#1 Fushimi Inari Shrine
As far as Shinto shrines go (there are about 400 in Kyoto), this one is pretty special. Perched on a wooded hillside in southern Kyoto, Fushimi Inari is a 1 ... Read more »
Puripat Lertpunyaroj / Getty Images
#2 Kiyomizu Temple
Situated on Otowa Mountain in eastern Kyoto, Kiyomizu Temple wows travelers with its stunning natural scenery, which visitors say is best viewed from the verandah off the temple's main ... Read more »
toey19863 / Getty Images
#3 Gion
Recent visitors to Gion were in awe of its quaintness (though some travelers note that hordes of camera-wielding tourists can detract from the scenery). This neighborhood is known for its ... Read more »
Michael H / Getty Images
#4 Arashiyama
Arashiyama is a quaint neighborhood surrounded by trees and mountains on the western edge of Kyoto. The neighborhood's most iconic landmark is the wooden Togetsu-kyo Bridge, which has spanned ... Read more »
DoctorEgg / Getty Images
#5 Ryoanji Temple
Every day, hundreds of people visit Ryoanji Temple to see its Zen rock garden – which is probably the most famous of its kind in Japan. Located in Kyoto's northern ... Read more »
Stanislav Komogorov / Shutterstock
#6 Nishiki Market
For those unfamiliar with Japanese cuisine, a trip to Nishiki Market can be an overwhelming experience. This bustling, five-block-long covered market is lined with more than 100 stalls, each one ... Read more »
annhfhung / Getty Images
#7 Nijo Castle
After years of bitter strife, the aging samurai lord Tokugawa Ieyasu finally wrested power from Japan's many warring clans and unified them at the turn of the 17th century ... Read more »
wolfmaster13 / Shutterstock
#8 Sanjusangendo Hall
At nearly 400 feet, Sanjusangendo Hall is the longest wooden structure in Japan (there are archery contests held along the length of the hall every yeah). And lining its lengthy ... Read more »
erysimum9 / Flickr
#9 Philosopher's Walk
Honoring Japanese philosopher Nishida Kitaro, who used to stroll here on his commute to Kyoto University in the early 20th century, the Philosopher's Walk is a roughly mile-long pathway ... Read more »
Tupungato / Shutterstock
#10 Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)
Its top two floors swathed in gold leaf, the Golden Pavilion sits pretty in Kyoto's northern reaches, overlooking the glassy surface of Mirror Lake. Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu lived in ... Read more »
wolfmaster13 / Shutterstock
#11 Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion)
Unlike the very literally named Golden Pavilion, the Silver Pavilion is not actually silver – though it was intended to be. Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa, who built Ginkaku-ji in 1482 as his retirement ... Read more »
SeanPavonePhoto / Shutterstock
#12 Kyoto International Manga Museum
Many of Kyoto's top attractions pay homage to a Japan of the past, but the Kyoto International Manga Museum focuses on a very current form of Japanese art. Manga ... Read more »
kento.ikeda / Flickr
# Nanzen-ji Temple
Read more »
mura / Getty Images
# Shoren-in Temple
Read more »
Mathieu Thouvenin / Flickr
# Kyoto Botanical Garden
Read more »
greenantphoto / Getty Images
