Kyoto Is Crowded. Here’s How You Can Avoid Japan’s Infamous Overtourism!

Overtourism in Kyoto is a controversial topic, and that’s because no city has been as impacted by Japan’s rising tourism numbers. Crowds are colossal during peak seasons and holidays, top temples are packed, buses are bursting, and areas are impassable due to congestion. It’s undeniable that Kyoto is overcrowded. Or rather, that parts of it are suffering from too many tourists.

We’ve experienced this firsthand. From the time we started visiting Kyoto until 2019, crowds grew considerably. During months-long visits around fall colors and sakura seasons, we noticed the tour bus parking lots get progressively busier and wondered just how the city was going to handle the influx of visitors from the Olympics. Kyoto was already at its breaking point, and it didn’t seem like the planned counter-congestion measures would be all that effective.

Obviously, 2020 did not play out as expected. The few years that followed gave rise to more public debate about the role of tourism in the city’s future, as some Kyotoites loved the peace and quiet, whereas others feared for the long-term ramifications of lost tourism revenue. While far from finished, the debate was ‘settled’ when the border reopened and the tourism boom resumed.

We’ve also witnessed this firsthand. Each visit we’ve made to Kyoto in the last two-plus years has seen the city get progressively busier. Times that were previously off-season are now moderately crowded, and peak season before is off-the-charts now. Golden Week and sakura season were insane this year, and part of me (a small part) is dreading fall colors crowds.

About the only thing we cannot corroborate is the anecdotal reports that tourists are more disrespectful and obnoxious than before. This isn’t to say they’re well-behaved, but rather, that this is not exactly a new development. Even in 2019 and earlier, this was a growing issue that led to public awareness campaigns about proper manners, potential fines in Gion, and so forth.

As before, all of this comes down to good or bad luck and anecdotal experiences. The majority of tourists to Japan are well-behaved and respectful of their surroundings, but the bad apples stand out a lot more than the okay ones. Of course, social media has emboldened morons–but it has also given them greater visibility when their antics might’ve happened in the past without being broadcast to a global audience. Regardless, it’s undeniable that the city is busier than before!

The data bears this out. The number of foreign visitors to Japan topped 36.78 million last year, setting a new annual record thanks to the weak yen, ongoing reopening, and an increase in international flights. This surpasses the previous full-year high of 31.88 million set in 2019 by a whopping 5.59 million people, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization.

Every single month of the year recorded at least 30% growth compared with the same month of the previous year. This comports with our experiences and complaints we’ve heard from friends in Kyoto. Suffice to say, there’s a reason why overtourism is a hot topic in Kyoto. It’s every bit as busy as you’ve heard.

There’s no signs of this slowing down in 2025. To the contrary, it is accelerating. The number of foreign visitors to Japan in April 2025 hit a single-month record of 3.91 million, according to government data. Arrivals were bolstered by high travel demand due to the country’s cherry blossom season and Easter holidays overseas.

In May 2025, the number of foreign visitors to Japan rose 21.5% from a year earlier to 3.7 million, a record for the month of May, as travel demand remained strong even after cherry blossom season, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization. Japan received some 18.1 million foreign arrivals from January to May, up 23.9% from the same period in 2024.

Fortunately, numbers are expected to tick downward in July 2025 according to the JNTO. It is believed that a Japanese manga predicting a major earthquake in Japan on July 5, 2025 has discouraged travel (seriously). Well, this downtick is “fortunate” assuming that manga is not prescient. Regardless of its basis in scientific reality (or lack thereof), summer isn’t exactly the most comfortable time to visit Kyoto!

The number of foreign visitors in 2025 is forecast to reach 45 million or 46 million, Japan Tourism Agency Commissioner Naoya Haraikawa said during a press conference to announce the results. This would be an increase of 10 million year-over-year, which is insane given that last year set a new record!

This could get an unexpected boost due to a decrease in demand for travel to the United States; several international airlines are re-routing flights bound for Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco to destinations in Europe and Asia, citing softening demand due to the political climate. Cities like Kyoto and Tokyo are expected to be among the beneficiaries of this trend.

