Kyoto · Japan
Where to stay in Kyoto: 11 wards compared
218 places to stay in this guide fall in one of the 11 wards of Kyoto. The most are in Nakagyō Ward (66), Shimogyō-ku (64), Higashiyama-ku (57). The area whose centre is nearest the city centre is Nakagyō Ward, 1.5 km away. Nothing here is ranked: each area is described by the same facts, so you can choose by what matters for your stay.
- Wards compared
- 11
- Places to stay counted
- 218in the 11 wards
- Most places to stay
- Nakagyō Ward66 places
- Nearest the centre
- Nakagyō Ward1.5 km
Compare
The wards of Kyoto, side by side
Sorted by the number of places to stay. Distances are straight-line from each area's centre point.
| Area | Places to stay | From the centre | Nearest main sight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nakagyō Ward | 66 | 1.5 km | Kyoto Imperial Palace 2.0 km |
| Shimogyō-ku | 64 | 2.9 km | Tō-ji Temple 1.0 km |
| Higashiyama-ku | 57 | 1.8 km | Kiyomizu-dera 0.8 km |
| Kamigyō-ku | 9 | 2.3 km | Kyoto Imperial Palace 0.7 km |
| Minami-ku | 6 | 4.3 km | Tō-ji Temple 0.4 km |
| Kita-ku | 5 | 3.5 km | Kyoto Imperial Palace 1.9 km |
| Sakyō-ku | 4 | 4.2 km | Kamigamo Shrine 2.7 km |
| Ukyō Ward | 3 | 4.7 km | Ninna-ji Temple 2.3 km |
| Fushimi-ku | 3 | 8.5 km | Fushimi Inari-taisha 3.7 km |
| Yamashina-ku | 1 | 6.0 km | Kiyomizu-dera 3.6 km |
| Nishikyō Ward | 0 | 7.4 km | Tō-ji Temple 5.0 km |
Areas: the 11 wards of Kyoto that Wikidata records as a ward of Japan located in the city. Places to stay are not assigned by boundary: each is counted in the area whose centre is nearest, and only when it is within that area's reach (twice the radius of a circle the size of the area where Wikidata gives its size, otherwise 1.5 km) and no nearer the centre of a neighbouring town in this guide; 218 places to stay are counted this way. Sights are counted the same way. Main sights: the 10 sights in these areas covered by the most Wikipedia language editions. Stations: railway and metro stations in Wikidata. All distances are straight-line from the area's centre point; on foot or by road they are longer.
Restaurants, cafes and bars: as mapped in OpenStreetMap, counted in the area whose centre is nearest, the same way as the places to stay.
Source: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0), map data of 21 September 2026.
Main sights
Kyoto's main sights and the area each is counted in
The 10 sights in these areas covered by the most Wikipedia language editions, a measure of how widely documented they are.
| Sight | Area | From the centre |
|---|---|---|
| Kiyomizu-dera | Higashiyama-ku | 2.4 km |
| Kinkaku-ji Temple | Kita-ku | 4.8 km |
| Fushimi Inari-taisha | Minami-ku | 5.0 km |
| Kyoto Imperial Palace | Kamigyō-ku | 1.6 km |
| Ginkaku-ji Temple | Sakyō-ku | 3.2 km |
| Ryōan-ji Temple | Ukyō Ward | 5.2 km |
| Tō-ji Temple | Minami-ku | 3.9 km |
| Heian Jingū | Higashiyama-ku | 1.4 km |
| Kamigamo Shrine | Kita-ku | 5.6 km |
| Ninna-ji Temple | Ukyō Ward | 5.4 km |
Hotels by area
Hotels in each area of Kyoto
Questions
Where to stay in Kyoto: questions travellers ask
What is the best area to stay in Kyoto?
That depends on what the stay is for, so this guide does not rank them. The facts: the most places to stay in this guide are in Nakagyō Ward (66), Shimogyō-ku (64), Higashiyama-ku (57); the area whose centre is nearest the city centre is Nakagyō Ward (1.5 km); the most sights recorded in Wikidata are in Higashiyama-ku (49); the area centre closest to a station is Ukyō Ward (Uzumasa Tenjingawa Station, 0.1 km).
Which area of Kyoto has the most hotels?
Nakagyō Ward, with 66 places to stay in this guide, of 218 counted across 11 wards.
Which area of Kyoto is Kiyomizu-dera in?
Kiyomizu-dera is counted in Higashiyama-ku: its nearest area centre, 0.8 km away. Higashiyama-ku has 57 places to stay in this guide.
Which area of Kyoto is Kinkaku-ji Temple in?
Kinkaku-ji Temple is counted in Kita-ku: its nearest area centre, 2.3 km away. Kita-ku has 5 places to stay in this guide.
Sources: areas, sights and stations from Wikidata (CC0); places to stay from each operator's own public pages and from Wikidata. Kyoto travel guide · How this guide is made.