Kansai International Airport 1 hr 30
Nijō Castle (12 min)
Built in 1603, this cyprus-wood castle with extensive gardens was a home for the shogun Ieyasu. Nishiki Market (9 min)
400-year-old iconic market studded with stalls offering all manner of Japanese edibles. Kyoto Tower (8 min)
Tower with an observation deck offering binoculars & touch-screen guides, plus a food court. Toji (10 min)
Historic Buddhist temple with a 5-story wooden pagoda & sculptures of dieties from the 8th century. Higashiyama Jisho-ji (21 min)
This 15th-century Zen temple features picturesque gardens & a sand mound shaped like Mount Fuji. Kyoto Imperial Palace (12 min)
Palace complex & former Imperial family residence reconstructed in 1855, with gardens & gates. Kiyomizu-dera (9 min)
Iconic Buddhist temple on Mount Otowa known for the scenic views afforded from its sizable veranda. Maruyama Park (16 min)
Popular green space with an outdoor music hall, bronze statues & colorful, seasonal cherry blossoms. Gion (15 min)
Geisha district featuring high-end shops & restaurants, a Zen garden & women in colorful kimonos. Kinkaku-ji (24 min)
Historic, tranquil temple with a gold-leaf facade set amid landscaped gardens & a reflecting pond. Fushimi Inari Taisha (14 min)
Mountainside Shinto shrine dating from 711 A.D. featuring a path with hundreds of traditional gates. Yasaka Shrine (11 min)
This Shinto shrine was erected in 656 A.D. & is home to one of the most famous festivals in Japan. Arashiyama (26 min)
Winding, lush venue showcasing a host of monkeys plus a scenic bamboo forest & water vistas. Heian Shrine (11 min)
Classic Shinto shrine complex built in 1895, with a giant gate & museums of modern & municipal art. Kōdaiji Temple (8 min)
Serene setting with a Buddhist temple & gardens, plus tea houses & seasonal light festivals. | 
