Kyoto Hidden Gems
14 spots
Kinkaku-ji Golden Pavilion — Zen Temple Wrapped in Gold
Kinkaku-ji (金閣寺, 'Temple of the Golden Pavilion') is a three-story Zen Buddhist temple covered in pure gold leaf, reflec…
Kiyomizu-dera — Wooden Stage Over Cherry Trees
Kiyomizu-dera (清水寺, 'Pure Water Temple') is a UNESCO World Heritage temple famous for its wooden stage (清水の舞台, Kiyomizu…
Ginkaku-ji Silver Pavilion — Zen Aesthetic Perfection
Ginkaku-ji (銀閣寺, 'Temple of the Silver Pavilion') was built in 1482 by Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa as a retirement villa,…
Ryoan-ji Rock Garden — Zen's Ultimate Minimalism
Ryoan-ji Temple (龍安寺) houses Japan's most famous Zen rock garden (枯山水, karesansui 'dry landscape') — a rectangular plot…
Sanjusangen-do — 1,001 Golden Kannon Statues
Sanjusangen-do (三十三間堂, 'Hall with 33 Bays') is a 120-meter-long wooden hall containing 1,001 life-size golden statues of…
Nanzen-ji Temple — Zen and Aqueduct Architecture
Nanzen-ji (南禅寺) ranks as the head temple of the Rinzai Zen sect's Nanzen-ji school, with a massive Sanmon gate (三門, 22 m…
Kifune Shrine — Summer River Dining Platforms
Kifune Shrine (貴船神社) sits in a forested mountain valley north of Kyoto, famous for its summer river dining platforms (川床…
Kurama-dera Temple — Mountain Fire Festival 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…
Tofuku-ji Temple — Autumn Maple Sea
Tofuku-ji Temple (東福寺) is Kyoto's premier autumn foliage destination, featuring 2,000 maple trees that create a 'sea of…
Eikan-do Temple — Autumn Foliage Night Illumination
Eikan-do Temple (永観堂), officially Zenrin-ji, is renowned for its autumn night illuminations (mid-November) when 3,000 ma…
Yasaka Shrine — Gion's Guardian Shrine
Yasaka Shrine (八坂神社) anchors the eastern end of Gion, serving as Gion Matsuri's spiritual headquarters and guardian of t…
Daitoku-ji Temple Complex — Zen Sub-Temple Garden Tour
Daitoku-ji (大徳寺) is a sprawling Zen temple complex containing 22 sub-temples, several with exceptional gardens open to t…
Heian Shrine — Vermillion Grandeur and Garden Paradise
Heian Shrine (平安神宮) was built in 1895 to commemorate Kyoto's 1,100th anniversary, recreating the original Heian Imperial…
Kyoto Zen Meditation — Zazen Experience at Temples
Zazen (坐禅, seated meditation) is the core practice of Zen Buddhism, and several Kyoto temples offer zazen sessions open…