Timeline
16:22
Start with a quiet coffee. This café is open until 18:30, so you have plenty of time to sit and watch the light change before heading out.
16:52
Walk to Kitano Tenman-gū. The shrine grounds are free and open until 17:00. Arrive early to find a quiet corner and look west toward the setting sun.
17:22
Watch the sun set toward the WSW. The golden light hits the shrine structures just before the sun dips below the horizon.
17:37
End with a warm bowl of ramen nearby. It is open until 22:30, making it a perfect spot to recover from the chill of the evening.
Local tip
The shrine is free, but the treasure house costs ¥300. If you want to see inside, go before 17:00.
Check before you go
- Kitano Tenman-gū closes at 17:00 on regular days. On the 25th of every month it stays open until 21:00.
- Golden light starts around 16:48 on 15 October.
Built from places in the Wikivoyage guide to Kyoto (CC BY-SA 4.0), with open map data from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).