Kyoto Prefecture, home to the world-class tourist destination of Kyoto City, is characterized by its long north-south length. In Kyoto City, you can visit many famous temples such as Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Kinkaku-dera Temple (Rokuon-ji Temple), and Kitano Tenmangu Shrine.
You can also tour around the Arashiyama area and Kibune area to enjoy the beauty of nature, and the Gion area for walking around town!
Outside of Kyoto City, Uji City is home to the Byodoin Phoenix Hall, a national treasure, and Miyazu City is home to Amanohashidate, one of the three most scenic spots in Japan.
To enjoy sightseeing in Kyoto Prefecture
Kyoto Prefecture, which includes the world-famous tourist destination Kyoto City, is geographically long from north to south, each showing a different aspect of the prefecture. With nationally renowned temples and shrines such as Kiyomizu-dera Temple and Kinkaku-dera Temple (Rokuon-ji Temple), both registered as World Heritage sites, Kyoto City is one of the best tourist areas in Japan where you can experience the traditional beauty, history and culture of Japan.
It is also an excellent destination for city walking, as you can immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the ancient capital on the Noryo-doko (summer evening bath) on the Kamo River that runs through Kyoto City, immerse yourself in shopping for specialty products at Nishiki Market, or indulge in fine sake and banquets in the Gion area.
In the Arashiyama area, visitors can enjoy strolling through the bamboo forests of Sagano in spring, the Daimonji Gozan Okuribi bonfire in summer, the fiery autumn leaves in fall, and the snow-covered Togetsu Bridge in winter.
In the suburbs of Kyoto, there is the Ohara area famous for Sanzenin Temple and the Kurama area with its mysterious atmosphere of Kibune Shrine.
There are also many places of interest outside of Kyoto City, such as Uji City with the national treasure Byodoin Phoenix Hall, Miyazu City with Amanohashidate, one of the three most scenic spots in Japan, Ine Town with its beautiful streets of boathouses protruding from the seashore, Kameoka City with its river cruises, trolley trains and Yunohana hot springs, and Maizuru City famous for its red-brick warehouses. Maizuru City is famous for its red brick warehouses.
History of Kyoto Prefecture
The area that is now Kyoto Prefecture was called Yamashiro-no-kuni, Tamba-no-kuni, and Tango-no-kuni in the old name of the country, and in the Edo period, it consisted of more than 10 clans, including the Yodo clan, Tamba-Kameyama clan, Fukuchiyama clan, Sasayama clan, and Miyazu clan.
After the capital moved to Heian-kyo in 794, it served as the capital of Japan until 1869, when the government moved to Tokyo after the Great Restoration, and was called "the capital of a thousand years.
Seventeen buildings that symbolize Kyoto culture, including Byodoin Temple (Uji City), which was converted from the villa of Fujiwara no Michinaga to a temple, Kinkakuji Temple (Kita Ward, Kyoto City), a representative building of Muromachi culture, and Nijo Castle (Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto City), built as an inn for Tokugawa Ieyasu when he visited Kyoto, are registered as World Cultural Heritage sites as "Cultural Properties of Ancient Kyoto". The long history of Kyoto has been handed down to the present day.
Local Gourmet, Food Culture, and Specialties of Kyoto Prefecture
In Kyoto City, the ancient capital where the Heian-kyo capital was located, the food culture of the nobles, samurai families, and temples is deeply rooted. In addition to traditional Kyoto kaiseki cuisine, visitors can enjoy vegetarian dishes such as yudofu and yuba (bean curd) dishes, and hamo (eel) dishes during the summer.
There is also an abundance of fashionable restaurants in Kawaramachi, Ponto-cho, and Gion, including lunch and obanzai served in Kyoto machiya houses.
Kyoto, with the highest per capita consumption of bread in Japan, is also a fierce battleground for bakeries. In addition, there are many B-class gourmet restaurants to enjoy, including Kyoto ramen with white soup, takoyaki, okonomiyaki, a la carte Western cuisine, and curry yakisoba in Miyazu.
Uji City's green tea is considered one of the three best teas in Japan, and there are many sweets made from matcha green tea. On the other hand, if you look to the north facing the Sea of Japan, you can enjoy seafood such as yellowtail shabu (yellowtail shabu) made with winter cold yellowtail and snow crabs (mani-gani), which are very rare.
Kyoto also offers an abundance of souvenirs, from Kyoto pickles and other specialty items such as chirimen sansho (dried Japanese pepper) and saba (mackerel sushi) to Japanese sweets such as yatsuhashi (bridge with eight bridges), mamemochi (bean cake), kompeito (sweet potato), kintsuba (sweet bean jelly), and warabimochi (rice cakes), to name but a few.
