Kansai International Airport 1 hr 47
Kyoto Imperial Palace (15 min)
Palace complex & former Imperial family residence reconstructed in 1855, with gardens & gates. Yasaka Shrine (17 min)
This Shinto shrine was erected in 656 A.D. & is home to one of the most famous festivals in Japan. Kinkaku-ji (19 min)
Historic, tranquil temple with a gold-leaf facade set amid landscaped gardens & a reflecting pond. Kiyomizu-dera (21 min)
Iconic Buddhist temple on Mount Otowa known for the scenic views afforded from its sizable veranda. Shimogamo-Jinja (9 min)
Legendary 2,000-year-old shrine & excavation site set in a tranquil, riverside forest. Nanzen-ji Temple (13 min)
Stately Buddhist temple complex with a Zen garden, forested grounds & walking paths. Arashiyama (37 min)
Winding, lush venue showcasing a host of monkeys plus a scenic bamboo forest & water vistas. Heian Shrine (13 min)
Classic Shinto shrine complex built in 1895, with a giant gate & museums of modern & municipal art. Higashiyama Jisho-ji (9 min)
This 15th-century Zen temple features picturesque gardens & a sand mound shaped like Mount Fuji. Nishiki Market (20 min)
400-year-old iconic market studded with stalls offering all manner of Japanese edibles. Gion (15 min)
Geisha district featuring high-end shops & restaurants, a Zen garden & women in colorful kimonos. Eikan-do Zenrin-ji (11 min)
Major Buddhist temple with ancient art, such as a famed statue of Buddha looking over his shoulder. Maruyama Park (16 min)
Popular green space with an outdoor music hall, bronze statues & colorful, seasonal cherry blossoms. Fushimi Inari Taisha (30 min)
Mountainside Shinto shrine dating from 711 A.D. featuring a path with hundreds of traditional gates. Nijō Castle (20 min)
Built in 1603, this cyprus-wood castle with extensive gardens was a home for the shogun Ieyasu. | 
