Ginkaku-ji Temple, often referred to as the Silver Pavilion, is located in Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. It belongs to the Rinzai sect Shokoku-ji school, which represents the Higashiyama culture, and its mountain name is Higashiyama. The temple is said to have been founded in 1490 (the 2nd year of the Entoku era) by Ashikaga Yoshimasa, the 8th shōgun of the Muromachi shogunate, and its principal image is that of Shakyamuni Buddha. Since the Kannon Hall built within the temple grounds is commonly called the “Silver Pavilion,” the entire temple complex is also often referred to as “Ginkaku-ji.” It stands in contrast to the “Golden Pavilion” (officially named Kinkaku-ji) in Kyoto.
Shisendo is located in Kyoto’s Sakyo Ward and is the site of the mountain villa of Ishikawa Jozan, a literati figure from the early Edo period. It has been designated as a National Historic Site. It is now a Soto Zen Buddhist temple, also known as Jozan-ji. Shisendo is also called "Dokkaku-an," which means a dwelling built on uneven land. Both the architecture and garden of Shisendo are constructed along…
Kinkaku-ji, also known as the Golden Pavilion, is a Rinzai sect Shokoku-ji school temple originally built in 1397 (the fourth year of the Ōei era), located in Kita Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture. The name "Kinkaku-ji" comes from the Dharma name of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, the third shōgun of the Ashikaga shogunate during Japan's Muromachi period. It is also nicknamed the "Golden Pavilion" because the exterior of its core building, the "Kannon Hall"...
Officially known as Kamomioya Shrine, Kamigamo Shrine is located along the upper stream of the Kamo River in central Kyoto and is one of the city’s most ancient and historically significant shrines. It was built in the 7th year of Emperor Tenmu’s reign (678 AD), enshrining the deity Kamotaketsunumi-no-Kami, and holds its annual main festival on May 15. The vast grounds of Kamigamo Shrine house…
Sagano Bamboo Grove is located within Arashiyama, a nationally designated Historic Site and Scenic Beauty area, about a 30-minute drive from Kyoto. Spanning 16 square kilometers, it is considered Japan’s most beautiful bamboo forest and is ranked among the world’s top ten most enchanting forests. Sagano Bamboo Grove is not only famous for its lush bamboo but also for...
Kyoto National Museum is a national museum located in Kyoto, Japan. Established in May 1897, it is one of Japan’s most important museums. Operated by the independent administrative institution National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, the museum primarily exhibits cultural and artistic works from Kyoto dating from the Heian period to the Edo period. Kyoto National Museum was first...
The Bamboo Path is located in the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, the top scenic spot of Kyoto, Japan. Spanning 500 meters, it winds through one of Japan’s most famous and beautiful bamboo forests. Towering, lush green bamboo stalks line both sides, creating a world entirely of green bamboo — and earning the reputation as the most beautiful bamboo tunnel in the world. Strolling along this elegant path through the bamboo grove...
Joujoukou-ji is a Nichiren sect temple located in Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. Its mountain name is “Kokurayama,” and its principal image is the Ten Realms Mandala. The founder of the temple was Nichijou. It is said that the site of the temple was originally the villa “Shiguretei” of the waka poet Fujiwara no Teika. It is now one of the most...
Nanzen-ji is a Buddhist temple located in Kyoto, Japan. It serves as the head temple of the Nanzen-ji branch of the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism. Established in the fourth year of the Shōō era (1291 AD) by Emperor Kameyama, its first abbot was the Great Master Mukan Fumon. As the earliest Zen temple in Japan commissioned by the imperial family, it ranks above the Five Mountain Temples of Kyoto and is…
The Prime Minister Zhou Enlai Memorial Poem Monument is located in the Kameyama area of Arashiyama Park, a famous tourist destination in Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. It is a stone monument inscribed with the poem "Arashiyama in the Rain," primarily erected to commemorate the late Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China—Zhou Enlai (1898–1976). "Arashiyama in the Rain" is…
Arashiyama is a tourist destination in Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan, renowned for its cherry blossoms in spring and vibrant red maple leaves in autumn. It has long been celebrated as “Kyoto’s most famous scenic spot.” Originally, the name “Arashiyama” specifically referred to the area on the right bank of the Katsura River, part of Kyoto’s Nishikyo Ward, while the opposite side, belonging to Ukyo Ward, was...
Arashiyama Park is located where the Hozugawa Valley meets the plain, consisting of three areas: Kameyama, Nakanoshima, and Rinsen Temple. It is a famous spot for cherry blossoms in spring and maple leaves in autumn, and has been popular among royalty and nobility since ancient times. The Kameyama area lies on the hilly terrain of the southeastern part of Mount Kuragari, dominated by Japanese red pine...
The Kyoto International Manga Museum, located in Nakagyō Ward, Kyoto, Japan, is a museum dedicated to manga. Opened in 2006 and operated by Kyoto Seika University, it is a must-visit destination for manga fans. The Kyoto International Manga Museum houses a collection of domestic and international manga works as well as historical materials related to manga dating back to the Meiji era...
Kurama Temple is located in Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. It serves as the head temple of Kurama Hongan and is known by the mountain name "Kurama Mountain" and the principal image "Sonten." It was founded by Priest Kanjo, who is said to have established the temple in 770 AD. Priest Kanjo was a prominent disciple of the famous Chinese monk Jianzhen, who traveled from China to Japan. Kurama Temple once had numerous halls...
Located in the commercial heart of Kyoto, Nishiki Shopping Street is a north-south thoroughfare stretching 500 meters in length. At least 90% of its shops are open daily, with most operating from 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Kyoto’s Nishiki Shopping Street is the second oldest shopping street in Japan, only…
The Kyoto Railway Museum is located in Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, Japan. Established in 1972, it is a railway museum themed around steam locomotives. It was created to dynamically preserve steam locomotives designated as Important Cultural Properties and to make use of the roundhouse located at the Umekoji Locomotive Depot...
The Kyoto National Museum of Modern Art is located in the scenic Okazaki Park in Kyoto's Sakyo Ward. Established in 1963, it aims to collect, preserve, and exhibit modern and contemporary artworks from Japan and other countries, as well as conduct research on them. It is one of the most renowned art museums in Kyoto. The Kyoto National Museum of Modern Art was desig…
Kyoto Prefectural Botanical Garden is located in Sakyo Ward in northern Kyoto, covering an area of 24 hectares. Established in 1924, it was closed after the Allied occupation in 1946 and reopened in April 1961. It is Japan's oldest public botanical garden and one of the most beloved in Kyoto. Kyoto Prefectural Botanical Garden has become...
Toei Kyoto Studio Park, also known as "Toei Kyoto Studios," officially opened in 1875. Covering an area of 36,000 square feet, it is a movie-themed theme park and also serves as the filming location for Toei's period dramas. Toei Kyoto Studio Park is the only theme park in Japan where visitors can immerse themselves in the atmosphere of a film set...
Introduction Mount Moiwa stands in the southern part of Sapporo, reaching a height of about 531 meters. It is covered with dense forests and boasts beautiful mountain scenery. From the observation deck at the summit, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the city, and the night view is particularly spectacular. In winter, it becomes a popular spot for local residents to go skiing. Transportation Take the Tōhō Line subway to Daisan Park, transfer to the Nishiki 12 bus to...