It’s a near certainty that 2025 will see even more inbound visits to Japan than last year, 2026 will be busier than this year, and so forth. There are expectations that pent-up demand among will start exhausting itself, among both foreign and domestic tourists. However, we would not necessarily bet on that. Visitor numbers from mainland China to Japan are still recovering, and that demographic has a disproportionate impact on Kyoto.

Last year, the number of foreign visitors to Kyoto hit a record high of 10.88 million according to data published in a tourism survey by the Kyoto city government. In total, Kyoto welcomed a 56.06 million visitors, the second highest ever (after 2015).

Tourist-related records tumbled in Kyoto last year, including a record 16.3 million visitors who stayed at least one night in the city. At 8.21 million, more than half of these overnight guests were foreign visitors. Kiyomizudera, Nijo-jo castle, Fushimi Inari, Gion, and Kinkaku-ji were the most visited sightseeing locations per the city.

The above data is illuminating, and also underscores the reality that the overwhelming majority of visitors to Kyoto are domestic day-trippers. Meaning that the many complaints among the Japanese about foreigners causing over-tourism are, at best, misplaced. It also means that the being among the minority of overnight visitors can give you a competitive advantage at beating and outlasting the crowds, as discussed below.

Despite all of the complaints among the Japanese about over-tourism, continued growth is what the government of Japan wants–and expects. The government’s stated goal is attracting 60 million foreign visitors to Japan annually by 2030. While this can be considered a savvy move as Japan’s population ages, we have concerns that the growth is not being properly managed–especially in Kyoto.

That’s almost double last year’s number, which is difficult to fathom. It honestly seems impossible for Japan to sustain 60 million foreign tourists from an infrastructure perspective alone, everything from inbound flights to airport capacity to train stations would need massive upgrades in the span of 5 years.

Japan has a plan for the sustainable growth. Part of that is promoting lesser-known spots and areas of the countryside. There are areas that have seen population decline that could handle more tourists, and would benefit from the increase. Win-win, right?

The problem with that is it operates under the belief that tourist inflow can be controlled, with new inbound visitors directed towards the areas that can sustain them and away from those that cannot. That underutilized capacity can be leveraged, without overburdening what’s already strained. This is a faulty assumption.

If this were true, there wouldn’t be countless articles about overtourism in Kyoto or Japan as a whole. Leaders and the tourism industry already would’ve reallocated crowds, properly spreading out people to reduce congestion and problems. Of course, it doesn’t work like that. People see photos of the Golden Pavilion, Kiyomizudera, Fushimi Inari, and other popular spots and gravitate towards them despite crowds.

And so, this will continue to happen at scale as tourism increases to Japan as a whole. Some of those new visitors will undoubtedly head to rural locations and parts of ‘unseen Japan.’ To be sure, marketing and other initiatives will be somewhat effective in that regard. But most visitors will also want to ‘play the hits’ and see the most iconic spots. What is already overburdened will become even more so. The bad news is that there is no amount of master planning that can change that.

The good news is that you can change it. While Japan cannot conceivably steer enough people away from Kyoto and towards rural alternatives, you can change the course of your own travels. And you can do so without skipping Kyoto as a whole, or even its most popular points of interest.

The issue facing Kyoto, in particular, is like a microcosm of Japan as a whole. Kyoto is suffering from overtourism. Just like Japan is faced with the problem of overtourism. In both cases, this does not apply across the board. Obviously, that’s true of the country as a whole given the dichotomy of unknown rural villages and popular cities like Kyoto.

Even within Kyoto, though, there are congested and uncrowded areas. Sometimes these exist in close proximity to one another, with hidden gem temples and shrines right around the corner from the city’s most popular ones. In fact, we’d go as far as to say that it’s not that there are pockets of low crowds in Kyoto, but rather, pockets of congestion. As a whole, Kyoto is not even close to reaching its breaking point. Rather, there are specific places and times of day that are especially bad.

We love Kyoto, a sentiment we frequently proclaim. It isn’t just our favorite city in Japan, Kyoto is our favorite city in the world. Nevertheless, we don’t view Kyoto through rose-colored glasses. We are incredibly cognizant of the crippling crowds that frequently plague the city, and our role in this all.

Whereas Tokyo is a mega-city that can easily absorb millions of visitors, Kyoto is not and cannot. The city’s infrastructure is insufficient, and the masses of tourists are antithetical to the very nature of the city’s traditions and sense of serenity.

