25 Must-See Tourist Spots in the Ancient City of Kyoto

If you're planning to visit Kyoto, the best times to go are undoubtedly spring and autumn.
In spring, you can enjoy the breathtaking beauty of cherry blossoms, while in autumn, the stunning colors of the changing leaves create a picturesque harmony with the city's temples and shrines, allowing you to fully appreciate the essence of Japan.
During spring, Daigoji Temple, Heian Shrine, and Toji Temple are famous spots for cherry blossoms, where the temple grounds are filled with blooming sakura.
In autumn, the trees in the precincts of Otowa-san Kiyomizu-dera Temple and Kodai-ji Temple change colors, offering a majestic and mystical atmosphere perfect for a serene stroll.

Kyoto is easily accessible, especially by Shinkansen (bullet train).
From Tokyo, it takes just 2 hours and 10 minutes, and on a clear day, you can enjoy the beautiful view of Mt. Fuji from the train window.
From Nagoya, the trip takes only 34 minutes, and from Osaka, it's just a 20-minute ride.
Therefore, traveling between the major cities in the Kansai region—Kyoto, Nagoya, and Osaka—is highly recommended.

Opened in the year 778, the temple was registered as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in 1994. In the 130, 000 m2 area of the precincts spread out on the hillside of Mt. Otowa, there are more than 30 cathedrals and monuments, including national treasures and important cultural properties. The changes in scenery of the Kiyomizu-dera temple can be seen every season, with cherry blossoms in spring, greenery in summer, colored leaves in autumn, and snow in winter.

It is the head shrine of about 30000 Inari shrines which are traditionally familiar throughout Japan and the god is worshiped for bountiful harvests of grain, business prosperity, the safety of households, recovery from illness, and wish fulfillment. This shrine was established in 711 AD.

During the Muromachi Period, the 3rd Ashikaga shogun, Yoshimitsu, made an abode in this temple called Kitayamadono. It was named as Rokuon-ji after the posthumous name of Yoshimitsu. He had also built Shokoku-ji Temple, and Rokuon-ji, his retirement home, was turned into a branch temple of Shokoku-ji.

In the latter half of the 13th century, Emperor Kameyama, who had defeated the Mongols (Yuan) twice, became the Pope and made the temple the first imperial temple in Japan as a Zen temple. After the main temple complex was built by Norian Soen, it was succeeded by Issan Ichinei, a high priest who was dispatched to Japan as an envoy of the Gen.

After winning the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 and unifying the country, Tokugawa Ieyasu had Nijo-jo Castle built as his base in Kyoto. It is a historical monument with a history of over 410 years as a castle in the heart of the capital. It was designated a UNESCO world heritage site as a part of the “Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto” in 1994.

Located along the Kibune River at the foot of Mt. Kibune in Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City, the shrine is the head shrine of about 2,000 water god shrines in Japan, and enshrines the deity Taka-okamino-kami, who controls water. The exact date of establishment is unknown, but there is a record of the rebuilding of the shrine in the 6th year of Hakuho (677), during the reign of Emperor Temmu, making it one of the oldest shrines in Japan with a history of over 1,300 years.

The shrine’s deities are Susanoo-no-Mikoto, Kushiinadahime-no-Mikoto, and Yahashira-no-Mikogami, and it is the head shrine of approximately 2,300 Yasaka Shrine and related shrines with Susanoo-no-Mikoto enshrined scattered throughout Japan. The shrine is said to have been established in 656, when the deity of Mt. Udu in the Silla kingdom was enshrined here. It has been revered as Gion Kanshinin and Gion-sha, and is still called “Gion-san” by the locals.

Established in 1895 to commemorate the 1100th anniversary of the transfer of the capital to Heian-kyo, this shrine is relatively new. The buildings emulate the central government office, the "Chodo-in," where significant ceremonies took place during the Heian period. Once you step into the precincts, adorned with these vermilion structures, you feel as though you've time-traveled back to the Heian era.

This temple was built in 794 along with Sai-ji Temple two years after the capital city was moved to Heiankyo. Although Sai-ji turned into a ruin by the end of Heian Period, Toji kept being rebuilt after each fire damage. The Kondo (Golden) Hall built by Toyotomi Hideyori and the five-storied pagoda gifted by Tokugawa Iemitsu still remain to this day, designated as national treasures.

