Shrine
Fushimi Inari Taisha
Walk beneath thousands of vermillion torii gates winding up the sacred mountain. Arrive at dawn for stillness; stay for the view.
Read more
Japan · Kansai Region
A city where tradition breathes in every stone.
Once the imperial capital for over a thousand years, Kyoto remains the cultural heart of Japan - a place of 1,600 temples, moss gardens and lantern-lit lanes.
Featured Destinations
Three unmissable experiences
Begin your journey with the places that define Kyoto - its shrines, its bamboo, and its living history.
Nature
Arashiyama Bamboo
Step into a cathedral of bamboo where sunlight filters green and the wind through the stalks is recognised as one of Japan's soundscapes.
Read more
District
Gion District
Preserved machiya townhouses, lantern-lit streets and the rare chance to glimpse a geiko hurrying to an evening engagement.
Read moreKyoto by the numbers
1,600
Buddhist Temples
400
Shinto Shrines
17
UNESCO Sites
1,200
Years of History
Why Kyoto
More than a destination - a way of seeing
Largely spared from the bombings of the Second World War, Kyoto preserves centuries of architecture, ritual and craft that were lost elsewhere in Japan. The tea ceremony, ikebana and Noh theatre were all shaped here.
To visit is not simply to tick off sights but to slow down: to learn how a single bowl of matcha, a raked gravel garden, or a wooden temple gate can carry meaning.
More about the city
Plan your trip
Let us help you build the itinerary.
Tell us when you're travelling and what you love, and we'll suggest a route that fits.
Send an Enquiry