Inside Kyoto
A practical, independent guide to Kyoto with itineraries, district guides and local tips.
About Inside Kyoto
Inside Kyoto was started by Chris Rowthorn in 2007 as a personal blog and expanded in 2013 into a full online guide to the city he has called home since 1996. Rowthorn writes, commissions and edits nearly every page and has since launched companion sites for Tokyo and Osaka. The site has grown into a large resource with more than 970 pages of practical material, including itineraries, district breakdowns, hotel and ryokan recommendations, packing lists and booking pointers, and it was still being updated in 2026. Many pages carry credited photography and overt links to travel services and bookings.
A single-author city guide with the calm authority of a longtime local and guidebook writer. We enjoy the way Chris channels his Lonely Planet experience into crisp, usable pages - district-by-district deep dives, ready-made 1-to-5 day itineraries, and practical checklists that save planning time. The site reads like a well-indexed guidebook rather than a travel journal, and the writing is direct and informative. Standouts are the neighborhood guides, the packing checklist, and the option to book a private walking tour or paid consultation. Updates continue into 2026, and the photography credits give the site a deliberately curated, well-documented feel.
Where They Travel
city
Pros
- Authoritative guidebook experience
- Thorough district guides and multi-day itineraries
- Practical packing lists and hotel/ryokan picks
- Offers walking tours and travel consulting
Cons
- Pages include affiliate and partner booking links
- Limited ability to reply to individual reader inquiries
How Popular Is Inside Kyoto?
- Tranco traffic rank351,618
- Majestic Million rank115,813
- Open PageRank5.3 / 10