Kansai International Airport 1 hr 46
Kyoto Imperial Palace (16 min)
Palace complex & former Imperial family residence reconstructed in 1855, with gardens & gates. Tenryuji Temple (16 min)
This 1300s Zen temple at the foot of mountains features teahouses & serene, expansive gardens. Arashiyama (17 min)
Winding, lush venue showcasing a host of monkeys plus a scenic bamboo forest & water vistas. Fushimi Inari Taisha (32 min)
Mountainside Shinto shrine dating from 711 A.D. featuring a path with hundreds of traditional gates. Kinkaku-ji (10 min)
Historic, tranquil temple with a gold-leaf facade set amid landscaped gardens & a reflecting pond. Heian Shrine (20 min)
Classic Shinto shrine complex built in 1895, with a giant gate & museums of modern & municipal art. Kiyomizu-dera (27 min)
Iconic Buddhist temple on Mount Otowa known for the scenic views afforded from its sizable veranda. Ryōan-ji (7 min)
On the scenic grounds of this 15th-century temple is a famous Zen rock garden & a yudofu restaurant. Gion (22 min)
Geisha district featuring high-end shops & restaurants, a Zen garden & women in colorful kimonos. Higashiyama Jisho-ji (28 min)
This 15th-century Zen temple features picturesque gardens & a sand mound shaped like Mount Fuji. Kyoto Tower (22 min)
Tower with an observation deck offering binoculars & touch-screen guides, plus a food court. Nishiki Market (19 min)
400-year-old iconic market studded with stalls offering all manner of Japanese edibles. Ninna-ji (13 min)
This historic Buddhist temple featuring picturesque gardens & a 5-story pagoda was founded in 886. Toji (20 min)
Historic Buddhist temple with a 5-story wooden pagoda & sculptures of dieties from the 8th century. Nijō Castle (10 min)
Built in 1603, this cyprus-wood castle with extensive gardens was a home for the shogun Ieyasu. | 
