07
45 min
Kyoto Imperial Palace
京都御所
The Kyoto Imperial Palace served as the residence of Japan's Imperial Family until 1869, when the capital moved to Tokyo.
- Must see
- Historic monument
City guide · Japan
Kyoto
Kyoto's major sights are distributed across the centre and four broad edges rather than concentrated in one old-town core. Downtown and Kyoto Station form the c...
Photograph · Martin Falbisoner · CC BY-SA 4.0
13,290
Places
- Suggested stay
- Not recorded
- Getting around
- Train, subway, bus and walking
Turn this list into a plan
Set your days, your pace and the hours you actually want to be out. The planner works around closing days and travel time, and leaves room to eat.
Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor
Kyoto's major sights are distributed across the centre and four broad edges rather than concentrated in one old-town core. Downtown and Kyoto Station form the central transport spine; Higashiyama and Gion lie east, Arashiyama lies west, and major temple districts extend north and south. Efficient visits combine nearby places and avoid returning through Kyoto Station between every stop.
Checked 2026-08-26
Practical information
- Language spoken
- Japanese
- National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
- Dialling code
- +81
- International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
- Currency
- Japanese yen (JPY)
- Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
- Emergency number
- 110 police · 119 fire and ambulance
- Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
- Plug type
- Type A · 100 V
- Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
- Tap water
- Safe from the mains
- JNTO states that tap water is safe to drink
Planning a visit
September · September in Kyoto has mean high 29.2°C and rainfall 178.5 mm. Rainfall or warmer afternoons are the manageable compromise. A mixed indoor-outdoor plan keeps a September visit to Kyoto comfortable.
- January: viable with meaningful trade-offs
- February: viable with meaningful trade-offs
- March: good time to visit
- April: best time to visit
- May: best time to visit
- June: viable with meaningful trade-offs
- July: viable with meaningful trade-offs
- August: viable with meaningful trade-offs
- September: good time to visit — current month
- October: best time to visit
- November: good time to visit
- December: viable with meaningful trade-offs
- Best time
- Good time
- Viable with trade-offs
- Difficult conditions
Sources
- www.data.jma.go.jp Checked 2026-08-28
Top things to see
Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.
Filter the list
75 places match
Category
Typical visit duration
Interests
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08 45 minSanjūsangen-dō Temple
三十三間堂
Sanjusangen-do is the main hall of Rengeo-in, a Tendai temple in the Higashiyama ward of Kyoto, a few minutes south of the Kyoto National Museum.
- Must see
- Place of worship
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09 30 minYasaka Shrine
八坂神社
Yasaka Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Kyoto, Japan. It is also known as Gion Shrine. The shrine stands at the eastern end of Shijo-dori, a major thoroughfare in the city.
- Must see
- Place of worship
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10 45 minPhilosopher's Walk
哲学の道
Philosopher's Path is a pedestrian walkway in Kyoto, Japan, following a canal lined with cherry trees. The route connects Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion) with Nanzen-ji temple precincts.
- Must see
- Historic monument
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11 45 mintenryu-ji
Tenryu-ji is a Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto's Arashiyama district. It ranks among the city's five great temples and holds World Heritage status as part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto.
- Must see
- Historic monument
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12 45 minTō-ji Temple
東寺
To-ji is a Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan. It was founded in the eighth century and stands as one of the city's most historically significant religious sites.
- Must see
- Historic monument
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13 30 minNanzen-ji Temple
南禅寺
Nanzen-ji is a Zen Buddhist temple in eastern Kyoto, Japan. It stands as one of the most significant temples in the city's extensive religious landscape.
- Must see
- Place of worship
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14 1 hourHeian Shrine
Heian Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Kyoto, Japan. It was established in 1895 to commemorate the 1,100th anniversary of the founding of Kyoto as the imperial capital.
- Must see
- Place of worship
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15 1 hourMaruyama Park
円山公園
Maruyama Park is a public park located in the Higashiyama district of Kyoto, Japan. It sits at the base of the Eastern Mountains and serves as one of the city's most popular cherry blossom viewing locations.
- Must see
- Nature site
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16 30 minKōdai-ji Temple
高台寺
Kodaiji Temple is a Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto's Higashiyama district. It was established in 1606 by Kita-no-Mandokoro, also known as Nene, in memory of her husband Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the prominent unifier of Japan.
- Must see
- Place of worship
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17 45 minDaigo-ji Temple
下醍醐
Daigo-ji is a Shingon Buddhist temple in southeastern Kyoto, Japan. Founded in 874 CE by the monk Shōbō, it is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto.
- Must see
- Historic monument
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18 45 minShimogamo Shrine
下鴨神社
Shimogamo Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Kyoto, Japan, situated at the confluence of the Kamo and Takano rivers.
- Must see
- Historic monument
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19 45 minKamigamo Shrine
上賀茂神社
Kamigamo Shrine is one of Kyoto's most significant Shinto shrines, formally known as Kamo-wakeikazuchi-jinja.
