About 1.8 km between the three mapped locations, plus walking within the sites.
This route starts at Kiyomizu-dera, continues to Kodai-ji and finishes at Yasaka Shrine. Kodai-ji opens at 9:00, so the early-start option may include a short wait.
This shows the order of the walk. It is a diagram, not a map, and not to scale. Walking times are map-route estimates between the listed locations.
| Kiyomizu-dera | 60–90 minour estimate |
|---|---|
| Walk via Matsubara-dori and Kiyomizu-zaka | about 17 minmap-route estimate |
| Kodai-ji | 45–75 minour estimate |
| Walk via Shimogawara-dori | about 8 minmap-route estimate |
| Yasaka Shrine | 20–40 minour estimate |
Walking times here are map-route estimates between the listed locations. Actual time varies with crowds, slopes, traffic signals and which entrance you use.
Distances are measured between the map's representative point for each site, not between gates.
Who it suits. Travellers staying within walking distance who want to be at Kiyomizu-dera before the middle of the morning, and who do not mind a short wait before Kodai-ji opens.
Worth knowing. Kodai-ji does not open until 9:00. On the quickest version of this route you reach it at about 8:47 and wait a little over ten minutes.
| Typical finish | about 11:30 |
|---|---|
| If you take your time | about 12:30 |
Who it suits. Travellers arriving from elsewhere in the city, or anyone who would rather not start early. Everything on the route is open by the time you begin.
Worth knowing. Kodai-ji stops admitting visitors at 17:00. Starting at 9:00 leaves a wide margin, so this is the more forgiving option if you like to linger.
| Typical finish | about 13:00 |
|---|---|
| If you take your time | about 14:00 |
The leg between Kiyomizu-dera and Kodai-ji runs along Kiyomizu-zaka, a sloping approach road. These estimates cover travel between the mapped locations, not walking within the temple grounds. Accessibility within the sites has not been assessed for this guide.
| Kiyomizu-dera hours | Kiyomizu-dera — visiting and access |
|---|---|
| Kodai-ji hours and admission | Kodai-ji — admission and hours |
| Yasaka Shrine grounds | Kyoto City Official Travel Guide — Yasaka Shrine |
Information checked: September 3, 2026.