Kiyomizu-dera Temple has a long history dating back to the Nara period (778).The temple grounds are located halfway up Mount Otowa in the eastern part of the temple and cover an area of approximately 130,000 square meters. The main hall, also called "Kiyomizu-no-butai" (stage of Kiyomizu), which wa...»
The Hozu River (Katsura River) flows through the Hozu Gorge, which is designated as a nature park, and a boat ride down the river from Kameoka to Arashiyama in Kyoto, a distance of about 16 km, takes two hours. The river is lined with giant rocks and boulders, and the varied scenery can be enjoyed ...»
Kinkakuji Temple, officially called Hokusan Rokuon Zenji, is a temple with grounds of more than 40,000 square meters.The temple is generally called "Kinkakuji Temple" because of its famous "Kinkaku (Golden Pavilion)," which is a two or three-story building covered in gold leaf and enshrined with the...»
Amanohashidate is a scenic spot known as one of the three most scenic spots in Japan.Amanohashidate is known as one of the three most scenic spots in Japan.The name "Amanohashidate" comes from the fact that the sandbar, which separates the north and south sides of the bay in an arch, looks like a br...»
Toji Temple, officially known as Kyoo Gokokuji Temple, is one of the East and West official temples built in 794 after the capital was relocated to Heian-kyo. It is located to the east and west of Rajomon, the main gate of the capital. It was later designated by Kukai as the fundamental center of S...»
The view of bamboo trees standing in neat rows high in the sky and the fresh green covering the sky is breathtaking. The sound of leaves rustling in the wind and the pale light shining through the gaps between the bamboos make this one of Kyoto's most popular tourist attractions, where you can feel...»
The approach to Kiyomizu-dera Temple is lined with traditional architecture that attracts a steady stream of tourists,The five-story pagoda with a pure Japanese style, hon-gawara roof stands tall in this neighborhood.The 46-meter-high five-story pagoda is a landmark. The five-story pagoda, called "...»
Also known as Ginkakuji Temple, its official name is Jishoji Temple.It was built by Ashikaga Yoshimasa, the 8th barbarian general of the Muromachi Shogunate, as his villa "Higashiyama-den" after he handed over the shogunate to his son.He lived an elegant life of seclusion, enjoying calligraphy, pain...»
This bridge spans the Katsura River at the foot of Arashiyama, a 382-meter-high mountain famous for its cherry blossoms and autumn leaves. The combination of the gently flowing Katsura River and Arashiyama in the background is beautiful,Arashiyama is a symbolic sightseeing spot in Kyoto, used for f...»
This is a 25-minute train ride in which you can view the Hozukyo Gorge, designated as a nature park, while being rocked by a trolley train at a leisurely speed. You can enjoy the seasonal scenery of mountain cherry blossoms, azaleas, and dazzling fresh greenery in spring, cool air in summer, autumn...»
Kifune Shrine is located at the source of the Kamo River flowing through Kyoto,Kifune Shrine is the head shrine of about 500 Kifune Shrines in Japan, which are dedicated to the God of Water. The shrine is located in a thickly forested gorge between Mt,In front of the shrine flows the Kibune River, ...»
The main shrine is located at the foot of Mt. Known as "Inari-san," the shrine is one of the most visited in Japan and has a long history. The path leading from behind the main shrine to the top of the mountain is called "Senbon-torii," or one thousand torii.The path from behind the main shrine to...»
Iwashimizu Hachimangu Shrine was built in 859 and is one of the three major Hachimangu shrines in Japan,It is one of the three major Hachimangu shrines in Japan, and was revered by the imperial family as one of the two sacred shrines along with Ise Jingu Shrine. It is also a representative shrine t...»
Saiho-ji Temple is called "moss temple" because of the impressive moss that covers the temple grounds like a carpet of green. The garden is a karesansui garden created by Soseki Muso, a Zen monk and one of the world's greatest gardeners of all time, who perfected the Zen garden or karesansui style,...»
One of the five Tendai monasteries. One of the most sacred places in the northern part of Kyoto. The main hall, Oujogokurakuin (a temple with a significant cultural value), is famous. The hydrangeas in the rainy season and maple trees in the fall are magnificent. ...»
Noryo-doko along the Kamogawa River is a place where the generous and chic culture of the townspeople of the Edo period has been passed down from generation to generation. About 100 restaurants are open, offering a variety of cuisines including Kyoto cuisine, Italian, French, and café food, while en...»