This is the head temple of the Tenryuji sect of the RInzai school. It was founded by Ashikaga Takauji in 1339, during the early Muromachi period, in memory of Emperor Go-daigo, with Muso Kokushi (the eminent Zen master Muso Soseki) appointed as founding abbot. It was ranked first among Kyoto's Five Mountains of Zen temples.

The bridge was built in the first half of the 9th century during the Heian period (794-1185). It has been washed out many times, but each time it has been rebuilt. It is said that the name was given by Emperor Kameyama in the Kamakura period (1185-1333), as the moon moved across the bridge as if it were crossing over it.

Since built in 947, this 1000-year-old edifice is the head of 12,000 Tenmangu / Tenjin shrines nationwide dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane. Tenjin worship has begun here. Locals call it Tenjin-san of Kitano or Kitano-san. The exceptional scholar and politician, Sugawara is enshrined, thus, revered as the god of academics, visited by many students from all over Japan who are about to take entrance examinations.

Kyoto National Museum opened in 1897 as the Imperial Museum of Kyoto.
Today, the museum maintains a collection of about 14,600 pieces of art and cultural properties with close ties to Kyoto, including Japanese and East Asian artworks, as well as excavated cultural treasures.

A Zen Buddhist temple of the Rinzai sect Myoshinji school registered as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site as one of the "Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto.”
During the Muromachi period in 1450 (Hotoku 2), a man in charge of the shogunate, Katsumoto Hosokawa, took over the mountain villa of the Tokudaiji family and built the temple with Giten Gensho Zen Master, the fifth ancestor of Myoshinji Temple.

The head temple of the Omuro school of the Shingon sect of Buddhism, registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as one of the "Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto" The construction of the temple began in the early Heian period (886) at the request of Emperor Koko, the 58th emperor, and was completed in 888 by Emperor Uda, the next emperor. The temple name, Ninna, comes from the Japanese era name.

It is located right in front of Kyoto Station. It was designed in the shape of a lighthouse to illuminate Kyoto, and is the tallest building in Kyoto at 131 meters. It has been visited by over 32 million people since it opened in 1964.
You can enjoy a panoramic view of Kyoto from the observation deck, 100 meters above the ground. On a clear day, you can even see Osaka through the free telescope there.

The official name of the Shrine is Kamomioya-jinja. Due to its location downstream of the Kamo River that runs through Kyoto City, it is familiarized by the name “Shimogamo-san” and “Shimogamo Shrine.” The main shrine, consisting of two buildings in the east and west, is designated as a national treasure, and is one of the oldest shrines in Kyoto. It was also registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.

A large-scale inland aquarium that opened in March 2012 in Umekoji Park near Kyoto Station. It is divided into 10 areas and houses approximately 15,000 creatures from 250 different species, including the giant salamander, a national special natural treasure that lives in the Kamo River, Cape penguins, Largha seals, fish, and jellyfish. The “Penguin Correlation Chart,” which shows the relationships among the 59 penguins, has become the talk of the town because the penguins’ complex relationships resemble those of humans.

This temple was built by Ashikaga Yoshimasa, the eighth shogun of the Muromachi Shogunate, as a villa called "Higashiyama-den". Along with Kinkakuji Temple, this temple is a pagoda temple outside of Shokokuji Temple (i.e., a hermitage built in a different location from the main temple after his retirement). After Yoshimasa's death, the temple was named Jishoji after his Buddhist name.

In ancient times, Kamowakeikazuchi-no-okami, the god of the shrine, descended to the mountain northwest of the main shrine, and the Kamo clan, a powerful local family, built a shrine building in 678, and it is the oldest shrine in Kyoto. The name of Kamigamo Shrine is a common name, and the official name is Kamowakeikazuchi Shrine, named after the god. The mountain of sand in the precincts is called "tate-zuna," and it resembles a sacred mountain.

The oldest Zen temple in Kyoto and the head temple of the Kenninji sect of the Rinzai school. In 1202, Minamoto no Yorie, the second shogun of the Kamakura Shogunate, donated the temple area to the temple and founded it with Yousai Zenji as the founder. It thrived as the third most prestigious of Kyoto‘s five mountains, but was devastated by wars and fires. During the Keicho period (1603-1867), the temple was reconstructed by Ankokuji Ekei, who moved the hall to a new location, and the halls and towers were rebuilt under the protection of the Tokugawa Shogunate.

