25 Best Things to Do in Kyoto

To visit Kyoto and not explore the city’s best temples and shrines is unthinkable – they number in the thousands. Some of them are dedicated to Buddhism, while others are Shinto shrines (Japan’s ancient religion that believes that everything has a spirit and should be respected). 

It’s incredible how authentic and serene some of Kyoto’s best temples are, despite their convenient location in and around the city centre. In fact, there are 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Kyoto, which is more than some whole countries have. 

Nijo Castle is a must when visiting Kyoto. The Kyoto Residence of the Tokugawa Shogun was built in 1603, and is somewhat unique in Japanese cultural heritage sites as it has never been reconstructed; everything about the castle is original, including the interior. A favourite for many visitors is the ‘nightingale floor’ leading to the grand chambers. It got its name from the squeaking floorboards that made it difficult for intruders to sneak in. 

Richly furnished, with beautiful woodcarvings and paintings by the top artists of that period, Nijo Castle is where many major Japanese historical events took place including the last Tokugawa shogun, handing power over to the Emperor in 1867 and thus ending the Tokugawa shogunate's 250-year rule. Nijo Castle is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

‘Geisha’ is probably one of the first words that spring to mind when thinking about Japan. Kyoto used to be a major centre for geishas but things change rapidly and nowadays it is said that there are less than 500 left in the old capital. In Kyoto, geisha and maiko (apprentice geisha) frequent Gion, a traditional neighbourhood east of the Kamo River. 

Come early one evening to see these beautiful women hurrying to work at the elite and costly teahouses. They are dressed in elegant and expensive traditional silk kimonos with their hair up and wearing chalk-white makeup as they walk along in their wooden geta clogs and white socks. These young and friendly women sometimes slow down and turn to tourists’ cameras with lovely smiles. Their job is to sing, dance, play traditional instruments and entertain their guests, and the cost of their company is not cheap.

The Philosopher’s Walk is a scenic route that got its name from the famous Kyoto University scholar, Ikutaro Nishida, who used to take his daily walk through the area to keep fit, contemplate and ponder. The walk follows a cherry-tree-lined canal leading from Ginkaku-ji, along the base of the Higashiyama Mountains, south to Nanzen-ji. Quaint cafes, craft shops, and restaurants now line the Philosopher’s Walk. 

During the cherry blossom season in April and May, it's a busy promenade as couples from across the country converge here. The 2-km route should take no more than 30 minutes to walk, but there are many interesting things to make you stop along the way.   

These flagstone-paved roads are one of four preservation areas in Kyoto, retaining all the charm of a bygone era. The names Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka translate as 'Two Year Slope' and 'Three Year Slope' respectively. A stroll through the streets will reveal exquisite wooden buildings, tiny gardens and cosy tearooms. 

Local folklore holds that if, while walking on the steps, you happen to trip you will suffer two or three years bad luck, so watch your step! Both of these streets are found in the east of Kyoto, on the way to Kiyomizu-dera Temple.

Opened in 1964, Kyoto Tower stands 131m above the city. From the observation decks, on a clear day, you can see all the way to Osaka Bay. You'll find a 4-star hotel, a shopping arcade, a cocktail bar and several restaurants housed within the tower. 

The modern structure is seemingly incongruous to the rest of the ancient capital, however being the tallest building in Kyoto it has been a major icon since its completion. Kyoto Tower is next to Kyoto Station and can be seen from far and wide. 

Located just behind Tenryuji Temple in central Arashiyama sits this extraordinary bamboo forest. For centuries Japanese artists, poets and writers have been inspired by the sound of the wind blowing through the bright green leaves and the gentle knock of the trunks touching each other. 

Indeed, these dense bamboo forests are as culturally significant as the temples and shrines they encircle. This forest leads from Tenryuji to Okocho Sanso villa with well-marked pathways.

Toei Kyoto Studio Park is one of the most fascinating draws in Kyoto. It's a film set where many samurai and period movies were filmed. It features interesting open-air and indoor sets like old houses, barns and rooms. 

You can explore the park like a living museum, enjoy a ninja show, and try on traditional costumes to become a princess, warlord, samurai, ninja or geisha for a short while being photographed. The whole village is well maintained and has an unmistakable air of olden-day Japan. Don't miss the haunted house, which is filled with acting students trying their best to scare you. 

Kyoto has a wealth of museums for you to explore, which display many of the country’s most revered relics. Spending some time exploring museums can add a deeper layer of meaning to your time in the city. 

There’s so much history and heritage in Kyoto thanks to its place at the centre of Japanese culture for over 1,000 years. You can learn about the ancient samurai culture, find out about the country’s traditional arts like tea ceremony, or even get a glimpse into Kyoto’s history of producing sake rice wine.

Kyoto has many hidden temples that most tourists miss, but they are still magnificent. If you have already been to the biggest and most famous sites, then seek out these lesser-known religious sites. 

One of the most beautiful things about visiting secret temples in Kyoto is that you will enjoy the mystic aura and austere surroundings almost to yourself. Thanks to Kyoto’s excellent public transport, even getting out to the outskirts of the city is hassle-free.

This imposing grand hall is famous for its 1,001 life-sized statues of Kannon (the Buddhist goddess of mercy) from the 12th and 13th centuries, all beautifully carved from Japanese cypress wood and covered with gold leaf. Other interesting statues include 28 Buddhist deities and two temple guardians. This 100-metre hall is considered Japan's longest wooden structure. Every January people gather for the famous centuries-old archery contest held behind the temple.

