1
Fushimi Inari Taisha
Shinto shrine
Mountainside Shinto shrine dating from 711 A.D. featuring a path with hundreds of traditional gates.
4.60 (72K reviews)
2
Kiyomizu-dera
Buddhist temple
Iconic Buddhist temple on Mount Otowa known for the scenic views afforded from its sizable veranda.
4.50 (55.4K reviews)
3
Kinkaku-ji
Buddhist temple
Historic, tranquil temple with a gold-leaf facade set amid landscaped gardens & a reflecting pond.
4.50 (54.9K reviews)
4
Nishiki Market
Market
400-year-old iconic market studded with stalls offering all manner of Japanese edibles.
4.20 (39.5K reviews)
5
Nijō Castle
Castle
Built in 1603, this cypress-wood castle with extensive gardens was a home for the shogun Ieyasu.
4.40 (35.8K reviews)
6
Yasaka Shrine
Shinto shrine
This Shinto shrine was erected in 656 A.D. & is home to one of the most famous festivals in Japan.
4.40 (27.5K reviews)
7
Kyoto Railway Museum
Rail museum
Contemporary space with exhibits on the railway & an array of locomotives & trains on display.
4.50 (16.6K reviews)
8
Tōji Temple
Place of worship
Historic Buddhist temple with a 5-story wooden pagoda & sculptures of deities from the 8th century.
4.50 (15.7K reviews)
9
Kitano-temmangū Shrine
Shinto shrine
Shrine with 10th-century origins featuring annual festivals to mark natural & historical events.
4.40 (14.4K reviews)
10
Nidec Kyoto Tower
Observation deck
Tower with an observation deck offering binoculars & touch-screen guides, plus a food court.
4.10 (14.2K reviews)
11
Higashiyama Jisho-ji
Buddhist temple
This 15th-century Zen temple features picturesque gardens & a sand mound shaped like Mount Fuji.
4.50 (14.1K reviews)
12
Sanjūsangendō Temple
Buddhist temple
This iconic Buddhist temple is known for its 1,001 life-sized wooden statues of the goddess Kannon.
4.60 (13.7K reviews)
13
Sannenzaka
Tourist attraction
Bustling pedestrian street on a hill lined with souvenir stalls & traditional Japanese architecture.
4.40 (13.5K reviews)
14
Heian Shrine
Shinto shrine
Classic Shinto shrine & landscaped gardens created in 1895 for the city's 1,100th birthday.
4.30 (13.4K reviews)
15
Tenryu-ji
Buddhist temple
This venerable Zen temple at the foot of mountains features teahouses & serene, expansive gardens.
4.40 (13.2K reviews)
16
Shimogamo Shrine
Shinto shrine
Legendary 2,000-year-old shrine & excavation site set in a tranquil, riverside forest.
4.40 (12.5K reviews)
17
Kyoto Aquarium
Aquarium
This modern aquarium with 9 zones features a giant salamander, penguins & seals, plus dolphin shows.
4.20 (12K reviews)
19
Higashi Hongan-ji Temple
Buddhist temple
Serene Buddhist temple complex with a 76m-long hall, one of the largest wood buildings in the world.
4.50 (10.5K reviews)
20
Nanzen-ji
Buddhist temple
Stately Buddhist temple complex with a Zen garden, forested grounds & walking paths.
4.50 (10.4K reviews)