One of our biggest fears is that people will read our effusive praise for Kyoto, go during the busiest times, visit only the ‘top’ temples, and have a bad time. They will determine that, like so many of the world’s other so-called top cities, Kyoto is overrated. That’s heartbreaking to us.

As cultural outsiders, perhaps it’s not our place to have a strong opinion on how Japan deals with crowds in Kyoto and the impact tourism will ultimately have on the city’s traditions. It’s also arguable that we’re “part of the problem” both as tourists and de facto salespeople for the city.

However, we’d like to think we’re advocates of responsible visits to the city, and want to further that here with advice that should redistribute crowds and ease the burden, at least to a degree. The good news–for you–is that you should want to visit in a responsible and sustainable manner, as it improves the experience you’ll have in Kyoto as a result.

Here are our top tips for avoiding over-tourism and overcrowding in Kyoto, Japan…

Don’t Skip Popular Spots, See Them Smarter 

One trend among social media influencers and other planning resources is to be contrarian, suggesting that the most popular points of interest are actually overrated and not worthy of the hype. While we don’t love every single top spot and prefer some hidden gems, this sentiment is largely nonsense. It’s aimed at telling people what they want to hear or being different for the sake of being different.

Kyoto is not exactly a trendy place. It’s not full of Instagram “museums” and other touristy spots that come in and out of favor with the times. Its shrines and temples have been around for centuries, and what was culturally-significant 100 years ago endures today. Certain temples are UNESCO World Heritage Sites and popular for a reason, and you shouldn’t skip them.

Instead, make a point of beating the crowds to them. Top spots like Kiyomizudera, Fushimi Inari, Golden Pavilion, Silver Pavilion, all of Arashiyama, Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka need to be experienced early in the morning or late at night. Beat the tour buses, outlast the masses, and see these spots when crowds are a small fraction of their midday peaks. This is especially true in the locations that have no operating hours, and can be visited morning or night.

Use An Itinerary & Stick to the Plan

To that end, we highly recommend following an itinerary to optimize your days in Kyoto. We’ve developed a number of touring plans for Kyoto, which you can find in our 1-Day to 1-Week Kyoto, Japan Itineraries.

Most touring plans aim for efficiency–arranging things Google Maps style so you’re doing what’s in close proximity. Ours do that, but also optimize for crowds. We aren’t sending you to any of the aforementioned spots during the middle of the day.

These all seek to avoid crowds to the greatest extent possible, and simply following one of these is going to save you headaches and help beat the crowds. Those itineraries are basically written around the rest of the advice here, the rest of which is helpful if you question our premises or don’t want to follow prefab plans.

Start by 7 am, Finish After 7 pm

This is an outgrowth of the first point, but I feel like it’s really worth hammering home. When we’re visiting Kyoto, our goal is to be on one of the first trains of the morning and at our first temple or shrine by 7 a.m.

We’ve watched the sunrise from Fushimi Inari and the public area (non-gated) at Kiyomizudera more times than we can count. Ditto night hikes through the same (just beware the boars at Fushimi Inari that come out once the crowds die down).

The bottom line here is that every hour outside of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. is twice as valuable as every hour within that window. If I could only tour Kyoto from 7 a.m to 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., or all of the hours in between, I’d choose the former without hesitation. Those 4 hours are superior to the 10 in the middle. (We tend to do both, but you get my point.)

We do both because skipping the midday is a challenge from an itinerary perspective. Most temples in Kyoto operate exclusively between those ‘half-value’ hours. However, some open early or stay open round the clock. Find the ones that do and spend your sunrises, sunsets, and evenings at those. The experience is serene, spiritual and simply sublime sans crowds.

Choose Off-Peak Dates or Days

Our When to Visit Kyoto, Japan post tackles the busiest times of the year, as well as offering our subjective assessment of good and bad times to visit. That’s a helpful resource because it assists you in striking the right balance between seasonal beauty and crowds. (For example, you should be willing to bear some crowds for the gorgeous fall colors season.)

In addition to those good and bad weeks and months, it’s worth knowing that weekends and holidays are generally more crowded, with weekdays being comparatively less busy. As discussed above, Kyoto is one of the most popular cities in Japan for domestic tourism, and you’ll find a lot of people taking long weekend trips to Kyoto, especially during peak seasons.