The shrine is located in the famous "bamboo grove path" in Sagano, Arashiyama, and is dedicated to the deities of learning, fulfillment of love, and safe delivery of children. Around the year 1000, it was also the setting of a long story "The Tale of Genji" written by Murasaki Shikibu in the Heian ...»
Byodoin Temple was built in 1052.It is widely known around the world for the Phoenix Hall, which is depicted on the 10-yen coin located within its precincts. The statue of the Phoenix on the main roof of the Hall of Phoenixes is depicted on the reverse side of the 10,000 yen bill, and the temple is...»
The Gion Festival is a festival that began about 1,100 years ago as a prayer to ward off an epidemic. The festival lasts about one month. The climax of the festival is the Yamaboko procession on the 17th and 24th. Both floats are decorated with beautiful tapestries, spelling weaving, Nishijin brocad...»
Located on the south side of Amanohashidate, a scenic spot known as one of the three most scenic spots in Japan,Amanohashidate, which is known as one of the three most scenic spots in Japan. The temple's principal deity is Monju Bosatsu (Manjusri), who is said to be in charge of wisdom, and is said...»
Amanohashidate Viewland is an amusement park with an observatory from which visitors can view Amanohashidate, one of the three most scenic spots in Japan.Located on the summit of Bunshuzan Mountain on the south side of Amanohashidate, it offers a variety of rides for children. The view from Amanoha...»
Jingo-ji Temple is an old Shingon Buddhist temple located halfway up Mt. Jingo-ji Temple is an old Shingon Sect temple located halfway up Mt. Many Buddhist statues and paintings from the Heian and Kamakura periods remain, including the Yakushi Nyorai statue, a national treasure. The temple bell (nat...»
The shrine is dedicated to Sugawara Michizane, known as the god of learning. This shrine is the head shrine of all Tenmangu shrines in Japan. The main shrine and worship hall, both national treasures, are representative of Momoyama culture. Remnants of the shrine's original moat can be seen in the s...»
Tenryu-ji was founded in 1343 by Ashikaga Takauji, a barbarian general, to mourn the loss of Emperor Godaigo.As a Zen temple associated with the Ashikaga shogunate and Emperor Godaigo, it has been ranked first among the five temples of Kyoto. The garden around the central pond was created by Soseki...»
Yasaka Shrine is nicknamed "Yasaka-san" (meaning "Yasaka-san" in Japanese) and is known for its "Gion Matsuri" festival.Gion Festival, one of the three major festivals in Japan, began as a shrine festival. The main shrine, rebuilt by Tokugawa Ietsuna in 1654, is a national treasure,The west tower g...»
Nijo Castle, a plain castle, was built by Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1603. Ieyasu was the victor in the Battle of Sekigahara.Ieyasu built Nijo Castle to protect Kyoto and to serve as a lodging house for his troops traveling to Kyoto,In the same year, Ieyasu was inaugurated as the first shogun of the Edo sh...»
Shorenin Monzeki, located within walking distance of Gion, is a temple that is said to have its origin in Seirenbo, one of the priests' residences built by Saicho, the founder of the Tendai sect, at the top of Mt. The temple is known for enshrining the national treasure Ao-Fudo Myoo (Blue Fudo), wh...»
The Kyoto Imperial Palace is located in the center of Kyoto City. The Kyoto Gosho is a vast area measuring approximately 700 meters from east to west and 1,300 meters from north to south, and during the Edo period (1603-1867), it was an official town with more than 200 residences of various sizes.In...»
The shrine was built in 1895 to commemorate the 1,100th anniversary of the relocation of the capital to Heian, and is flanked by the 24-meter high Otorii (Grand Gate), a registered tangible cultural property of Japan. The shrine pavilion, painted in bright vermilion and green, is modeled after the C...»
Sanjusangendo is a Buddhist temple outside the precincts of Myohoin Temple and is lined with 1,001 statues of the Thousand-Armed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. It is called Sanjusangendo because there are 33 pillars in the inner sanctuary. It is home to many national treasures and important cultural pr...»
Kamigamo Shrine is one of the oldest shrines in Kyoto with a history dating back to 677.Its official name is Kamowakeikazuchi-jinja, and together with Kamo-gozo-jinja (Shimogamo-jinja), also located in Kyoto City, it is called Kamo-jinja. On the shrine grounds, the main hall and gonden, rebuilt in ...»
One of the oldest shrines in Kyoto,Its official name is Kamomioja Shrine.Together with Kamo Betsurai-jinja Shrine (Kamigamo Shrine), also located in Kyoto City, the two shrines are called Kamo Jinja. The shrine grounds are designated as a historic site,Kamo Goso-jinja Two buildings, the East Main H...»