This is the head temple of Rinzai School. Kujo Michiie wished to have a temple for his family burial under Reverend Shoichi Kokusi’s ministry, and built seven halls during 19 years beginning in 1236.
Since the foundation, ward and fires damaged it. The current gate was rebuilt in 1425, known as the oldest among the existing gates of zen temples. The 22m-tall gate was designated as a national treasure in 1952.

In 874, Reverend Kobo Taishi’s disciple, Rigen Taishi founded this head temple of the Shingon sect. The entire 2.6 square miles of Mt. Daigo is the premise of the temple, the largest in Kyoto City. The grounds are divided into the “Kami-Daigo” on top and “Shimo-Daigo” at the bottom of the mountain with over 80 halls. When it was founded, monks exercised around Kami-Daigo. Later, Emperor Daigo worshipped here and supported the temple in building grand halls.

At the foot of Mt. Higashiyama, Kyoto, northeast of Hokanji Temple known for Yasaka Pagoda, there is a zen temple. After the death of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, his wife Nene (Kita-no-Mandokoro) moved from Osaka to Kyoto and retired into religion. Later in 1606, she had the acclaimed Kodaiji Temple built as Hideyoshi’s burial place and for herself. The name came from Kodai-in given by Emperor Goyozei.

A walking path leading from Ginkakuji Temple, one of the most popular sightseeing spots in Japan, to Kumano Nyakuouji Shrine.
It is a 2-km path along the canal near Kyoto University, and was named "Philosopher's Path" after Kitaro Nishida, a philosopher and professor at Kyoto University in the early 20th century, who walked this path every morning in meditative thinking.
In 1987, it was selected as one of the 100 best roads in Japan.

A well-established restaurant near the approach to Nanzen-ji Temple, Junsei has long been cherished for serving yudofu (hot tofu), a dish deeply rooted in Kyoto's culinary culture. Here, visitors can leisurely enjoy famous yudofu and yuba (tofu skin) while gazing at the 1,200-tsubo (about 3,967 square meters) strolling garden that reflects the changing seasons through its variety of plants and flowers.

Located along the alley of Gion, where old Kyoto townhouses are scattered, this sweet shop specializes in sweet bean paste desserts. The store is operated by "Sazae Shokuhin", famous for their ohagi (sweet rice ball coated with sweetened red beans) made with Hokkaido Tokachi azuki beans, known as the "red diamond". Centered on their long-established technique of making sweet bean paste, they offer a wide variety of sweets with a "new flavor" that is not bound by Japanese and Western frameworks.

Blessed with Kamo, Katsura and Uji Rivers, there has always been plenty of underflow water in Fushimi. With good crops of rice suited for brewing, this area has been known for top-quality sake in Japan. You see national brand makers such as Kizakura, Gekkeikan and Takara as well as many small breweries in this town.

Located along the Kibune River, the source of the Kamogawa River, this ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) with a restaurant was established in 1932. Known as one of the excellent establishments offering "Kawadoko" dining – a summer tradition in Kyoto – it attracts many visitors during the season. The river terrace set up on the clear Kibune River allows a refreshing breeze to pass through, and the murmur of the river adds a touch of elegance. What can be enjoyed in this prime location is the seasonal kaiseki cuisine, carefully prepared to be visually stunning with each dish. Not only delicious, but also a treat for the eyes, ears, and nose... This experience that satisfies all five senses will surely become the best memory of your trip.

Pontocho Robin is a Kyoto cuisine restaurant located deep in an alley of Pontocho, one of Kyoto's representative geisha districts. Using a 150-year-old Kyoto townhouse called "Takagi Fuku," they offer a menu full of seasonal ingredients in an atmospheric space. In addition to carefully sourcing ingredients from all over Japan, the chef visits the market every morning to hand-select items. The ever-changing menu depending on the ingredients procured daily is exciting.

Nishiki Market is located on Nishikikoji Street, north of Shijo Street, Kyoto’s main street. The fish market thrived here, and in 1615, it received official permission from the Edo Shogunate to expand. It is called “Kyoto’s kitchen” and offers a wide range of foods such as Kyoto vegetables, fresh-water fish from Lake Biwa, Hamo (conger pike), Guji (tilefish), Sasakarei (half-dried flounder), Yuba (tofu skin), Namafu, and pickles. Most of Kyoto’s special ingredients can be found here.

