Kyoto

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Old town Kyoto, the Higashiyama District during sakura season in Japan; Shutterstock ID 1017748444; your: Ben Buckner; gl: 65050; netsuite: Online Editorial; full: Back to the best of Japan 1017748444

Overview

Kyoto is old Japan writ large: atmospheric temples, sublime gardens, traditional teahouses and geisha scurrying to secret liaisons.

01 / Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Vendors prepare chestnuts to sell at Nishiki Market in Kyoto, Japan on 22 November 2016. 1011566827 traditional, street, asian, nutrition, priest, tourism, fruit, editorial, cooking, design, east, tradition, chinese, famous, stall, recommend, sale, asia, vendor, nut, cuisine, chef, color, people, culture, food, castanea, healthy, place, chestnut, travel, vegetable, market, business, tourist, architecture, marron, buy, furniture, decoration, colorful, merchant, city, nishiki market, japan, street food, japanese, sell, kyoto, shop

    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…

  • ktoyo,japan - May 21,2018 : Mt.Hiei-zan Enryaku-ji Temple in Kyoto,Japan.Enryaku-ji Temple was founded by the priest Saicho In 788.

    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 or Kiyomizu-dera temple in autum season at Kyoto Japan 391009933 architecture, asia, autumn, buddhism, buddhist, color, culture, dera, fall, heritage, japan, japanese, kiyomizu, kiyomizu-dera, kyoto, landmark, nature, red, religion, religious, shinto, shrine, temple, tourist, travel

    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…

  • (GERMANY OUT) The bell at the Chion-inTemple in the Gion district of Kyoto, Japan (Photo by Forster/ullstein bild via Getty Images)

    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…

  • Full length of young maikos holding red umbrellas during rainy season. Beautiful geisha girls wearing traditional dress called kimono. They are walking on wet street. 641625768

    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…

  • KYOTO, JAPAN - March 27, 2014: The Nijo-jo Castle on March 27, 2014 in Kyoto, Japan. The Nijo-jo Castle was the residence of the Tokugawa shoguns in Kyoto, who had been ruling Japan for over 260 years ancient, asia, asian, blue, building, castle, concentric, cultivated, culture, day, defense, entrance, fortification, garden, heritage, higashi, historic, historical, history, honmaru, japan, japanese, keep, kyoto, landmark, landscape, nijo, nijo-jo, ninomaru, old, oriental, palace, path, precision, protection, structure, tradition, traditional, travel, tree, vintage, wooden

    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…

  • Meditation room, Shoren-in temple.

    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…

  • Autumn at Daigoji Temple in Kyoto, Japan

    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…

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02 / Planning Tools

Expert guidance to help you plan your trip

Things to Know

From planning your trip to local etiquette, here are the most important things to know before going to Kyoto.

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Best Neighborhoods

Venture across Kyoto's distinctive neighborhoods and unwind the tales of this storied city, from kimono-clad dancers in Gion to the shrine in Fushimi.

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Day Trips

Get a real taste of Japan with these easy and exciting day trips from Kyoto.

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Money and Costs

Kyoto may be known as an expensive city but that doesn't mean there aren't deals to be found. Plan your perfect budget break with our top tips.

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Transportation

From buses, trains and the subway to discovering the city on foot or two wheels, here’s everything you need to know about getting around Kyoto.

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Free Things to Do

From stunning temples to incredible landscapes, here are Kyoto's best experiences that are completely free.

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Traveling with Kids

Japan is a delightful place for travel with little ones in general, and Kyoto is no exception – here are our favorite things to do with kids and teens.

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03 / Plan with a local

04 / Articles

Latest stories from Kyoto

KYOTO, JAPAN. MAY 2024 KINKAKUJI

Activities

5 best Japan itineraries for an unforgettable experience

Mar 20, 2025 • 13 min read

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05 / Go Beyond

Kyoto and beyond

Beyond Kyoto