Tofukuji Temple is the head temple of the Tofukuji School of Rinzai Zen Buddhism, located in Higashiyama Ward. It is a famous temple that conveys the Zen Buddhism culture of the Kamakura and Muromachi periods, and is ranked fourth among the "Five Temples of Kyoto" established after Ashikaga Yoshimit...»
Also called "Noryoyoko," this is a summer tradition in the Kansai region. The wooden floors are set up just above the Kibune River, the source of the Kamo River,The breeze gently moves through the verdant trees in the mountain gorge,You can enjoy Kyoto cuisine while listening to the breezes of the ...»
At 8:00 p.m., the "Dai" is first lit on Nyoigatake (Mt. Higashi), followed by the "Myohou" on Mt. The fire burns quietly for about 30 minutes....»
Daikakuji Temple is an old temple in Kyoto that retains the appearance of a detached palace of Emperor Saga. The buildings in the style of a imperial palace stand in a row facing Osawa Pond. The temple is also known as the head temple of the Saga school of flower arrangement. Experience sutra copyi...»
The site of Fujiwara Teika's Shiguretei is famous for the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu. Located halfway up Mt. Ogura with beautiful autumn leaves, this is the temple where Nisshin (Shin) Shonin lived in seclusion. The temple has a multi-purpose pagoda and Myokendo, both of which are designated as important ...»
Founded in 1723 as a temple of the Kegon sect of Buddhism. Today it is a Rinzai sect temple. Located at the foot of Mt. Matsuo in the western part of Kyoto City, the temple commands a panoramic view of the city from the vantage point at the top of the stone steps. The temple's eighth abbot felt enli...»
The temple was founded by Emperor Uda in 888, and was later called Omuro Gosho, which means "Imperial Residence" in Japanese. The temple is a highly prestigious monzeki temple, and is mentioned in many classics such as "Tsurezuregusa" and "Hojoki". The temple is a prestigious World Heritage site. P...»
Kuramadera Temple is known as the place where Ushiwakamaru trained. The main hall, Kondo, and other buildings are scattered among the deep groves of trees, and the Kurama-san Reihouden is also located here. ...»
Known for the beautiful autumn leaves reflected on the polished floors and tables, the temple is visited by many people when it is open to the public in spring and fall. Originally built as a villa between the late Taisho and Showa eras, it is a 12,000 tsubo (about 1,860 square meters) site with a ...»
Established in 1886 (Meiji 19), it is the oldest park in Kyoto City. It is the oldest park in Kyoto City. The park is centered around a circular Japanese garden, and has a number of Japanese-style restaurants and teahouses, each with its own unique atmosphere depending on the season. It is also one ...»
Located at the foot of Mt. Nariai, Kono Shrine is a historic shrine that once served as the approach to Amanohashidate. It is said that the name "Motoise" came from a legend that Amaterasu and Toyoke, the deities dedicated to the Ise Jingu Shrine, were moved from this place to Ise. In front of the...»
This is one of the three most famous scenic spots in Japan, from which you can view Amanohashidate, one of the three most scenic spots in Japan. It is also said to be the birthplace of Amanohashidate's famous "crotch peeking.The name "Amanohashidate" comes from the fact that the bridge looks like a...»
This museum was established to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the opening of the railroad. The museum preserves and exhibits 18 representative SL cars that were manufactured in Japan from the early Taisho era to the 1950s, and were in service in various parts of Japan until 1975, including 6 d...»
This garden from the Edo period is a karesansui (dry landscape garden) with giant stones. The garden of Toragyuan, the residence of Ikkyu, was created by Murata Shuko in the Muromachi period. Muromachi Period ...»
Goro-dake, located almost in the center of Maizuru and rising 301 meters above sea level,The 50-meter-high observation tower rises in Gorogadake Park, which stretches to the summit of the mountain. From the observation deck, 325 meters above sea level, visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of Maizuru...»
The first Zen temple in Kyoto. The temple is lined with pagodas and pagodas. The Wind God and Thunder God (national treasure) by Tawaraya Sotatsu is famous. Zen meditation and Dharma talks are held on the second Sunday of every month. ...»
A famous temple founded by Kita Masasho (Nene) to mourn the loss of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. ...»
Bishamondōdo is one of the five monasteries of the Tendai sect of Buddhism in Kyoto. The main deity is Bishamonden, one of the seven gods of good fortune in Kyoto. The cherry blossoms in spring and maple trees in autumn are beautiful....»