Kyoto is a perfect place to catch a taste of the traditional Japanese theatre, including popular stage drama like Kabuki and Noh. Kabuki was started by women and has long history dating back to the 1600s. Nowadays it’s performed exclusively by men. It really is quite fascinating to see women's roles performed so gracefully by male actors. Kyoto Minami-za is the best place Kabuki theatre in the city. It’s close to Gion-Shijo subway station on the eastern bank of the Kamo River.  

Another classic stage performance to see when in Kyoto is Noh, which also has an all-male cast. The slow movements and the use of masks as part of the performance are very interesting. If time allows, visit a unique theatre called Gion Corner which offers seven of Kyoto's professional performing arts – kyogen classical comedy, kyomai dance, gagaku (music of the imperial court), koto harp, bunraku puppet theatre, tea ceremony, and flower arrangement.

If you're lucky enough to be in Kyoto in autumn, don’t miss seeing the maples ablaze in red, orange and yellow at Sanzen-in Temple on the outskirts of the city. Dating back to 784, Sanzen-in is a Tendai temple that's famous for its atmospheric mossy gardens, in particular the vivid blue hydrangeas and cherry blossoms.

One of Japan’s most significant large-scale treasures, and a truly distinguished example of pure Japanese architecture and gardens, the Katsura Imperial Villa was built primarily for moon viewing and features a spacious platform extending from a veranda to do so. The strolling gardens at the villa have been called a work of art, incorporating water from the Katsura River for a central pond around which sit quaint tea houses and a Buddhist hall. 

The Imperial Household Agency administers the Imperial Villa and accepts visitors by appointment only. There are several free tours daily, but tours aren’t held on Sundays or public holidays. Tours must be booked in advance with your passport at the Imperial Household Agency’s office. To reach the villa, take the Hankyu line to Katsura station.

WAK JAPAN is an excellent centre of traditional Japanese arts where visitors can partake in study courses or observe masterful demonstrations by some of Kyoto’s most skilled craftspeople. WAK JAPAN founder, Michi Ogawa, aims to promote grass-root level international culture exchange as well as offering Japan’s highly skilled housewives an arena to demonstrate their talents. 

Tea ceremony, flower arrangement, calligraphy, origami, taiko drum beating, Japanese cooking, Japanese dance, Kimono wearing, and sake tasting are among the traditional arts that are included. Bookings in advance are recommended for inclusion in daily classes. Take the Karasuma subway line to Marutamachi station.

Once an extensive Chinese garden, only small sections of the original landscaping remain at Shinsen-en Garden. The most notable feature of the garden is the pond called the Garden of the Sacred Spring which has been an important ceremonious site for centuries. The water is believed to have restorative and protective powers. This garden is easy to find, close to Nijo Castle. 

Arashiyama is a verdant riverside area in the suburbs of Kyoto where you can see the pink cherry blossoms of spring, the bright greens of summer, the fiery reds of autumn and the stillness of a white winter. The hillsides are full of hiking trails, viewpoints and picnic spots providing a nice natural break from Kyoto’s man-made marvels.

Completing the image of the quintessential Japanese countryside, the Togetsukyo Bridge (the Bridge to the Moon), gently spans the Oigawa River and is as much an attraction as the brilliant nature around it. Every year on 13th April, 13-year-old children are brought to Togetsukyo Bridge for an important rite of passage. After paying respect at the nearby Horin-ji shrine, the kids must walk across the bridge without looking back. If they do, it'll cause them to lose the wisdom granted by the deity.

The fertile east bank of the Kamo River nurtures the five wonderful gardens that make up Jonangu. Designed by award-winning landscape architect Nakane Kinsaku in the late seventies the gardens present the wealth of Japanese flora and the elegant features of Japanese design with ponds, rocks, bridges and water features. Rarely visited by foreigners, it's a good place for nature lovers to escape the crowds of tourists in central Kyoto.

This splendid summer retreat was built for the Imperial family in 1659. The villa gardens are spectacular, comprised of upper, middle and lower gardens laid out before the majestic backdrop of Mount Hiei. The villa complex also houses a number of tea-houses and summer cottages that were used by the Kyoto upper class during summer breaks. 

Free tours of Shugakuin Imperial Villa are conducted daily in Japanese, but there are audio guides in several languages. Tours last around 1 hour. To book a tour, you must apply in advance online or at Kyoto Imperial Park.

Witness the gentle elegant grace of the geisha during this biannual event held in May and October. Both geiko (accomplished geisha) and their trainees (maiko) perform brilliant classical dances and musical recitals during 3 daily shows, at 12.30pm, 2.20pm and 4.10pm. With exquisite costumes, make up and props, these public geisha performances are extremely popular, drawing crowds from across the globe. The show will be fully in Japanese, but you can still enjoy the spectacle. 

Kyoto Botanical Garden, in the north of the city, was created in 1924 next to the Kamo River. It was abandoned in 1946 and revived again in 1961 to become a major botanical garden with a conservatory. 

The garden now contains in excess of 120,000 plants spanning 12,000 species organised into specific gardens for bamboo, cherry trees, hydrangeas, bonsai, camellias, Japanese irises and native plants, lotus and an immaculate European style garden. The conservatory is built with cast iron frames and plate glass to resemble Kinkaku-ji and houses more than 25,000 varieties from 4,500 species.

This often over-looked museum has wonderful exhibits of the various Japanese costumes throughout the ages – from royal dresses to samurai armour and exquisite geisha kimonos. The museum aims to endow visitors with an insight into the world of nobility during the Heian Period (794 to 1185) of Japanese history. Fans of the world’s first-ever novel, The Tale Genji Monogatari, will appreciate the ¼ scale model of the Haru-no-Goten (Spring Palace) on display, offering a 3D portrayal of the story.