This Tsutaya Bookstore is situated in the concert hall of the ROHM Theatre Kyoto, in the Okazaki area in Kyoto. The Culture Convenience Club which operates TSUTAYA shops nationwide established this Tsutaya Bookstore as one of their themed commercial facilities proposing a new lifestyle. They provide here a special space for books and art in their bookshop cafe on the first floor, and also a café and restaurant on the second floor, with a gallery on the third floor.

Kyoto station is attached to an enormous building which provides shops and restaurants, as well as a hotel and cultural center. The Cube Shopping Mall occupies the ground floor and two basement floors. In its spacious confines are shops offering a wide variety of unique souvenirs and specialty desserts from Kyoto, trendy fashion items, and interesting knickknacks. On the west side of the station building is the JR Kyoto Isetan Department Store packed with famous fashion and cosmetic retailers. The exciting atmosphere here is always crowded with local shoppers and tourists.

The Amanohashidate Rikyu Hoshi no Oto ryokan inn was opened in 2017 in Amanohashidate by MarineTopia Resort, which offers different types of lodging facilities such as inns, villas, and glamping. The location allows guests to experience the extraordinary, with all rooms facing the Sea of Japan. All seven rooms, each with a different taste, are furnished with items from renowned brands such as Vitra and FritzHansen, giving life to a sophisticated space.

Located next to the Togetsukyo Bridge in Arashiyama, Kyoto, this luxury hotel under the concept of “One and One Scenery” has been offering an ultimate healing and supreme stay experience since August 2020.

There are 21 guestrooms in total. All are deluxe rooms with over 50㎡ and a view of the beautiful Arashiyama, whose colors transform with each season.

This is an accommodation-style museum where you can stay in an artwork space designed by artists. Following Koenji, it opened near the scenic Kamogawa River in Kyoto in 2019.
In Kyoto, up-and-coming contemporary artists collaborate with art directors and architects who are active mainly in the Kansai region.

These blotting sheets are a staple item of YOJIYA, the Kyoto veteran cosmetics brand founded in 1904. It’s recommended for blotting excess oil and creating an even surface before makeup touchups.
Each sheet is made of a special-grade Japanese washi paper that’s been pounded extra thin to activate the paper fibers and maximize absorption without irritating the skin. In addition to geisha performers, it is also a long-loved product in the movie industry. You’ll know it when you see it by the iconic design of the women peering in the mirror.

The signature product of Grand Marble, a Danish specialty store born in Kyoto, is the "Marble Danish," which is carefully baked one by one by the pastry chef. The dough is kneaded with various flavors to create a danish with a longer shelf life than regular bread, making them popular as a souvenir or gift. In addition to the 12 regular flavors, the shop also offers limited-time flavors made with seasonal fruits and nuts.

In 1832, the end of the Edo period, Ito Kyuemon was established as a tea distributor. This shop is famous as a distributor purchasing high-quality powder tea from a contact farmer of Uji Matcha (Japanese green powder tea from Uji). Various Matcha sweets with Japanese and Western tastes have been launched these years and gained popularity.

Gion Festival is one of Japan's three great festivals and world-famous. Many come to see this festival, which originated in 869 when an epidemic hit Kyoto and the rest of Japan and people petitioned the deity of Yasaka to remove the pestilence and the nation was cleansed from the calamity. The Yasaka Shrine’s rituals and events are held to this day for a month from July 1.

On May 15th each year, this festival is held at Shimogamo Shrine and Kamigamo Shrine in Kyoto. One of the Three Major Festivals in Kyoto along with the Gion Festival and Jidai Festival, it is an early summer event which originated from a ritual praying for good harvest almost 1500 years ago. It is a historical festival mentioned in ancient books such “Pillow Talk'' and “The Tale of Genji.” Officially, it is called “Kamo Festival.” Among the aristocrats in the mid Heian Period, a festival meant Kamo Festival.

Every year on the night of August 16th, the “Kyoto Gozan no Okuribi” uses fire to illuminate inscriptions on the mountains surrounding Kyoto Bonchi. The fires, starting with the Japanese kanji for Daimonji on Mt. Higashiyama, are continued with inscriptions of Myoho, a boat shape, Hidaridaimonji, and Torii gata. Its fire and bright lights are spiritual and full of ghastly beauty.

