Kansai International Airport 2 hr 3
Ryōan-ji (37 min)
On the scenic grounds of this 15th-century temple is a famous Zen rock garden & a yudofu restaurant. Nijō Castle (36 min)
Built in 1603, this cyprus-wood castle with extensive gardens was a home for the shogun Ieyasu. Kiyomizu-dera (39 min)
Iconic Buddhist temple on Mount Otowa known for the scenic views afforded from its sizable veranda. Fushimi Inari Taisha (46 min)
Mountainside Shinto shrine dating from 711 A.D. featuring a path with hundreds of traditional gates. Kyoto Imperial Palace (30 min)
Palace complex & former Imperial family residence reconstructed in 1855, with gardens & gates. Heian Shrine (30 min)
Classic Shinto shrine complex built in 1895, with a giant gate & museums of modern & municipal art. Arashiyama (52 min)
Winding, lush venue showcasing a host of monkeys plus a scenic bamboo forest & water vistas. Nishiki Market (36 min)
400-year-old iconic market studded with stalls offering all manner of Japanese edibles. Shimogamo-Jinja (25 min)
Legendary 2,000-year-old shrine & excavation site set in a tranquil, riverside forest. Gion (33 min)
Geisha district featuring high-end shops & restaurants, a Zen garden & women in colorful kimonos. Nanzen-ji Temple (30 min)
Stately Buddhist temple complex with a Zen garden, forested grounds & walking paths. Higashiyama Jisho-ji (27 min)
This 15th-century Zen temple features picturesque gardens & a sand mound shaped like Mount Fuji. Kifune Shrine (21 min)
Intimate Shinto shrine with a verdant mountainside setting, reached by a lantern-lined path. Mount Hiei (46 min)
Scenic, notable peak offering temples, a garden museum, hotel, hiking trails & 2 funicular routes. Kinkaku-ji (34 min)
Historic, tranquil temple with a gold-leaf facade set amid landscaped gardens & a reflecting pond. | 
