31 temples · 14 shrines
Kyoto Prefecture is in the Kansai region of western Japan and is known for its long history as a center of Japanese culture. It includes Kyoto City, former imperial sites, many temples and shrines, and scenic areas such as the Tango coast and the rural mountains of the north.
A ranked guide to standout temples and shrines for planning a meaningful visit.
Entokuin is a quiet subtemple of Kodaiji in Kyoto’s Higashiyama district, known for its refined Zen gardens, narrow corridors, and Hasegawa Tohaku screen paintings. Once associated with Nene, Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s wife, it offers a peaceful, artfilled retreat.
Ichihime Shrine is a historic Shinto shrine in Kyoto’s Shimogyo Ward, known for prayers for women’s wellbeing, marriage, safe childbirth, and business prosperity. Founded in 795 and moved to its present site in 1591, it also features the revered AmanoManaoi...
Myōgonji, better known as Toyokawa Inari, is a Sōtō Zen Buddhist temple in Toyokawa, Aichi. Founded in 1441, it blends temple and Inari worship, and is famous for thousands of stone foxes, a torii gate, and its association with Senju Kannon and prosperity...
A peaceful Shinto shrine at the base of Arashiyama mountain, near the monkey park entrance. Formed by merging Ichitanisha and Munakatasha during the Daihō period, it was destroyed by fire in 1241 and later rebuilt as a branch of Matsuo Taisha.
A compact Buddhist temple in Kyoto’s Higashiyama district, Yasaka Koshindo is known for its vivid kukurizaru cloth charms and the Three Wise Monkeys motif. Dedicated to Koshinsan and Shomen Kongo, it’s a colorful, photogenic stop near Kiyomizudera.
Explore Hirotake Inari-no-miya, a notable shrine in Kyoto. Check goshuin availability, visitor details, and nearby sacred places before you go.
Nijō Castle in Kyoto is a UNESCO World Heritage site built in the early Edo period as the Tokugawa shoguns’ Kyoto residence. It is known for its grand gates, moat, nightingale floors, and beautifully preserved palace buildings and gardens.
Shirakumo is a small Shinto shrine set within Kyoto Gyoen, near the Kyoto Imperial Palace in Kamigyo Ward. It is known for its quiet grounds and historic ties to the Saionji family, with the nearest station about a 6minute walk away.
