Kyoto, Japan

Evergreen city guide with quick facts, travel, business, and culture.

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Overview

Kyoto is the cultural soul of Japan — the imperial capital for over a thousand years, a city of more than 1,600 temples and 400 shrines, of geisha and tea houses, zen gardens and bamboo groves, where traditional Japan is most beautifully preserved.

Temples & Shrines

The Golden Pavilion, the torii of Fushimi Inari, Kiyomizu-dera and the zen garden of Ryoan-ji.

Gion & Geisha

The preserved geisha district of wooden tea houses, Hanamikoji and the Pontocho riverside alley.

Gardens & Seasons

The Arashiyama bamboo grove, zen gardens, and cherry blossom and autumn leaves at their finest.

Cuisine & Crafts

Kaiseki dining, the tea ceremony and matcha, Nishiki Market and traditional kimono and pottery.
Travel Overview

Kyoto was the imperial capital of Japan for more than a thousand years, from 794 until 1868, and it remains the heart of traditional Japanese culture — a city of extraordinary temples and shrines, geisha and tea houses, refined cuisine, traditional crafts and exquisite gardens, much of it spared the bombing of the Second World War. With over 1,600 Buddhist temples and 400 Shinto shrines, seventeen of which form the UNESCO World Heritage 'Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto', the city overwhelms with cultural riches. Its most famous sights are unforgettable: the golden Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Pavilion) shimmering above its pond; the vermilion tunnel of thousands of torii gates climbing the sacred mountain at Fushimi Inari Taisha; the wooden veranda of Kiyomizu-dera overlooking the city; the serene zen rock garden of Ryoan-ji; and the soaring bamboo grove and riverside temples of Arashiyama on the western edge. Equally evocative is Gion, Kyoto's preserved geisha district, where wooden machiya houses and tea houses line lantern-lit lanes (Hanamikoji and the riverside Pontocho alley), and you may glimpse a maiko or geiko hurrying to an engagement. Kyoto is also a city of seasons — the cherry blossom along the Philosopher's Path in spring and the fiery maples of autumn are world-famous, drawing visitors to the temple gardens at their most beautiful. And it is a city of refined living: the multi-course kaiseki cuisine, the tea ceremony and the bright bitterness of matcha, the covered Nishiki Market ('Kyoto's Kitchen'), and the crafts of kimono, ceramics and lacquer all flourish here. Compact and well served by buses, subway and bicycle (and a short train from Osaka), Kyoto rewards a slow, respectful pace — rising early to beat the crowds at the great temples and lingering in its quieter corners. It's loveliest in spring (cherry blossom, late March–April) and autumn (foliage, November), though these are also the busiest seasons.

Discover Kyoto

Kyoto's temples and shrines are its glory, and a few are essential. Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion, is the iconic image — a three-storey temple covered in gold leaf, mirrored in its reflecting pond and set in a classic stroll garden. Across the city, Fushimi Inari Taisha is unforgettable: a Shinto shrine where thousands of vermilion torii gates form tunnels winding up the wooded slopes of a sacred mountain, magical in the early morning before the crowds. The wooden temple of Kiyomizu-dera juts out on its great stilted veranda over a hillside of cherry and maple, with views across the city, approached up the atmospheric old lanes of Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka. For the spirit of zen, Ryoan-ji's austere rock garden — fifteen stones in raked gravel — is the most famous in Japan, and Ginkaku-ji (the Silver Pavilion) anchors a beautiful moss-and-sand garden. The vast hall of Sanjusangen-do holds 1,001 gilded Kannon statues, and Nijo Castle, with its 'nightingale' floors and painted screens, recalls the shogun. There are far more than any visit can hold — choosing a handful and savouring them is the art.

Frequently asked questions

Three to four days lets you see the highlights at a reasonable pace — the great temples and shrines (Fushimi Inari, Kinkaku-ji, Kiyomizu-dera), the Gion geisha district, Arashiyama's bamboo grove, and time for the gardens, Nishiki Market and a kaiseki meal. Kyoto has far more temples than any trip can hold, so choose a handful and savour them rather than rushing. It's also an easy day trip or base for Nara and Osaka nearby.

Spring (late March to April) for the cherry blossom and autumn (November) for the fiery maple leaves are the most beautiful — and the most crowded and expensive. Early summer's fresh greenery and the quieter winter (with occasional snow on the temples) are lovely alternatives. Summer is hot and humid. Whenever you go, rise early to enjoy the famous sights like Fushimi Inari and Arashiyama before the crowds, and seek out quieter temples in the afternoon.

Kyoto's geisha (called geiko) and apprentice maiko still work in the historic districts, above all Gion, and you may glimpse one in the early evening on her way to an engagement — always observed respectfully, at a distance, without blocking her path or taking intrusive photos (there are rules against harassment). To reliably see them, attend a public cultural performance such as the seasonal geisha dances (e.g. the spring Miyako Odori) or a tea-house experience arranged for visitors, which offer a respectful introduction to their refined arts.