If you do opt to visit during fall colors or sakura seasons (and you should!), you can mitigate to a great degree by simply spending Monday through Thursday in Kyoto. Tokyo and other major cities are less busy on weekends, so that works out perfectly!

#52 Without Crowds is Better Than #7 With Crowds

Our Top 100 Temples & Shrines in Kyoto, Japan list notes that anywhere in the top 52 could be your ‘surprise favorite’ temple or shrine. Kyoto’s bench is surprisingly deep, which is worth reiterating.

Above we advised that no one should skip Golden Pavilion, Kiyomizudera, Fushimi Inari, or the handful of other “must dos” that frequently make lists of the top 10 things to do in all of Japan. No matter what anyone claims, those are not overrated. (The crowds that descend upon them at peak times can make the experience less enjoyable, but we’ve already covered that above.)

With that said, there is something of a self-fulfilling prophecy with the popularity of top spots and lack thereof with hidden gems. If you’re visiting during peak season and need a midday escape from the crowds, choose lower-profile temples and shrines. You should experience a fraction of the crowds, and will still see an amazing place.

We are not exaggerating when we say that we love every temple or shrine in the top 52 on that list. That may seem like an arbitrary cutoff, but it really isn’t–we’ve spent more time at #51 and #52 than #7, and I would happily take that dynamic duo with no crowds (which is usually the case) over the Golden Pavilion during the middle of a peak season day.

Don’t Use City Buses

Kyoto has been working to improve its infrastructure, but it simply cannot keep pace with the ever-increasing attendance. This is evident at train stations, but at least those are frequent and incredibly high capacity.

The same cannot be said of the city buses. While modern and clean, they’re buckling under the increased demand. Go to Kyoto Station in the morning, and you’ll find a line that snakes around the station for the most popular buses (routes to Golden Pavilion and Kiyomizudera, both of which are poorly serviced by train and subway).

This is true even in the early morning, and even after the city has rolled out express buses to the most popular major tourist attractions. Buses are also inefficient, as they serve both tourists and locals, meaning that you’re making frequent stops on most routes. Always prioritize the train, subway or walking. We only use buses as an absolute last resort. We’d rather have a 45 minute walk with surprise discoveries along the way than a bus commute of half that time.

Don’t Do Big Group Tours

Several of the most popular temples and shrines in Kyoto have enormous bus parking lots. Parking lots that are empty in the mornings, and fill up during the middle of the day.

Visiting in a tour bus ties you to going at the same time and to the same places as hordes of others, virtually guaranteeing that you’ll encounter a sea of humanity every single place you visit. You cannot avoid the crowds because you are the crowds.

We’d extend this to visiting as part of a tour group, period. Even a smaller and intimate one. You’re always at the mercy of the slowest person in your party, and will rarely start at the crack of dawn or stay out late. Not only that, but most of Kyoto’s best temples and shrines are inherently serene–or at least should be–and you’re missing that by experiencing them exclusively with a tour group.

Japan can be intimidating for many travelers without the safety net of a tour group. If you’re reading this, hopefully that doesn’t describe you, as you’re already more knowledgeable than the median visitor. At the very least, go out before the tour starts, stay out later, or give yourself a “free” day to explore on your own.

Ultimately, that covers it in terms of avoiding the worst of Kyoto’s infamous overtourism. We hope these tips help you beat the crowds, and give you the confidence to visit our favorite city in the world even in the face of ever-increasing international visitor numbers. If you visit armed with realistic expectations and a good plan of attack, you’re more likely to feel the same as we do about the city.

If you’re planning a trip to Japan that includes Kyoto, we recommend that you start by consulting our Ultimate Guide to Kyoto, Japan to plan all aspects of our vacation. You should also check out our other posts about Japan for ideas on other places to visit! 

Your Thoughts

Do you feel that Kyoto has a problem with over-tourism? Is it possible to have a pleasant experience in the city even during peak seasons simply by touring smarter? Any off-the-beaten-path options you’d recommend in an itinerary? What did you think of the experience? Any thoughts or tips of your own to add? Any questions about what we’ve covered here? Does visiting this spot in Kyoto interest you? Hearing about your experiences—even when you disagree with us—is both interesting and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!

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