Uncover Kyoto’s extraordinary historical value with the help of our guides. From getting around the city, to what to do, where to eat and what to see, including the famous Arashiyama bamboo grove, the thousand red torii gates of the Fushimi Inari Shrine and side trips to Osaka, Nara or Himeji Castle.
Another fantastic location at which to view the sakura blossom, this elegant wooden castle is one of the best-preserved from Japan’s Edo Period.
Surrounded by stone fortifications and moats, the central structure, Ninomaru Palace, was also historically well-protected from intruders by secret features such as booby-trapped floors. Can be reached in under 20 minutes from central Kyoto.
Kyoto is one of the most well-known cities in Japan. It is the capital city of the Kyoto Prefecture of Japan’s Kansai region. For more than one thousand years, Kyoto was the Imperial capital of Japan.
At the city’s heart lies Gion, a center of the traditional arts and famed entertainment district. If you’re searching for a taste of traditional Japan, Gion’s flagstone streets lined with wooden buildings is a good place to start.
The Gion Matsuri is the largest annual festival in Kyoto, and the most famous in Japan. Locals and travelers alike fill the streets for this event that is part religious observance and part street fair.
Situated in northwestern Kyoto, this UNESCO Heritage Site has a long and turbulent history dating back to 1397 and has been rebuilt numerous times, most recently in 1955.
Widely considered the most famous temple in Japan and visited by a large number of both Japanese and international tourists year-round, it is easy to access and just a 40-minute bus ride from Kyoto station.
Kyoto’s Kyomizu-dera Temple is one of the most celebrated of Japan’s numerous temples and shrines. The meaning of its name is literally translated “Pure Water Temple”. This name is derived from the pristine waters of the Otowa Waterfall, on which site the temple was built. It is also famous for its large wooden terrace.
The Kyomizu-dera was founded in 780. Its present structures were erected in 1633. It was originally associated with one of the oldest schools of Japanese Buddhism, the Hosso sect. Since 1965, it has hosted its own Kita Hosso sect.
Located at the foot of the “Storm Mountains” in the north of the city of Kyoto, this world-famous, seemingly endless forest of swaying bamboo boughs is perfect for a relaxing retreat to nature during a stay in Japan.
The Arashiyama bamboo grove is open 24/7 and admission is free. The surrounding Arashiyama district, known for unique fishing methods which involve using trained cormorant birds, is also well worth a visit.
