Overview
Kyoto served as the imperial capital of Japan for more than a millennium, from 794 until 1868. Largely spared wartime destruction, it preserves over 1,600 Buddhist temples, some 400 Shinto shrines, and seventeen UNESCO World Heritage sites. Ringed by forested mountains and threaded by the Kamo River, it remains the cultural heart of the country.
A Short History
Founded as Heian-kyo in 794, the city was laid out on a grid modeled on the Chinese capital of Chang'an. For centuries it was the seat of the emperor and the stage for the refined court culture captured in The Tale of Genji. Though political power later shifted to Edo (today's Tokyo), Kyoto's temples, crafts, and ceremonies carried its traditions into the modern age.
What to See
Fushimi Inari Taisha
Thousands of vermilion torii gates wind up a sacred wooded mountain.
Kinkaku-ji
The Golden Pavilion, its gold-leaf upper floors mirrored in a still pond.
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
Towering green corridors of bamboo on the city's western edge.
Gion District
Lantern-lit lanes where geiko and maiko still hurry to evening appointments.
Plan your visit
Short on time? Follow our ready-made route through the best of Kyoto in a single day.