"As soon as you get to Kyoto, go to the Imperial Household Agency and see if there are any spots left for touring Katsura Rikyu, arguably the most beautiful house in Japan. It’s actually easier to get in as a foreigner than as a Japanese citizen, but either way, admissions are limited—which means you can enjoy this astounding villa without a crowd. Built in the early 1600s, the villa is a collection of classic Japanese buildings, with interiors resplendent with polished wood, shojis, tatamis and fusumas (painted, movable wall screens), and surrounded by a garden that was so meticulously art-directed that scouts were sent around the country to find identical stones to line the pond. If you’ve ever marveled at Japanese design, this is the most perfect example."

"In 794 C.E., Emperor Kammu moved Japan’s capital to Kyoto , chiefly to keep the large Buddhist monasteries in the former capital of Nara from amassing even more power than they already had. (The capital and emperormoved to Tokyo in 1868.) The present imperial palacedates back to 1855, andit’s not the buildings that stand outbutthe extremely beautiful gardens and park,which is the city center's main green space. Travelers need to obtain permission to visit the palace from the Imperial Household Agency, but the park isopen to all.The plum trees and cherry blossoms bloom in Marchand April, andall year round the park attracts joggers, cyclists, walkers, and picnickers."

"Kiyomizu-dera on Mount Otowa is one of the most famous temples in Japan , a place that appears in every sequence of Japanese travel photos. The landscape is all cherry trees and forest; it is among Kyoto 's loveliest spots. The current structure dates to 1633 and is one of 33 temples on a pilgrimage circuit in the Kansai region dedicated to Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of mercy. The circuit runs from the south ofWakayama north to the Sea of Japan . You’ll see pilgrims carrying nokyo-cho —books stamped to record the visit—and monks busily inscribing in calligraphy. The temple, set against a steep hill and constructed on huge pilings, is a UNESCO World Heritage site."

"In western Kyoto , there is a very large forest of bamboo. As you can see in the photo, the shoots grow very tall, making those who stroll by look quite small. I'm sure there are times when this road is crowded, but when we were there, people were few and far between. My only regret was not understanding that this forest would be the only one we saw. I wish I had taken more photos. Bamboo grows extremely fast, which is why it is the fastest renewable plant product that I know. It is not a tree, it is a grass. Some forests have grown to 20 to 30 feet in a growing season of four months. Just Google Arashiyama bamboo forest and you will see more photos and more data about this location and how to get there. The walk through this forest was most peaceful."

"Fushimi Inari Taishaon Inariyama mountain is dedicated to the Shinto gods of rice and sake, but Inari is also the god of merchants and that bringsa lot of businesspeopleto worship here. Everyone else stops by to see the thousands of vermilion torii, or gates (each of which is funded by a Japanese company). They lead to the main shrine, which was built in 1499. Walking underneaththe gatesis like passingthrough a fiery tangerinetunnel, and visitors leave behind tiny torii replicas as part of their prayer."

"Magnificent Example of Japanese Architecture Built in the 14th century as a villa for a powerful shogun, Kinkaku-ji temple, commonly referred to as the Golden Pavilion, is an easy bus ride from the main bus terminal in Kyoto . Thetemple isone of the most popular buildings in Japan ,so expect a lot of fellow gawkers. It exemplifies several different Japanese architecture styles, and the top two levels are completely covered in gold leaf.The extensive gardens are beautifully manicured and serene, despite the abundance of visitors using selfie sticks."

"Kyoto’s Ryoanji, a UNESCO World HeritageSite, is home to Japan’s most famous seki-tei garden, which is simply composed of rocks and raked gravel. The garden is surrounded by high walls on three sides; the fourth side faces the veranda of quite a lovely temple building—don’t neglect getting a good look at the building's fusumas (painted room screens). But the real draw is simply sitting on the veranda and gazing upon the garden. There is no vantage point from which you can see all 15 of the garden’s black stones at once. No one is quite sure what the original designer had in mind when he came up with it in the 1470s, though one common interpretation is that the stones represent islands rising above the sea. Every tour to Kyoto comes here, so it can get very crowded; the earlier in the morning you can arrive, the better your experience will be."

"Ginkakuji Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion), not to be confused with Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion; both are UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Kyoto ), is set up against the eastern mountains. Most tours go to Kinkakuji, because it’s close to Ryoanji, but the Kinkakuji was burned down in 1950 by a student monk (Yukio Mishima wrote a novel about this), so even with all the gold leaf, and even though it reflects nicely in the pond, it lacks Ginkakuji’s gravitas. The original idea was to cover the building in silver leaf, but it never happened, so its beauty is much more subtle than Kinkakuji’s, too. Ginkakuji has a small structure on its grounds, the Togudo, which contains the room that is the template for tea-ceremony rooms throughout Japan , which is gorgeous and likely to be quiet enough to enjoy."

"Back in the days before burglar alarms, howdid you know ifstrangers were in the house? Nijo-jo, with ingenious cunning right out of a ninja movie, was built with a “nightingale floor”: The smooth wooden planks of the walkways chirp when weight lands on them. Nijo-jo is technically a castle (hence the "-jo”) but it’s really more of a very rich person’s estate, defended only by low walls, a moat, and a tower or two—and those floors. Originally built by Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1603, it’s now an oasis in central Kyoto, with a gorgeous traditional garden. Try to arrive in the early morning or late afternoon; it’s one of Kyoto’s most popular attractions and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and can be jammed."

