Kyoto 3-Day Itinerary 2026: Richmond Hotel, Kiyomizu-dera & Matcha

Kyoto Day 3 Travel Itinerary

Richmond Hotel Breakfast - Kiyomizu-dera Temple - Kyoto Starbucks Matcha Latte Review - Kansai Airport

By_2jay

Because of our flight time, our Day 3 itinerary

only included one sightseeing spot in the morning.

First up, we enjoyed breakfast at the Richmond Hotel, which has amazing reviews!

Richmond Hotel Premier Kyoto Shijo

By_2jay

Breakfast Hours: 7:00 AM – 11:00 AM

3,850 JPY (~$25) per person

We actually booked our room without breakfast

(since we didn't think we'd eat it every single day...).

If you have tours planned early in the morning like we did,

you can easily pay for breakfast at the lobby for just a single day.

So feel free to just pay as you go!

They accept both cash and card payments.

Richmond Hotel Premier Kyoto Shijo is quite famous

for its delicious breakfast, so we were super curious.

We decided we had to try it at least once for the experience, so we signed up on our last day when we had a bit more free time!

There was a really wide variety of options available,

and everything was beautifully arranged so you could enjoy a clean, traditional Japanese home-style meal.

We absolutely loved it!

You just grab a tray and fill it up with whatever you like.

I'll write a separate post with a detailed review of the breakfast later! haha

Kyoto Richmond Hotel Discount Code

MOMENTH3

Kiyomizu-dera Temple

By_2jay

Hours: 6:00 AM – 6:30 PM

Admission Fee: 500 JPY (~$3) per person

I really wanted to see Kiyomizu-dera surrounded by autumn foliage,

but since our travel dates didn't quite line up,

we had to miss out on the fall colors.

Still, Kiyomizu-dera is an absolute must-visit when you come to Kyoto!

This was my third time visiting Kyoto, but my second time at Kiyomizu-dera.

Seeing it again after so long gave me a completely different vibe.

It's funny how things you missed the first time suddenly stand out!

We arrived around 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM,

but if you're planning a visit... make sure to head out early! haha

By the time we got there, it was already packed with tourists,

and there were massive groups of students

who seemed to be there on a school field trip.

️

Sannenzaka was already so packed with tourists...

that I felt completely drained and couldn't even browse the souvenir shops. haha

I'm the type of person who easily zones out in massive crowds...

So if you're anything like me, I highly recommend visiting Kiyomizu-dera super early in the morning,

otherwise... you'll just have to brave a crowd like this! haha

If you find planning a self-guided tour a bit overwhelming,

or if you're only doing a day trip to Kyoto from Osaka,

since time is of the essence,

bus tour packages are actually a great option these days.

We had to skip Fushimi Inari Shrine due to time constraints,

but there are convenient bus tours that cover both Kiyomizu-dera and Fushimi Inari,

so it might be a great alternative

to keep in mind!

“Book Your Kyoto Bus Tour Here”

After a quick look around Kiyomizu-dera,

we headed back to our hotel.

Fortunately, from the "Richmond Hotel Premier Kyoto Shijo,"

we could take a direct bus without transfers,

so we hopped on the bus.

(It takes about 30 minutes by bus, and the fare is 230 yen per person.)

Kyoto Starbucks - Karasuma Rokkaku Branch (The Starbucks with a Temple View)

By_2jay

This is the very view that sparked our curiosity...

the famous temple-view Starbucks!

It happened to be just a 10-minute walk from our hotel,

so we dropped by when we had some spare time after returning from Kiyomizu-dera.

* If you plan on doing a lot of city sightseeing, I highly recommend staying at the "Richmond Hotel Premier Kyoto Shijo"!!

The location is amazing—almost everything is within walking distance.

Honestly, I was a bit disappointed when I tried the Starbucks Matcha Latte back in Korea,

but giving it another shot here in Kyoto was a game-changer. It is on a whole different level!

It tasted so much better! haha

Maybe because it's the home of matcha...

but while the one back home left a powdery, dry taste in my mouth,

the one in Kyoto didn't have any of that roughness.

It was perfectly sweet and absolutely delicious! haha

If you have some free time in your itinerary,

I highly recommend visiting this Starbucks in downtown Kyoto.

It's definitely not your average Starbucks view, making it a really unique experience.

(Just a heads-up: seating inside is quite limited.)

Since our flight was at 4:00 PM,

we took an Uber from our hotel to Kyoto Station.

(It took about 10 minutes by Uber.)

We booked tickets for the JR Haruka Kansai Airport Express.

Since we had a fixed schedule for our return,

we reserved designated seats... but...

we ended up running a bit too late,

missed our scheduled train, and had to change it to the next one.

(You can change your reserved seat ticket once for free, so if you're running short on time,

be sure to change it in advance!)

After safely securing our new reserved seats,

we made our way to Kansai Airport.

“Get Your Discounted JR Haruka Express Pass Here”

With autumn foliage season just around the corner, I'm sure many of you are planning a trip to Kyoto soon!

Book your discounted tickets in advance to save big on your next adventure! :)