Kansai International Airport 1 hr 48
Arashiyama (18 min) Winding, lush venue showcasing a host of monkeys plus a scenic bamboo forest & water vistas. Toji (25 min) Historic Buddhist temple with a 5-story wooden pagoda & sculptures of dieties from the 8th century. Fushimi Inari Taisha (36 min) Mountainside Shinto shrine dating from 711 A.D. featuring a path with hundreds of traditional gates. Gion (30 min) Geisha district featuring high-end shops & restaurants, a Zen garden & women in colorful kimonos. Ninna-ji (16 min) This historic Buddhist temple featuring picturesque gardens & a 5-story pagoda was founded in 886. Kyoto Imperial Palace (26 min) Palace complex & former Imperial family residence reconstructed in 1855, with gardens & gates. Nijō Castle (21 min) Built in 1603, this cyprus-wood castle with extensive gardens was a home for the shogun Ieyasu. Tenryuji Temple (7 min) This 1300s Zen temple at the foot of mountains features teahouses & serene, expansive gardens. Ryōan-ji (16 min) On the scenic grounds of this 15th-century temple is a famous Zen rock garden & a yudofu restaurant. Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama (7 min) Popular area atop Mt. Arashiyama for viewing wild macaque monkeys & sweeping city views. Nishiki Market (28 min) 400-year-old iconic market studded with stalls offering all manner of Japanese edibles. Kinkaku-ji (20 min) Historic, tranquil temple with a gold-leaf facade set amid landscaped gardens & a reflecting pond. Katsura Imperial Villa (15 min) The grounds of this 17th-century imperial villa feature a scenic Japanese garden with teahouses. Kyoto Tower (25 min) Tower with an observation deck offering binoculars & touch-screen guides, plus a food court. Kiyomizu-dera (31 min) Iconic Buddhist temple on Mount Otowa known for the scenic views afforded from its sizable veranda. |