Discover the most beautiful and iconic sights of Kyoto! We have put together a selection of the city's must-see sites, from which you can choose the route with the places that interest you most, based on your preferences or expectations.
Based on your choice, we'll start the route that suits you best from your hotel and end at a convenient location so that you can continue enjoying the city after the sightseeing tour.
Choose from one of the following routes. Our tour guide will contact you before the start of the tour to arrange which route or attractions you would like to visit.
Route 1: Highlights
● Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion): A stunning Zen temple covered in gold, surrounded by Zen gardens, and declared a World Heritage Site.
● Arashiyama (Bamboo Forest): An area with beautiful bamboo forests and spectacular views of the Katsura River and the mountains.
● Fushimi Inari Taisha (Thousands of Red Torii Gates), famous for its thousands of vermilion torii gates that form tunnels on the slopes of Mount Inari.
Route 2 North
● Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion): A dazzling Zen temple covered in gold, surrounded by Zen gardens, and declared a World Heritage Site.
● Ryoanji (dry Zen garden) This temple hosts one of Japan's most famous Zen rock gardens.
● Arashiyama (Bamboo Forest) An area with beautiful bamboo forests and spectacular views of the Katsura River and the mountains.
● Tenryu-ji Temple, a World Heritage Site, this Zen temple is renowned for its landscaped garden, designed to harmonise with the surrounding mountains.
Route 3 Southeast
● Fushimi Inari Taisha (Thousands of Red Torii Gates), famous for its thousands of vermilion torii gates that form tunnels on the slopes of Mount Inari.
● Kiyomizu-dera Temple, a Buddhist temple known for its majestic wooden terrace with panoramic views of the city and its vibrant natural setting that changes with each season, declared a World Heritage Site.
● Sannenzaka, Ninenzaka, and the Yasaka no To Pagoda (Hokanji Temple), one of Kyoto's most iconic sights, are two picturesque cobbled streets in Kyoto, lined with traditional shops and teahouses.
● Gion (Geisha District)
● Nishiki Market, the city's oldest market, where you can shop and sample many local dishes.
Route 4 Northeast
● Ginkakuji Temple (Silver Pavilion): An iconic Zen temple in Kyoto that combines historic architecture with serene sand and moss gardens, featuring wabi-sabi aesthetics.
● The Philosopher's Path, a picturesque trail along a canal lined with cherry trees.
● Nanzenji Temple, an imposing Zen complex surrounded by gardens, known for its historic brick aqueduct and its enchanting atmosphere.
● Heian Jingu, a Shinto shrine known for its imposing red torii gate, its sweeping landscaped gardens, and its architecture that replicates the style of the Heian period.
