Kansai International Airport 1 hr 43
Arashiyama (17 min)
Winding, lush venue showcasing a host of monkeys plus a scenic bamboo forest & water vistas. Higashiyama Jisho-ji (25 min)
This 15th-century Zen temple features picturesque gardens & a sand mound shaped like Mount Fuji. Nijō Castle (7 min)
Built in 1603, this cyprus-wood castle with extensive gardens was a home for the shogun Ieyasu. Gion (20 min)
Geisha district featuring high-end shops & restaurants, a Zen garden & women in colorful kimonos. Heian Shrine (17 min)
Classic Shinto shrine complex built in 1895, with a giant gate & museums of modern & municipal art. Kyoto Tower (19 min)
Tower with an observation deck offering binoculars & touch-screen guides, plus a food court. Kyoto Imperial Palace (13 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. Kiyomizu-dera (24 min)
Iconic Buddhist temple on Mount Otowa known for the scenic views afforded from its sizable veranda. Toji (17 min)
Historic Buddhist temple with a 5-story wooden pagoda & sculptures of dieties from the 8th century. Nishiki Market (16 min)
400-year-old iconic market studded with stalls offering all manner of Japanese edibles. Kinkaku-ji (9 min)
Historic, tranquil temple with a gold-leaf facade set amid landscaped gardens & a reflecting pond. Yasaka Shrine (21 min)
This Shinto shrine was erected in 656 A.D. & is home to one of the most famous festivals in Japan. Ryōan-ji (8 min)
On the scenic grounds of this 15th-century temple is a famous Zen rock garden & a yudofu restaurant. Fushimi Inari Taisha (29 min)
Mountainside Shinto shrine dating from 711 A.D. featuring a path with hundreds of traditional gates. | 