- Must see
- Historic monument
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20 30 minChion-in Temple
知恩院
Chion-in is a Jodo-shu Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan. It serves as the headquarters of the Jodo-shu sect founded by Honen. The temple complex occupies a significant site on the slopes of Higashiyama.
- Must see
- Place of worship
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21 30 minKennin-ji Temple
建仁寺
Kennin-ji is a historic Zen Buddhist temple located in the Higashiyama district of Kyoto, Japan. It stands as the oldest Zen temple in the city, having been founded in the early Kamakura period.
- Must see
- Place of worship
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22 1 hourKyoto Botanical Garden
京都府立植物園
Kyoto Botanical Gardens is a major botanical garden located in Kyoto, Japan. It is operated by the city of Kyoto and serves as a significant center for plant conservation, research, and public education.
- Must see
- Nature site
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23 45 minEikan-do
永觀堂
Eikan-do, formally called Zenrin-ji, is a historic Buddhist temple in Kyoto’s eastern Sakyo ward. It belongs to the Jodo sect and was founded in the ninth century.
- Must see
- Historic monument
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24 45 minSaihō-ji Temple
西芳寺
Saiho-ji, widely known as Kokedera or the Moss Temple, is a Rinzai Zen temple in western Kyoto. Its principal attraction is a garden covered by thick moss in many shades of green.
- Must see
- Historic monument
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25 30 minDaitoku-ji Temple
大徳寺
Daitoku-ji is a major Zen Buddhist temple complex in northern Kyoto, Japan. Founded in the fourteenth century, it belongs to the Rinzai school of Japanese Zen Buddhism.
- Must see
- Place of worship
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26 30 minTōfuku-ji Temple
東福寺
Tofuku-ji is a Rinzai Zen Buddhist temple in southeastern Kyoto. Founded in 1236 by the statesman Kujo Michiie, it took its name from combining characters from Todai-ji and Kofuku-ji in Nara.
- Must see
- Place of worship
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27 30 minHigashi Hongan-ji Temple
東本願寺
Higashi Hongan-ji is a Jodo Shinshu Buddhist temple in Kyoto, serving as the headquarters of the Otani-ha branch. Founded in 1602 by Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, it was established to reduce the political influence of the original Hongan-ji faction.
- Must see
- Place of worship
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28 45 minNishi Hongan-ji Temple
西本願寺
Nishi Hongan-ji is a Jodo Shinshu Buddhist temple in central Kyoto and the headquarters of one branch of the Hongan-ji tradition. The large complex represents an important religious and architectural landmark close to Kyoto Station.
- Must see
- Historic monument
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29 20 minKyoto Tower
京都タワー
Kyoto Tower is a modern observation landmark beside Kyoto Station in Shimogyo Ward.
- Must see
- Viewpoint
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30 1 hourUmekōji Park
梅小路公園
Umekoji Park is a public park in Kyoto, Japan. The park occupies a significant riverside plot near the confluence of the Kamo and Katsura rivers in the western part of the city.
- Must see
- Nature site
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31 1 hourShōsei Garden
渉成園
Shosei-en Garden is the detached garden of Higashi Hongan-ji and a compact example of Kyoto’s cultivated landscape tradition. Its ponds, bridges, teahouses, trees, and carefully arranged views create a quiet contrast with the city around it.
- Must see
- Nature site
How the city is laid out
Central Kyoto includes Kyoto Station, downtown, Nishiki Market, Nijo Castle and the Imperial Palace area. Eastern Kyoto contains Higashiyama, Kiyomizu-dera, Gion, Okazaki and the Philosopher's Path. Arashiyama anchors the west, while Kinkaku-ji and northern temples need their own route. Fushimi and Fushimi Inari lie south. Build days around these geographic sectors instead of a single attraction list.
Checked 2026-08-26
Getting around
Combine trains, subway and buses rather than relying on buses alone. Kyoto's official guide recommends using rail to approach major sightseeing districts, then transferring where needed, which reduces exposure to road congestion. Walk within Higashiyama, downtown or Arashiyama once there. Kyoto Station is useful for arrivals, but other JR stations may provide a more direct approach to specific districts.
Checked 2026-08-26
Common questions
How many days should I spend in Kyoto?
A fixed duration is not recorded. Plan by geographic sector and allow separate blocks for eastern Kyoto, central Kyoto, Arashiyama, the north and Fushimi.
Are Kyoto's main sights close together?
Some are, but the major districts sit on different sides of the city. Higashiyama works as a walking cluster, while Arashiyama, northern temples and Fushimi require separate journeys.
Should I use buses for every Kyoto journey?
No. The official guide recommends combining trains and buses. Rail often bypasses road congestion and can bring you closer to a district before a shorter transfer or walk.
Which area is best explored on foot?
Higashiyama and Gion form a strong walking corridor, as do parts of downtown around Nishiki Market. Reach the district first, then continue between nearby sights on foot.
Is Kyoto Station always the best interchange?
No. The official guide notes that stations such as Nijo, Enmachi, Tofukuji and Yamashina can provide more direct approaches to particular sightseeing areas and reduce crowding.