Top Things to Do in the Kyoto | Must-See Attractions & Experiences

Plan Your Travel To Kyoto

Places To Visit In Kyoto

Arashiyama

A district famed for its scenic beauty, Arashiyama is a delight to nature-lovers. Arashiyama is a picturesque district located in West Kyoto, and is famous for its scenery, and its trees during autumn and spring. Its most famous landmark is the Togetsu-Kyo bridge, located at its centre. It looks beautiful against the background of trees and forests, with a cherry blossom viewing park located next to it. The bridge is surrounded by many shops and restaurants and important tourist attractions like the Tenryuji Temple and the famous bamboo groves. The Tenryuji Temple, one of KyotoÍs UNESCO World Heritage Sites, is the most important zen temple in the city. It is a sight to behold in the autumn. The bamboo groves, the most famous attraction in the Arashiyama district is a large bamboo forest, with a different atmosphere from the main city altogether. A path runs down the middle of the grove, made for walking or cycling through. After exploring the grove, tourists may enjoy the hot spring foot baths located near the groves, called Ashiyu Ashiyu. Read More

One of the most picturesque temples in Japan, the Chion-In is a tranquil retreat for any tourist. One of the most massive temples in the area, the Chion-In is a beautiful remnant of buddhist culture, and home to many vast buildings and a representative of beautiful Japanese architecture. At night, the compound is filled is beautiful lanterns that light up the interiors and the margins of the pathways.There are numerous stone pathways that lead up to the inner sanctum of the temple, and in the compound is a giant brass bell, which was the largest in the world from the 17th to the 19th century. The Chion-In also boasts of a beautifully maintained Japanese-style garden behind the main complex. Read More

Ginkakuji is one of KyotoÍs historically rich zen temples, a tranquil and beautiful structure. Located on the eastern outskirts of Kyoto, Ginkakuji, literally translated to ïSilver PavilionÍ, is a product of the Shogun Era in the 15th Century. It is home to the silver pavilion, a host of beautiful temple buildings and moss gardens and dry gardens, with a road circling these areas. The silver pavilion is dedicated to the Buddhist goddess, Kannon, but the inner sanctum is not open to the public.There is a massive, immaculate dry sand garden known as The Sea Of Silver Sand, near which is the main temple hall. Then there is the moss garden of Ginkakuji, which is maintained beautifully, with ponds, little streams and plants. The paths lead to a hill behind the Ginkakuji, which provides a beautiful view of the whole temple and silver pavilion. Read More

KyotoÍs most famous geisha district, it is a beautiful glance into old, traditional Japan. Gion district is KyotoÍs most popular district, for it is a reflection of old Japan, and many of its streets have buildings with the old-world charm. It is filled with shops, restaurants and its highlights are the old teahouses, where traditionally-dressed Japanese geisha host tea ceremonies. It has a large number of traditionally built wooden houses called machiya which are popular tourist attractions. The most popular area of the Gion district is the Hanami-Koji Street, lined with beautiful preserved machiya houses, which are popular haunts for Japanese cuisine. Among these are the ochaya which are the exclusive and expensive teahouses, where geishas conduct tea ceremonies. Another beautiful route in Gion is the Shirakawa Area, lined with willows, and home to many more expensive restaurants and teahouses, with sprawling gardens. Tourists may also visit the nearby Maruyama Park, which is particularly picturesque during the spring. There are a few services in the Gion district, that give interested tourists a geisha make-over and rentable kimonos for a full cultural experience. Tourists may also go to the Minami-Za for kabuki theatre, the traditional Japanese theatre form. Read More

A rare instance of modernity in a traditional town. The Kyoto Tower, standing at 131 m, is one of the few modern landmarks in Kyoto. Visitors may go visit the Kyoto Tower for a 360 degree view of Kyoto, and the tower is complete with shopping complexes and restaurants on the bottom floors, with a public bath in the basement.

Kyoto's shopping district, The Nishiki market is home to a stunning variety of fresh Kyoto produce. The Nishiki Market is a narrow five-lane market that is crammed with a hundred or more shops, with different kinds of wholesale produce. The market, known popularly as ïKyotoÍs KitchenÍ is a popular haunt for locals and tourists alike. This market has a delightful array of unique Japanese condiments, seafood, cookware and special pickles and Japanese sweets. The markets freely distribute samples and skewers of food, and the sheer sight of the beautiful produce is bound to delight anyone. The market has a history of centuries, and is even run by ancient families. Read More

A breathtaking railway journey through the hilly landscape of Kyoto. Sagano Scenic Railway, or Sagano Romantic Train, is a train exclusively built for sightseeing which runs from Arashiyama to Kameoka along the Hozugawa River. It runs at an idyllic pace, with the journey spanning a total of twenty-five minutes.The view changes according to the seasons, and the train is particularly popular during the autumn, where the foliage is a riot of colour. The train itself has four closed cars and one open car. Usually, many tourists combine the train journey with a river cruise along the Hozugawa river back to Arashiyama. This is a must-visit for a complete experience of KyotoÍs picturesque landscape. Read More

A movie studio theme park, the Uzumasa Eigamura shows all the different kinds of Japanese entertainment. Uzumasa Eigamura, or Toei Kyoto Theme Park is a theme park based all on the history of Japanese fiom, and boasts of many famous movie sets, with samurai and ninja sets and costumes, and beautiful,realistic old Japanese sets. Tourists here have full access to all the immaculate kimonos, princess and ninja costumes, and may rent these costumes. Read More