Hidden Gems Across Japan
1,610 spots
Kyoto Gyoza
While gyoza (餃子, Chinese-style dumplings) originated in China, Kyoto has developed its own regional style emphasizing ve…
Kyoto International Manga Museum
The Kyoto International Manga Museum (京都国際マンガミュージアム) occupies a renovated elementary school building and houses 300,000…
Sento Imperial Palace
Sento Imperial Palace (仙洞御所) served as the residence for retired emperors from 1630 onward. The palace buildings no long…
Kyoto Machiya Stay
Machiya are the narrow wooden townhouses that line Kyoto's older neighborhoods—three meters wide, 20 meters deep, built…
Sanjusangen-do Archery
Every January (second Sunday), Sanjusangen-do Temple hosts Toshiya (通し矢) — a coming-of-age archery ceremony where 20-yea…
Kyoto Ramen
Kyoto ramen (京都ラーメン) blends tonkotsu (pork bone) and shoyu (soy sauce) into a rich, dark broth that's less heavy than Ha…
Kyoto Zen Meditation
You sit on a round cushion facing a white wall six inches from your nose. Legs folded, back straight, hands in a mudra y…
Heian Shrine
Heian Shrine (平安神宮) was built in 1895 to commemorate Kyoto's 1,100th anniversary, recreating the original Heian Imperial…
Daitoku-ji Temple Complex
Daitoku-ji (大徳寺) is a sprawling Zen temple complex containing 22 sub-temples, several with exceptional gardens open to t…
Kamo River Noryo-yuka
The Kamo River (鴨川) flows through central Kyoto, and during summer (May–September) restaurants along its banks construct…
Kyoto Traditional Sweets
Wagashi (和菓子, traditional Japanese sweets) reached its aesthetic and technical peak in Kyoto, where sweets-making became…
Yasaka Shrine
Yasaka Shrine (八坂神社) anchors the eastern end of Gion, serving as Gion Matsuri's spiritual headquarters and guardian of t…
Eikan-do Temple
Eikan-do Temple (永観堂), officially Zenrin-ji, is renowned for its autumn night illuminations (mid-November) when 3,000 ma…
Kyoto Handicraft Center
Kyoto Handicraft Center (京都ハンディクラフトセンター) is a seven-floor department store specializing in traditional Kyoto crafts: cer…
Kyoto Imperial Palace
Kyoto Imperial Palace (京都御所) served as the emperor's residence from 794 to 1869 when the capital moved to Tokyo. The pal…
Shosei-en Garden
Shosei-en Garden (渉成園), also called Kikoku-tei, is a tranquil 10-acre stroll garden just east of Kyoto Station — remarka…
Nishijin Textile Center
Nishijin (西陣) is Kyoto's historic textile district where high-end kimono fabric has been woven for 1,200 years. The neig…
Kyoto Station Building
Kyoto Station (京都駅) is a controversial modern architectural landmark designed by Hiroshi Hara (completed 1997). The 15-s…
Tofuku-ji Temple
Tofuku-ji Temple (東福寺) is Kyoto's premier autumn foliage destination, featuring 2,000 maple trees that create a 'sea of…
Katsura Imperial Villa
In 1933, German architect Bruno Taut visited Katsura and wept. "The greatest work of Japanese architectural genius," he…
Kurama-dera Temple
Kurama-dera Temple (鞍馬寺) sits atop Mt. Kurama (570m) in northern Kyoto, accessible by cable car or a scenic 30-minute fo…
Kifune Shrine
Kifune Shrine (貴船神社) sits in a forested mountain valley north of Kyoto, famous for its summer river dining platforms (川床…
Miyama Kayabuki Village
Thirty-eight farmhouses with roofs made of miscanthus grass, some piled a meter thick. No power lines. Miyama exists in…
Maiko Makeover
Maiko makeover experiences allow participants to undergo full transformation into apprentice geisha: traditional white m…
Estimated from distance to the nearest airport or shinkansen station. Confirm actual journey times before you travel.