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Kyoto

Japan's ancient capital home to sacred shrines and Zen gardens

About Kyoto
Kimono-clad woman at Yasaka Pagoda and Sannen Zaka Street in Kyoto (Photo: Guitar photographer / Shutterstock.com)

Top Attractions in Kyoto

Kyoto Top 10

Upcoming Kyoto Events

Karuta Hajime Ceremony 2025

Karuta Hajime Ceremony 2025

Friday - Jan 3rd

At New Year in Japan's former capital of Kyoto, Karuta Hajime is an annual event where a popular traditional card game is played..

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Kemari Hajime in Kyoto 2025

Kemari Hajime in Kyoto 2025

Early Jan

Kemari Hajime in Kyoto: a traditional New Year event at Shimogamo Shrine, where men in period costume play an ancient traditional..

Ebisu Festival in Kyoto 2025

Ebisu Festival in Kyoto 2025

Early - Mid Jan

Held at Yasaka Shrine in Japan's former capital Kyoto, the Ebisu Festival is Kyoto's first festival of the New Year, dedicated..

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Where to eat in Kyoto

Places to stay in Kyoto

Nohga Hotel Kiyomizu

Nohga Hotel Kiyomizu

Tom Roseveare

Kiyomizu’s central location is an ideal launchpad for any Kyoto-bound traveller. Just off Route One, Nohga Hotel is a 10-minut..

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Ine Boathouse Ryokan

Ine Boathouse Ryokan

Bonson Lam

At Ine there are surprises and delights in every season. In winter the mountains are blanketed by snow, and you are rewarded by..

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Latest Kyoto Reports

Causette Joli

Causette Joli

Featured

Causette Joli is a Japanese cosmetics company that sells nail products that embody Japan’s cultural, natural, and seasonal bea..

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About Kyoto

Okinawa Nagasaki Fukuoka Saga Kumamoto Kagoshima Miyazaki Oita Ehime Kochi Tokushima Kagawa Yamaguchi Hiroshima Okayama Tottori Shimane Hyogo Kyoto Osaka Wakayama Nara Shiga Mie Fukui Ishikawa Toyama Gifu Aichi Nagano Shizuoka Niigata Yamanashi Kanagawa Tokyo Saitama Gunma Tochigi Chiba Ibaraki Fukushima Miyagi Yamagata Iwate Akita Aomori Hokkaido
Region Kansai
Island Honshu
Capital Kyoto in Video
Population 2,636,092
Area 4,612.20 km²

Japan’s capital from AD 794 to 1868, the list of possible tourist destinations in Kyoto Prefecture (京都府, Kyōto-fu) is endless.

You can attempt to visit all of major sites, including but certainly not limited to: Fushimi Inari Shrine and its brilliant vermillion row of torii gates, its many temples (most notably Kiyomizu-dera, Sanjusangen-do, and Kinkaku-ji), Nijo Castle, and Amanohashidate (one of the Three Views of Japan).

Or you can attempt to “experience” Kyoto and its rich culture: appreciate the traditional architecture and maiko of the Gion district, witness the Gion Festival (held every July), and indulge in the various delicacies Kyoto has to offer, such as Uji matcha green tea, tofu, and various Japanese confectioneries. Kyoto is on the bucket list of many a traveller, and for good reason. 

Around Kyoto

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