Must-see attractions in Kyoto

Nishiki Market

Downtown Kyoto

The covered Nishiki Market (Nishiki-kōji Ichiba) is one of Kyoto’s real highlights, especially if you have an interest in cooking and dining. Commonly…

Enryaku-ji

Kyoto

Located atop 848m-high Hiei-zan (the mountain that dominates the skyline in the northeast of the city), the Enryaku-ji complex is an entire world of…

Kiyomizu-dera

Southern Higashiyama

A buzzing hive of activity perched on a hill overlooking the basin of Kyoto, Kiyomizu-dera is one of Kyoto's most popular and most enjoyable temples. It…

Chion-in

Southern Higashiyama

A collection of soaring buildings, spacious courtyards and gardens, Chion-in serves as the headquarters of the Jōdo sect, the largest school of Buddhism…

Gion

Southern Higashiyama

Gion is the famous entertainment and geisha quarter on the eastern bank of the Kamo-gawa. While Gion’s true origins were in teahouses catering to weary…

Nijō-jō

Downtown Kyoto

The military might of Japan's great warlord generals, the Tokugawa shoguns, is amply demonstrated by the imposing stone walls and ramparts of their great…

Shōren-in

Southern Higashiyama

This temple is hard to miss, with its giant camphor trees growing just outside the walls. Fortunately, most tourists march right on past, heading to the…

Daigo-ji

Kyoto

Daigo-ji is a World Heritage–listed sprawling temple complex located in the Daigo district of Kyoto, which lies on the east side of the Higashiyama…

Byōdō-in

Kyoto

Byōdō-in is home to one of the loveliest Buddhist structures in Japan: the Hōō-dō hall (Phoenix Hall), which is depicted on the back of the Japanese ¥10…

Yasaka-jinja

Southern Higashiyama

This colourful and spacious shrine is considered the guardian shrine of the Gion entertainment district. It's a bustling place that is well worth a visit…

Maruyama-kōen

Southern Higashiyama

Maruyama-kōen is a favourite of locals and visitors alike. This park is the place to come to escape the bustle of the city centre and amble around gardens…

Sanjūsangen-dō Temple

Southern Higashiyama

This superb temple’s name refers to the 33 sanjūsan (bays) between the pillars of this long, narrow edifice. The building houses 1001 wooden statues of…

Gekkeikan Sake Ōkura Museum

Kyoto

The largest of Fushimi’s sake breweries is Gekkeikan, the world’s leading producer of sake. Although most of the sake is now made in a modern facility in…

Kyoto International Manga Museum

Downtown Kyoto

Located in an old elementary school building, this museum is the perfect introduction to the art of manga (Japanese comics). It has 300,000 manga in its…

Yasui Konpira-gū

Southern Higashiyama

This interesting little Shintō shrine on the edge of Gion contains one of the most peculiar objects we've encountered anywhere in Japan: the enkiri…

Ponto-chō

Downtown Kyoto

There are few streets in Asia that rival this narrow pedestrian-only walkway for atmosphere. Not much to look at by day, the street comes alive at night,…

Kōdai-ji

Southern Higashiyama

This exquisite temple was founded in 1605 by Kita-no-Mandokoro in memory of her late husband, Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The extensive grounds include gardens…

Rokuharamitsu-ji

Southern Higashiyama

An important Buddhist pilgrimage stop, this temple was founded in 963 by Kūya Shōnin, who carved an image of an 11-headed Kannon and installed it in the…

Kyoto National Museum

Southern Higashiyama

The Kyoto National Museum is the city's premier art museum and plays host to the highest-level exhibitions in the city. It was founded in 1895 as an…

Ninen-zaka & Sannen-zaka Area

Southern Higashiyama

Just downhill from and slightly to the north of Kiyomizu-dera, you will find one of Kyoto’s loveliest restored neighbourhoods, the Ninen-zaka–Sannen-zaka…

Mibu-dera

Downtown Kyoto

Mibu-dera was founded in 991 and belongs to the Risshū school. It houses tombs of pro-shogunate Shinsen-gumi members, who fought bloody street battles…

Kawai Kanjirō Memorial Hall

Southern Higashiyama

This small memorial hall is one of Kyoto’s most commonly overlooked little gems. The hall was the home and workshop of one of Japan’s most famous potters,…

Museum of Kyoto

Downtown Kyoto

This museum is worth visiting if a special exhibition is on (the regular exhibits are not particularly interesting and don’t have much in the way of…

Kennin-ji

Southern Higashiyama

Founded in 1202 by the monk Eisai, Kennin-ji is the oldest Zen temple in Kyoto. It is an island of peace and calm on the border of the boisterous Gion…

Shiori-an

Downtown Kyoto

Located in a large merchant’s house, this kimono-shop-museum walks visitors through the architecture of a traditional building built in the daibeizukuri…

Ebisu-jinja

Southern Higashiyama

This small shrine near Kennin-ji honours Ebisu, the god of prosperity. Naturally, it's a popular spot with local businesspeople. The Tōka Ebisu festival…

Kizakura Kappa Country

Kyoto

Kizakura is worth a look if you're in the Fushimi area. The vast complex houses both sake and beer breweries (these are not open to the public), courtyard…

Rokkaku-dō

Downtown Kyoto

This tucked-away temple makes for a worthy detour when hitting the boutiques and restaurants downtown. The name refers to its unique hexagonal shape, and…

Kaleidoscope Museum of Kyoto

Downtown Kyoto

This one-room museum is filled with unexpected wonders in a wide variety of kaleidoscopes. Not sure who will enjoy this more, children or the adults…

Entoku-in

Southern Higashiyama

This subtemple of Kōdai-ji has a lovely Zen garden and is a pleasant retreat from the busy touristy surrounds. You can buy a combo ticket with Kōdai-ji…

Kyoto City Hall

Downtown Kyoto

Built in 1927, this imposing building takes up one block on the corner of Kawaramachi-dōri and Oike-dōri.

Higashi-Ōtani

Southern Higashiyama

This is one of the largest Buddhist graveyards in Kyoto. It's an atmospheric (if spooky) place for a walk.