walk, at dawn or after dark when the lanterns are lit.

First night: flat walk from the station exit, desk until 24:00, 10–25 min to Higashiyama and Gion next morning.

Desk: staffed window until 24:00

Late arrivals and heavy bags: sleep within a few minutes' flat walk of Kyoto Station; pay for it with longer morning launches.

Desk: staffed 24h