Kyoto · Essential Kyoto

A short walk beneath a high green canopy.

The public bamboo paths in Saga-Arashiyama offer a compact walk through tall stems and filtered light.

Parks & Gardens · Saga-Arashiyama

English · 2 pages · Color + monochrome

Vermilion gates, a wooded mountain and a living shrine.

Fushimi Inari's torii-lined paths lead from the shrine precinct into the wooded slopes of Mount Inari.

Shrines & Temples · Fushimi

English · 2 pages · Color + monochrome

A timber pavilion, shaped sand and a hillside garden.

Ginkaku-ji is known as the Silver Pavilion, although its exterior is not silver-plated.

Shrines & Temples · Sakyo

English · 2 pages · Color + monochrome

Traditional townhouses along Gion's public streets.

Gion is a working neighborhood with traditional townhouses and hospitality businesses.

Neighborhoods & Walks · Gion

English · 2 pages · Color + monochrome

Gold, pine islands and a quiet pond reflection.

Kinkaku-ji's golden pavilion is seen across Kyokochi pond, framed by pine islands and the surrounding garden.

Shrines & Temples · Kita

English · 2 pages · Color + monochrome

A wooden stage above Kyoto's eastern hills.

Kiyomizu-dera's timber stage opens toward the city above a wooded hillside.

Shrines & Temples · Higashiyama

English · 2 pages · Color + monochrome

Palace rooms, ornate gates and gardens inside the castle walls.

Nijo Castle brings palace architecture and landscaped grounds into one visit.

Architecture & Design · Nakagyo

English · 2 pages · Color + monochrome

Kyoto's food traditions along a covered market street.

Nishiki Market brings food shops and everyday purchases into a covered central-city street.

Food & Dining · Nakagyo

English · 2 pages · Color + monochrome

Stone, raked gravel and space to look closely.

Ryoan-ji's dry landscape garden places rocks and moss within a bounded field of pale gravel.

Shrines & Temples · Ukyo

English · 2 pages · Color + monochrome

A pond garden framed by the Arashiyama landscape.

Tenryu-ji's Sogenchi garden combines pond, rocks, trees and the surrounding hillside into a composed landscape.

Shrines & Temples · Saga-Arashiyama

English · 2 pages · Color + monochrome