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What makes Kyoto significant in Japan?
- Kyoto is the spiritual heart of Japan, boasting over 2,000 Buddhist temples and shrines.
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What traditional experiences can visitors enjoy in Kyoto?
- It is the place to experience ‘Old Japan’ with its imperial palaces, Zen gardens, and traditional teahouses.
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What is Kyoto’s role in Japan’s history?
- This famous city, once Japan’s geographic capital, is now its cultural capital.
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1. Adachi Museum of Art
This award-winning garden combines Japanese art and garden design in a Michelin Green Guide-rated facility outside of Matsue. Founded by a local businessman to further visitors’ knowledge and appreciation of Japanese art, the grounds are home to six gardens that are intended to be viewed from inside the museum as living paintings. The Adachi Museum of Artm itself holds more than 1,500 works of art created by Japanese masters. The museum opens at 9 a.m. daily and closes at 5:00 or 5:30 p.m. depending on the season. Admission is 2300 yen for residents of Japan and half off for foreign visitors.
320 Furukawacho, Yasugi, Shimane Prefecture, Japan, Phone: +81-854-28-71-11
2. Arashiyama
Arashiyama is a small scenic town best known for its long wooden bridge that crosses the Katsura River. It lies in the hills west of Kyoto and is easily accessible by train. Other popular attractions in Arashiyama include the Tenryu-ji temple and the renowned Bamboo Grove, one of the most photographed places in Japan. In addition to Tenryu-ji, there are many other well-known historical temples like Saihoji Temple, a favorite of Apple founder, Steve Jobs. The best time to visit Arashiyama is in the fall when the leaves are a vibrant mix of green, gold, and red.
Togetsukyo, Saga, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan, Phone: +81-758-61-03-03
3. Byodo-in
Byodo-in is a Buddhist temple in Kyoto Prefecture. A serene pond surrounds the main building, Phoenix Hall, whose name comes from the phoenixes perched on the roof and the building’s resemblance to a bird with its wings extended. The temple’s gardens have been recognized by the Japanese government as an Historic Site and Place of Scenic Beauty. An on-site museum displays Buddhist art and other national treasures. After visiting the temple’s historical buildings and grounds, visitors can stop by the Byodoin Tea Salon TOKA for a cup of Uji green tea created by certified Japanese tea instructors and brewed from locally-grown leaves.
116 Uji Renge, Uji, Kyoto, Japan, Phone: +81-774-21-28-61
4. Fushimi Inari-taisha
This iconic Shinto shrine is set in a sprawling complex on Mt. Inari. Built to honor the god of rice, the complex consists of multiple worship halls. The property’s paths are lined by traditional vermilion torii that are symbols of the transition from the physical world to the spiritual world. Kids will be entertained by counting the number of fox statues found on the grounds. The foxes, or kitsune, were thought to be Inari’s messengers. Special events are held at Fushimi Inari-taisha throughout the year, from festivals to purification rituals. The complex is open daily and admission is free.
Fushimi Inari-taisha, 68 Fukakusa Yabunouchicho, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Japan, Phone: +81-756-41-73-31
5. Garden of Fine Arts
The Garden of Fine Arts is an open-air art museum with a display of ceramic plates featuring reproductions of famous masterpieces. The reproductions include works by Michaelangelo, Monet, Da Vinci, Renoir, and Van Gogh. The architecture is even more impressive than the collection. Its concrete and glass construction is complemented by water features that reflect the contemporary building materials. Designed by internationally renowned architect, Tadao Ando, the museum was opened in 1994 and has been described as a modern interpretation of a traditional Japanese stroll garden. The facility is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Shimogamo Hangicho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto, Japan, Phone: +81-757-24-21-88
6. Ginkaku-ji
A Zen temple, Ginkaku-ji (Temple of the Silver Pavilion) or Jisho-ji (Temple of Shining Mercy) as it was later named, was initially built as a retreat for the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasha. Following a circular path through the grounds, visitors can see the two-storied pavilion, the Hondo and Togudo buildings, a beautifully landscaped moss garden, and a dry sand garden known as the “Sea of Silver Sand.” A sculpted pile of sand in the garden is thought to represent Mt. Fuji. The temple grounds are open daily with shortened hours during the months of December, January, and February.
2 Ginkakuji-cho Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan, Phone: +81-757-71-57-25
7. Gion
Kyoto’s most well-known geisha district is located in the heart of the city near the Yasaka Shrine, where costumed women entertain patrons in traditional Japanese teahouses. In addition to the teahouses, this district is packed with souvenir shops, high-end restaurants, bars and nightclubs, and gambling establishments, making it a popular tourist destination. Annual performances by the geiko (geisha) and maiko in April and November are well-attended by locals and tourists alike. The area is dotted with landmarks and historic sites from temples and shrines to the Minami-za theater, where viewers can still see classical kabuki shows.
Gion, 1 Miyagawasuji, Higashiyama-ku, Keihan Gion Shio Station, Kyoto, Japan, Phone: +81-752-57-73-21
8. Heian Shrine
The Heian Shrine was built after World War II as a symbol of Kyoto’s revival. In 1976, the shrine itself and nine other buildings were burned down, but were reconstructed three years later with donated funds. It is surrounded by the city’s public library, two art museums, a concert hall and performance venue, and the Kyoto Zoo. Every October, it hosts one of the city’s most important festivals, the Jidai Matsuri. Visitors are welcome to feed the fish and turtles that can be found in the ponds throughout the shrine’s gardens. Its bright red torii is one of the largest in Japan.
Okazaki Nishitennocho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto, Phone: +81-757-61-02-21
9. Kaleidoscope Museum of Kyoto
This small, one-room museum displays fifty handcrafted kaleidoscopes from all over the world. Located in downtown Kyoto, the Kaleidoscope Museum of Kyoto is open Tuesdays through Sundays and all national holidays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. except two weeks between December 25 and January 4. For a small admission fee, adults and children can enjoy viewing the colorful patterns of kaleidoscopes made from objects like cellphones and musical instruments. They even have one that will refract the face of the the viewer onto hundreds of mirrored bits. Guests can make their own kaleidoscope at one of the museum’s workshops.
706-3 Dongeinmaecho Ayakoji, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan, Phone: +81-752-54-79-02
10. Kenrokuen Garden
Kenrokuen Garden, or the “Garden of the Six Sublimities,” embodies each of the six qualities that Chinese landscape theory considers essential for perfect garden design. Guests can see these qualities in the garden’s bridges, water features, scenic outlooks, hidden recesses, natural elements, and historic buildings. Originally the outer garden of Kanazawa Castle, Kenrokuen has several notable features including the Kotojirtoro Lantern and one of Japan’s oldest fountains that operates using natural water pressure. For a small admission fee, guests can visit the garden during daylight hours year-round with the exception of a brief period from December 29 to January 3.
1 Kenrokumachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, Phone: +81-762-34-38-00
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