Prefecture guide
Kyoto
京都府
Japan's old capital for over a thousand years, with famous temples and shrines, geisha districts and gardens, plus the Sea of Japan coast at Amanohashidate.
- places to see
- 115
- town guides
- 9
- protected local foods
- 2
- traditional crafts
- 12
- Japan Heritage stories
- 6
Map of Kyoto
Tap a pin to see the place, or a town name for its guide. You can switch on places to eat and stay too.
Places to see in Kyoto
- Kyotango
Ubusunayama Kofun
産土山古墳An ancient burial mound in Kyoto, Japan.
Kyoto Prefectural Tango Regional Museum
京都府立丹後郷土資料館A museum in Kyoto, Japan.
Nagaoka-kyo Palace Site
長岡京A historic site in Kyoto, Japan.
- Sakyo Ward, Kyoto
National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto
京都国立近代美術館A museum in Kyoto, Japan.
- Kyotango
Amino Shrine
網野神社A Shinto shrine in Kyoto, Japan.
- Kameoka
Izumo-daijingu
出雲大神宮A Shinto shrine in Kyoto, Japan.
Kuse temple ruins
久世廃寺跡A historic site in Kyoto, Japan.
Kamio-dera Temple Ruins
神雄寺跡A historic site in Kyoto, Japan.
- Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto
Maruyama Park
円山公園A park in Kyoto, Japan.
Asahi Group Oyamazaki Villa Museum of Art
アサヒグループ大山崎山荘美術館A museum in Kyoto, Japan.
- Sakyo Ward, Kyoto
Miyake Hachimangu
三宅八幡宮A Shinto shrine in Kyoto, Japan.
- Sakyo Ward, Kyoto
Kyoto University Museum
京都大学総合博物館A museum in Kyoto, Japan.
Town guides in Kyoto
The towns with the most to see, each with its own guide.
Taste of Kyoto
Foods whose names are protected in Japan. If the label carries the name, it really comes from here.
Traditional crafts of Kyoto
Officially recognised crafts that are still made by hand. A good place to start when you look for souvenirs.
Weather in Osaka this week
Today
24 Oct
Rain
High 25°CLow 20°C
Sun
25 Oct
Rain
High 29°CLow 22°C
Rain 90%
Mon
26 Oct
Cloudy
High 25°CLow 19°C
Rain 70%
Tue
27 Oct
Cloudy
High 24°CLow 17°C
Rain 50%
Warm: T-shirts and breathable clothes, plus a light layer for air-conditioned trains and shops.
Explore by interest
Japan Heritage stories
Local history told as a route you can follow, with the places that go with it.
- Kitamaebune: the merchant ships that made Japan's port towns rich
- Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage: Japan's 1,300-year journey of the heart
Good to know
- Popular sights are much quieter early in the morning, before tour groups arrive.
- City buses get very crowded, so combine trains and walking where you can.
- Kyoto Prefecture also includes Uji, famous for green tea, and Amanohashidate on the north coast.
Questions travellers ask
How do I get to Kyoto?
From Tokyo, the Tokaido Shinkansen reaches Kyoto Station in a little over two hours. Fly into Kansai International (KIX), about 1.5 hours away, or Osaka Itami, about an hour. Buses from Kyoto Station serve Arashiyama, Ohara and northern Kyoto, and trains run to Fushimi and Uji.
How can I avoid the crowds in Kyoto?
Visit popular temples early in the morning or at evening light-ups, and check crowd forecasts and live cameras before you go. Spend time outside the center too: the sake breweries of Fushimi, Uji's tea fields, Ohara, or Amanohashidate and Ine on the Sea of Japan coast.
What are the rules for visitors in Kyoto?
Don't stop or photograph geiko and maiko in Gion, and stay off private alleys and property. Smoking on the street is banned in central areas such as Gion and Kiyomizu, with fines. At Nishiki Market, eat what you buy at the shop and take your trash with you.
More of Kansai
Sources
We checked the facts on this page against these sources.