"Sanjusangendo is dedicated to Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of mercy. Kannon appears in many forms—as a beautiful woman, as a man, as someone with a horse’s head. In Japan, perhaps her most popular representation has her sporting 11 heads and 1,000 arms. Sanjusangendo has 1,001 examples of that incarnation (and while they do have 11 faces, each version only has 42 arms visible). Each hand holds a gem, a vajra , a wheel of law or another symbol. The overall design is stylized but no two statues are alike, and seeing them under one roof, glittering gold in a line longer than a football field, is pretty astounding."

"Mount Hiei, at the northwest edge of Kyoto, is home to one of Japan’s largest temple complexes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Construction began in 788 C.E. by the monk Saicho, who is also credited as founder of the Tendai school of Buddhism. Over time, the entire top of the mountain became covered with temples, and the resident monks were far from meek and humble: They would raid Kyoto, battling imperial forces to ensure their religious rights. You can easily spend all day wandering the monastic buildings; just make sure not to miss the Enryakuji, the main temple, which has an incense smell not to be matched anywhere, and the sense that the temple itself is humming mantras. Hike up the mountain or take the cable car, but anticipate that once there, you’ll want to stay a while."

"This under-loved 60-acre green space onthe east bank of the Kamo River with 120,000 plants and more than12,000 species is one of the best spots in Kyoto to reflect on nature. The garden has extensive cherry tree groves, tropical greenhouses filled with rare flora, a night flower garden planted with nocturnal blooms, and beds of perennials and annuals thatattract bees,small copper butterflies, and Daurian redstart birds."

"Kennin-ji Temple Founded in the 13th century, Kennin-ji is the oldest Zen Buddhist temple anywhere in the world. Located not too far from the Gion District (where you will find the majority of Kyoto's geisha) it is considered one of the most important temples in the city. There are several parts to the grounds: the temple; the Chouontei garden with its stone installation for meditation; the square garden near where the priests and abbots sleep that is raked stone; the twin dragons on the ceiling of Hōdō hall (a must see even if its darkness prevents good photos!) and the Dharma hall. Every area is worthy of deep exploration and you can spend several hours in appreciation and meditation. Absolutely gorgeous in the fall. If you visit during Thanksgiving there is a second temple (Seira-In) only open for 10 days where you can observe the maple leaves in tranquility."

"It’s said that the human eye can see more shades of green than any other color. Put the theory to the test at the Koke-dera, or Moss Temple, a veritable spectrum of jades, mints, artichokes, emeralds, and olives. TheUNESCO World Heritage site, formallyknown as Saihoji, ishome to around 120 types of moss, which carpet the temple ground’s forested floor in ways Akira Kurosawa couldn’t have dreamed up. Reservations to the temple must be made by snail mail months in advance in Japanese. After arrival, visitors are also asked to participate in Koke-Dera’s religious activities by observing kito and shakyo (respectively, the chanting and copying of Buddhist scriptures, called sutra)."

"While Japan often remains aloof to many first-time visitors, Kyotofeels intentionally difficult to get to know—even to Tokyoites who visit frequently. Getting some kind of entréeto hidden gems is especially useful here. Enter humble American-turned-Kyotoite Nemo Glassman, founder of Plus Alpha Japan. Many yearsliving in Kyoto has given him a deep understanding ofthe city's idiosyncrasies, of which there are many. Plus Alpha will arrange insider tours and intimate experiences throughout Kyoto and beyond. His tours aim to facilitate deeper engagementfor travelers, whether imbibing with izakaya chefs, practicing zazen meditation with Buddhist abbots, or enjoying a tea ceremony performed by a maiko (apprentice geisha)."

"Craving Enlightenment? Follow the Philosopher's Path When we arrived in Kyoto in mid-April, most of the cherry blossoms were no longer coloring the trees but sprinkled on the ground. We got lucky, though, spotting a few along the Philosopher’s Path (Tetsugaku no michi) still afluff with pink and white flowers, and some sakura willows with limbs drooping over the stone canal, seemingly as sad as we were that the season, hanami, had already passed. While walking along the path, we happened upon an artist sketching and purchased a black-and-white original print, the delicate lines of which capture the serenity of this place far better than any photo of our memorable walk. You’ll find the start of the path, said to be the daily route the famed philosopher Nishida Kitaro took to work at Kyoto University, near Ginkakuji Temple (Silver Pavilion). Follow the stone walkway along the canal till it ends in Nanzenji where you can visit the temple, or stop along the way to hike the stairs at Eikan-do temple for views of the city, then pause for a well-earned sweet at one of the many cafes sprinkled along the path. By Breawna Power Eaton"

"Zen Temple A Zen temple abutting the bamboo forest of Arashiyama - quiet despite the tourists . . . By Rebecca Safley"

"Manga Madness What is Manga? I asked myself that same question. I saw a flood of Japanese teenagers outside this museum dressed up as these crazy anime characters. They were outside the Kyoto International Manga Museum. It's three floors of lined wall to wall with every possible collection of manga you could think of. Manga can basically be described as a Japanese stle of comics that originated in the mid-1900s. It's become a huge hit with the younger set in Japan and the grassy area in front of the museum is fenced in so teens can act as their favorite characters."