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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

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Around Kyoto

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Kyoto Top 10

  1. Iwatayama Monkey Park
    1

    Iwatayama Monkey Park

    Arashiyama
  2. Kiyomizu-dera Autumn Illumination
    2

    Kiyomizu-dera Autumn Illumination

    Activities
  3. Kodai-ji Autumn Illumination
    3

    Kodai-ji Autumn Illumination

    Culture
  4. NAKED Flowers 2023 Autumn
    4

    NAKED Flowers 2023 Autumn

    Culture
  5. Nagoya to Kyoto by Train
    5

    Nagoya to Kyoto by Train

    Transportation
  6. The Kimono Forest Of Arashiyama
    6

    The Kimono Forest Of Arashiyama

    Arashiyama
  7. Gion Matsuri
    7

    Gion Matsuri

    Culture
  8. Miyako Odori
    8

    Miyako Odori

    Culture
  9. Kiyomizu Temple and Otowa Waterfall
    9

    Kiyomizu Temple and Otowa Waterfall

    Culture
  10. A Walk Along Kamo River
    10

    A Walk Along Kamo River

    Activities

Upcoming Kyoto Events

NAKED Flowers 2023 Autumn
Culture

NAKED Flowers 2023 Autumn

Oct 27th - Dec 3rd

A seasonal event by digital art collective NAKED at the World Heritage listed Nijo Castle combines projection mapping with the historic..

¥2,000
Kodai-ji Autumn Illumination
Culture

Kodai-ji Autumn Illumination

Oct 21st - Dec 10th

Formally known as Kodaijusho-zenji Temple and located in the Higashiyama Mountains of eastern Kyoto, Kodai-ji Temple was established..

6 ¥600
Karuta Hajime New Year's Card Game
Culture

Karuta Hajime New Year's Card Game

Early Jan

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

2
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Where to eat in Kyoto

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Places to stay in Kyoto

Ine Boathouse Ryokan
Accommodation

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..

2
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Latest Kyoto Reports

Causette Joli
Shopping

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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