Hello, Kyoto! Temples, Day Trips & Attractions

Dive into the magical landscape of Kyoto: what is Kyoto famous for? How much time shall I dedicate for visiting? What are sites I should not miss out on? And which temples are worth seeing out of the uncountable premise collection at-hand? Let me take you on a journey to get a best-possible impression of the former imperial city of Japan via a series of small articles about Kyoto's highlights and must-see's!

Hi, Kyoto: a brief introduction!

Welcome to Kyoto, former capital and imperial seat of Japan from 794–1868. With roughly 1,5 Million inhabitants, Kyoto belongs to the one out of ten largest cities in Japan, located roughly 400km from Tokyo and easily reachable via Shinkansen. It usually is the second most popular travel destination in Japan after Tokyo and that for some very good reasons: renown for its rich history, Kyoto obtains 17 out of 23 UNESCO World Heritage sites, over 2000 temples and shrines, zen gardens, culinary delicacies and well-preserved remains of traditional residential areas of the old empire. Walking ancient alleys, such as in Gion, will easily take you back to another time period, in which Geishas gracefully performed their entertaining dances and rituals during traditional tea ceremonies for their clients.

Compared to other large cities in Japan, such as Tokyo, the cityscape of Kyoto appears more differentiated: here you will find fewer high-rise buildings decorated with bright advertising boards, noise and concrete-surrounding districts. Rather, you immerse yourself in a pleasant, partly decelerated and culturally preserved world of old Japan, which is surrounded by colourful mountain panoramas, hunger-inducing smells and historically significant landmarks with magnificent architecture. Plan to stay here at least 2 - 5 days to cover some of the main attractions & scenic highlights!

Things to Do & See: Exploring Kyoto

Kyoto offers a wide variety of things to discover, taste and experience with all your senses. For orientation purposes, I have clustered Kyoto into categories, you can easily jump to via the below provided quick links: (1) City Sightseeing, (2) Kyoto's most precious Temples, (3) Day Trips to surrounding Areas and (4) Kyoto Eats. These will allow you to get a best-possible overview of the city, its main attractions and sightseeing choices to pick- and- choose the to you most appealing spots for your own travel itinerary!