Your guide to the essential places to visit in Kyoto, Japan's cultural heart.
Kyoto is Japan's cultural heartland, where centuries of imperial history are preserved in temples, shrines, and traditional streetscapes. The city spans an extraordinary range of sights, from gilded pavilions and Zen gardens to feudal castles and towering lantern gates. Walk beneath thousands of torii gates at Fushimi Inari-taisha, marvel at the gold-leaf exterior of Kinkaku-ji, or wander the iconic bamboo groves of Arashiyama. Check out this list to find the top places to visit in Kyoto, Japan, and make the most of every day you're there.