My bookingJoin free · Member rates
← Itineraries

Itineraries · 3 days

Kansai Autumn Leaves in 3 Days

Eikando, Arashiyama, Ohara and Minoh at peak red.

9 sights4 food stops15 stops
Good for
Autumn tripPhotographersCouples
Where to stay

Stay in Osaka near Umeda or Namba: Hankyu and Keihan reach Kyoto in under an hour, and Minoh is about 30 min from Umeda.

Pick a home near the start →
Passes worth buying

Kansai Railway Pass
You shuttle between Kyoto and Osaka all three days.

Day 1

Higashiyama — Eikando to Ginkaku-ji

Okazaki · Philosopher's Path · Higashiyama
  1. From Osaka: Keihan to Sanjo, Tozai line to Keage, about 1 h, then walk 15 min
  2. 1
    09:00景 Sight1 h

    Eikando 永観堂

    The top autumn spot in Kyoto: maples climbing the hillside around the temple halls and pond.

    ★ Be at the gate at opening — an hour later means twice the crowd.
    ¥ ¥600; ¥1,000 in autumn-leaf seasonMap ↗
  3. Walk 10 min
  4. 2
    10:30景 Sight1 h

    Nanzen-ji & the Suirokaku Aqueduct 南禅寺・水路閣

    A huge Zen temple with a red-brick Meiji aqueduct running through its grounds.

    ★ The aqueduct's arches framing red maples is the shot.
    ¥ Hojo garden ¥600 / Sanmon gate ¥600 / Nanzen-in ¥400Map ↗
  5. Walk 5 min
  6. 3
    11:45食 Eat1 h

    Yudofu lunch near Nanzen-ji 南禅寺周辺の湯豆腐

    The streets around Nanzen-ji are known for yudofu, tofu simmered in kelp broth, served as a set.

    🍜 Eat Yudofu sets roughly ¥3,000–4,000
    ★ Queues build from noon in November — get your name down early.
    Map ↗
  7. Walk 15 min
  8. 4
    13:00景 Sight1 h

    Philosopher's Path 哲学の道

    A canal-side stone path of about 2 km, lined with maples in autumn and cherry trees in spring.

    ★ Walk it south to north so you finish right at Ginkaku-ji.
    Map ↗
  9. Walk at the north end of the path
  10. 5
    14:15景 Sight1 h

    Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion) 銀閣寺

    A quiet pavilion with a raked sand garden and a moss hillside walk.

    ★ Take the hillside path behind the pavilion for a view over the garden and the city.
    ¥ ¥500 adults / ¥300 childrenMap ↗
  11. Walk back along the path to Eikando, about 25 min
  12. 6
    17:30体 Do1.5 h

    Autumn night illumination 紅葉ライトアップ

    Eikando and Kiyomizu-dera light up their maples in the autumn season — a completely different mood from daytime.

    ★ Night tickets are separate and can sell out; check dates and buy ahead. Buses seize up in autumn — subway plus walking is faster.
    ¥ ¥600; ¥1,000 in autumn-leaf seasonMap ↗
Day 2

Arashiyama and Ohara — gorge train to moss garden

Arashiyama · Ohara
  1. From Osaka: Hankyu to Katsura, Hankyu Arashiyama line, then walk 15 min, about 1 h 15 min
  2. 1
    09:00体 Do45 min

    Sagano Romantic Train 嵯峨野トロッコ列車

    An open-air train through the Hozu gorge with maples on both banks.

    ★ It sells out in autumn — book a month ahead. It is one-way only, so plan the JR ride back before you book.
    ¥ One way ¥880 adults / ¥440 childrenMap ↗
  3. From Torokko Kameoka walk 10 min to JR Umahori, JR Sagano line to Saga-Arashiyama, about 10 min, walk 10 min
  4. 2
    10:15景 Sight1 h

    Tenryu-ji Sogen Pond Garden 天龍寺・曹源池庭園

    A Zen pond garden set against hills that turn red and gold in November.

    ★ Sit on the main hall veranda — the view is designed from there.
    ¥ Garden ¥500; halls +¥300; Cloud Dragon ceiling ¥500Map ↗
  5. Walk 10 min
  6. 3
    11:30食 Eat1 h

    Togetsukyo Bridge & Arashiyama lunch 渡月橋・嵐山ランチ

    Look across the Katsura River at maple-covered hills, then eat on the main street.

    🍜 Eat Yudofu sets ¥2,000–4,000, matcha sweets, skewers and croquettes ¥200–500
    ★ Arashiyama peaks at midday — eat quickly and move on.
    ¥ FreeMap ↗
  7. JR Sagano line Saga-Arashiyama → Kyoto, 15 min, then Kyoto bus 17 to Ohara, about 1 h
  8. 4
    14:00景 Sight1.5 h

    Sanzen-in, Ohara 三千院

    A mountain-village temple whose moss garden under maples is a quieter kind of beautiful.

    🍜 Eat Ohara is known for shibazuke pickles — the stalls along the approach offer tastings
    ★ Look for the small smiling stone jizo figures half-buried in the moss.
    ¥ ¥700 adults / ¥400 junior-high & high schoolMap ↗
Day 3

Minoh Falls and fried maple leaves

Minoh · Katsuo-ji · Umeda
  1. Hankyu Takarazuka line Osaka-umeda → Ishibashi Handai-mae, change to the Minoo line to Minoo, about 30 min
  2. 1
    09:00食 Eat30 min

    Minoh station approach & momiji tempura 箕面駅前・もみじの天ぷら

    Stalls near the trailhead sell momiji tempura — real maple leaves, battered and fried sweet.

    🍜 Eat Momiji tempura roughly ¥300–600 a bag
    ★ Wild monkeys live along the trail — eat here, not while walking.
    Map ↗
  3. Walk from the station
  4. 2
    09:30景 Sight40 min

    Minoh Park trail 箕面公園の滝道

    A flat, easy riverside walk of about 40 minutes through a maple tunnel.

    ★ Stop at Ryuan-ji temple halfway, surrounded by maples.
    Map ↗
  5. Walk the last stretch of the trail
  6. 3
    10:15景 Sight45 min

    Minoh Falls 箕面の滝

    A 33 m waterfall at the end of the trail, framed by red leaves in late November.

    ★ Late morning sun lights up the leaves around the falls.
    ¥ FreeMap ↗
  7. Taxi from the falls area, about 20 min
  8. 4
    11:30景 Sight1 h

    Katsuo-ji Temple 勝尾寺

    A hillside temple covered in red daruma dolls — striking against the autumn colour.

    ★ Buy a small daruma and leave it on the grounds with your wish, as visitors do.
    Map ↗
  9. Bus to Minoh-kayano, then Kita-Osaka Kyuko through onto the Midosuji line to Umeda, about 1 h total
  10. 5
    13:30食 Eat1.5 h

    Umeda lunch & department-store food halls 梅田のデパ地下

    Back in the city, eat and pick up edible gifts in the basement food halls around Osaka Station.

    🍜 Eat Okonomiyaki or kushikatsu lunch ¥1,000–2,000, boxed sweets ¥1,000–3,000
    ★ Food-hall sweets are boxed and wrapped for gifts — easy to carry home.
    Map ↗
Kansai Autumn Leaves in 3 Days · Stays by Tabitime