It is one of the three great festivals in Kyoto, along with the Gion Matsuri Festival and the Aoi-matsuri Festival. It is held every year on October 22 at the Heian Jingu Shrine. The festival originated in 1895 as a celebration to commemorate the 1,100th anniversary of the relocation of the capital to Heian-Kyo. The festival's main highlight is a historical customs parade of the times, which introduces the approximately 1,000 years from the Enryaku period (when Heiankyo was built) to the Meiji Restoration period, going back to each period of history.

An imperial authority in the Heian Period, Fujiwara Michinaga used this place as a vacation home. His son Yorimichi inherited, converted and opened it as a temple in 1052. It was designated as a World Heritage Site in 1994. The remodeling in 2014 brought it back closer to its original state. The main Amida Buddha statue in Amida Hall is worth a look. You will be amazed by the symmetrical beauty of the building. At the time of construction, the idea of being saved into heaven was popular and the building reflects the image of a heavenly palace. The front looks like a bird stretching wings and a pair of phoenixes is on the roof, thus, called Phoenix Hall since the early Edo Period. This is a national treasure.

Amanohashidate is one of Japan’s Top 3 Scenic Spots, along with the bay of Matsushima in Miyagi Prefecture and Miyajima in Aki, Hiroshima Prefecture. Across the length of this 3.6km landbridge you’ll find 5000 pine trees planted across its 20m-170m wide shores. It’s magical look and feel carved out by nature over many millennia has earned it a spot on many of Japan’s best 100-lists, including 100 Best Famous Pine Trees, 100 Best Green Pines and White Sands, 100 Best Shorelines and 100 Best Beautiful Biospheres in Japan.

Ine Bay is located in the northern part of Kyoto Prefecture, where fishing has been thriving since ancient times. Along the coast, there is a row of buildings called "Funaya," whose first floor is connected to the sea as a storage area for boats used for fishing. The landscape of about 230 boathouses lined up for about 5km is rare in all of Japan and has been selected as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings.

It is a vast temple whose precincts are the area around Mt. Hiei (Hieizan) at the altitude of 848 meters and was built in 788 by Saicho, who opened the Tendai sect. Filling a role as a comprehensive Buddhist university, it has been called "the mother mountain of Japanese Buddhism" and has had a great influence on the history of Japan. Moreover, it also played a role in protecting Kyoto, which was the capital for 1000 years. It was registered as a World Cultural Heritage Site in 1994.

Otokoyama (Mt. Otokoyama) towers over the Yodo River, where the Katsura, Uji, and Kizu Rivers converge. Iwashimizu Hachimangu Shrine, once called Otokoyama Hachimangu Shrine, is located at this strategic point on the border between Kyoto and Osaka.

As the largest city in the Kansai area and the second-largest city in Japan, Osaka offers a wealth of attractions. From Kyoto Station, you can reach Osaka in about 30 minutes by taking the JR Tokaido Shinkansen.
In Osaka, you can enjoy local delicacies such as takoyaki and okonomiyaki, visit leisure spots like Universal Studios Japan and the aquarium, and explore numerous historical sites.
Osaka boasts just as many attractions as Kyoto, making it a must-visit destination.

Like Kyoto, Nara was once the capital of Japan, and its history predates that of Kyoto.
Before the capital moved to Kyoto, Nara served as Japan's capital, giving it a rich and ancient history.
Nara is home to many World Heritage Sites, including numerous national treasures and important cultural properties such as historic buildings and statues of Buddha.
These sites offer a deep insight into Japan's history and traditional culture.
From Kyoto Station, you can reach Nara in about 45 minutes on the Miyakoji Rapid Service, with no transfers required.

Debuting in April 2022, the new sightseeing limited express "Aoniyoshi" operated by Kintetsu connects the three cities of Osaka, Nara, and Kyoto without the need for transfers.
The name "Aoniyoshi" is an ancient epithet for the old capital of Nara, often found in classical Japanese poetry.
The exterior is painted in a noble purple color, considered prestigious during the Tempyo period and ranked highest in the "Twelve Level Cap and Rank System."
The interior and exterior are adorned with Tempyo patterns inspired by the treasures of the Shosoin, creating an ambiance that reflects the timeless history and culture nurtured by the ancient city of Nara.