Kyoto’s astonishing assortment of temples and shrines is one of the city’s big draws, as these symbolic structures feature some of the most magnificent religious architecture on Earth. With over 1600 Buddhist temples and 400 Shintō shrines packed into a relatively compact area, there are enough to fill a lifetime of visits.
Plan your trip to Kyoto by adding these best temples and shrines to your itinerary.
Best known for its Golden Pavilion and UNESCO World Heritage status
A visit to Kinkaku-ji doesn’t take long to warm up. A minute after heading through the entrance, the gravel pathway opens up to one of the defining images of Kyoto: a golden pavilion seen across a pond that’s designed to catch the pavilion’s reflection.
Though there is nothing else quite like Kinkaku-ji in Japan, the temple’s creation does follow a familiar story. Originally, it was part of the villa of 14th-century shōgun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, who requested its conversion into a Zen temple upon his death. Its official name, Rokuon-ji, was taken from part of Yoshimitsu’s posthumous Buddhist name. Kinkaku refers only to the golden pavilion itself, with -ji (temple) added to create the temple’s familiar name: the Temple of the Golden Pavilion.
Accessibility: The path to the Golden Pavilion is wheelchair accessible However, the garden is not barrier-free. If using a wheelchair or stroller you will need to return to the entrance to exit the grounds.
Best known for its wooden veranda
One of the city’s most revered World Heritage sites, Kiyomizu-dera is a temple with over 1200 years of history. Founded at the site of a holy spring, it has long been a place of pilgrimage and is famed for its impressive 13m-high (42ft) wooden veranda, Buddhist art collections and a shrine for those seeking luck in love.Most visitors arrive at the temple at the foot of the Niō-mon, a magnificent two-story vermilion gate crammed with intricate artisanship, which towers at the top of some stone steps – it’s an iconic and popular spot, so you’ll need to visit very early or late in the day to experience it without the crowds.
Location: Gion & Southern Higashiyama
Opening hours: 6am-6pm (these times change seasonally and during special events)
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