Arashiyama

While it is a temple today, originally, it was the villa of Emperor Saga. It is well-known by those who practice Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging, as it is the birthplace of Saga Goryu, a school of Ikebana. Often, there are examples of Saga Goryu near the entrance to the temple. The temple itself is reasonably large, with some artwork inside. The view of the Osawanoike Pond is quite relaxing.

The famous Priest Kūkai established this temple for the purpose of saying prayers for Arashiyama's dead. The temple grounds are filled with approximately 8000 Buddhist statues, each representing an unknown or forgotten person. Although it is famous for its statues, just like Otagi Nenbutsu-ji, Adashino Nenbutsu-ji is a spiritual place and a graveyard, so it has greater historical and spiritual significance, as well as impressive and beautiful. If you take a walk through the small bamboo-lined path to the upper area, you'll find actual grave sites instead of the statues in the lower area. There is also an area similar to the purification spots found at most temples however, at this one, you are supposed to pour water on each of the statues as you walk around it. This is a form of reverence and worship, and the Japanese who enter (particularly those who come to the upper area) come to pray, so while it may be fun, try also to be respectful.

Mentioned in the Tales of Heike, this is the site where sisters Gio and Ginyo come to devote their lives to Buddhism. Although the temple itself is rather small, the visit is made worthwhile by its vivid bright green moss garden.

A quiet, peaceful temple of less interest than nearby Gioji Temple.

This temple is quite beautiful in the autumn when the leaves are changing, and the view of the city from just above the pagoda is a truly spectacular.

A large temple complex that houses two ancient sculptures of Buddha; one of Shakamuni Buddha and the other of Amida Buddha. It also houses the graves of some famous Japanese people. Unless you have interest in visiting one of the graves, the complex seems expensive compared to other temples of the same price with much more interesting sites and history.

Home to the graves of the court's former enemies, as well as a beautiful moss garden.

This is the former home of Minamoto no Tōru who is believed to be the man that the famous Tale of Genji's protagonist Genji was inspired by.

One of the five head Shingon temples in Kyoto. The Boddhisatva Akasagarbha is enshrined in this temple. The complex offers a nice view of Kyoto City. The lights here are quite beautiful during the autumn Kyoto Light-Up.

This temple was built as a memorial temple for those who died while working on dams and other projects under Suminokura Ryōi. There are a variety of monuments and statues on the temple grounds, and a haiku from the famous poet Matsuo Bashō was written about the cherry blossoms on the temple grounds. The walk along the Hozu River leading to the temple is arguably more enjoyable than the temple itself, as the water often displays quite vivid blues and greens.

Of all the temples in Kyōto, Kōryū-ji is the oldest, dating back to the 12th century. It also houses the Miroku Bosatsu, the first item in the nation to be designated a National Treasure.

An active film studio built by the Toei Company, one of Japan's largest entertainment companies. The highlight is the backlot with recreated Edo-period streets, where many period dramas (時代劇 jidaigeki) were filmed, and continues to be in active use so you may catch a filming session going on if you're lucky. Also has many shows and exhibits about filming techniques, as well as plenty of activities to keep the kids occupied, provided of course they can speak and understand Japanese.

A shrine that's rarely visited by foreigners, Matsuo Taisha (as it's more commonly known) is a popular place for sake brewers to pray. The shrine existed prior to the establishment of Kyoto as Japan's capital and later received offerings from the Heian court. The shrine is famous for its water, said to be pure, as well as its interesting gardens and landscape.

A real cultural treasure, renowned for its magnificent gardens and fine classical architecture. You can obtain permission to join a tour of the property either through the Imperial Household Agency's official website (which also contains a detailed list of instructions sankan.kunaicho.go.jp/english) or by applying in person at the agency's Kyoto office (near the Imperial Palace). Be sure to apply well in advance of your visit: slots are extremely limited and the much sought-after online permits are rationed out through a lottery selection process.

This shrine is oddly dedicated to gods of both easy delivery and sake, because it is believed that the goddess Saketokekono was so delighted at the birth of her son that she made and drank sake. In addition, the stone to the right (upon entering) is believed to ensure pregnancy to any woman who steps over it, as a former Empress originally who was originally thought to be barren got pregnant after stepping over this stone. Along with a plethora of folk beliefs, the shrine is also a popular place to view flowers in the summertime.

"Suzumushi-dera" means "cricket temple", and as you might guess, there is a large case of crickets all along the wall inside the temple. Ever since the temple was featured on the NHK, Japan's national television station, it has received quite large crowds of people waiting to enter, but don't let the crowds scare you away. The purpose is to enjoy the crickets chirping, so upon entering, visitors are treated to tea, a snack, and a speech by one of the temple's priests (in Japanese, of course) lasting roughly 20 minutes. He talks about the crickets and makes a shameless plug for the charms sold at the temple and then the next group is allowed in. The temple seats a large number of people, so even those waiting on the steps should be able to get in for the next session. In order to keep the crickets chirping, they have to keep the temple warm, making it great for winter travellers.

Kokedera, also known as Saiho-ji, is one of Kyoto's World Heritage Sites famous for is beautiful moss garden. In the past, visitors could come and go freely, like most temples however, due to tourists stepping on and killing the moss, the temple had to limit the number of visitors and now requires a reservation in order to visit. The only accepted method is by mail. You need to send a letter giving them your name, the number of people in your party, and the date(s) you prefer to visit along with a self-addressed stamped envelope for them to send their response back to you. Here is the temple's address: Saiho-ji Temple 56 Jingatani-cho, Matsuo Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto, 615-8286, Japan If accepted, you will pay on arrival. While the price is quite steep, keep in mind that along with a tour of the garden, you will also listen to a monk recite sutras and even get to copy the sutras yourself. For those lucky enough to be accepted for a visit, it is often one of their best memories.

To experience Arashiyama to the fullest, the river cruise is your best bet! A variety of boats, small or large, both rowed and motored, are waiting on either side of the river. Be sure to confirm how far and for how long the trip goes, though. Some are as long as two hours, and others will do a quick turnaround in less than twenty minutes. Be prepared to get splashed and take appropriate precautions for electronic equipment. The drop off point sets you down just outside the entrance to Iwatayama Monkey Park, a great location to begin your stroll around the sights of Arashiyama.

For those looking to experience Kyoto from a different perspective, travelling in a rickshaw allows you to do just that. You can arrange where they will take you (and check the fees, of course) and then they will take a picture of you inside the rickshaw. Depending on where you are, you may even be able to get the Togetsukyo Bridge in the background. While you travel, the rickshaw puller will tell you about the area and the local sites, so you can learn a lot, if you understand Japanese. You can find the rickshaws around Togetsukyo Bridge.

A scenic train clinging to the sides of the Hozu river gorge that runs from Arashiyama to Kameoka. Many people enjoy riding the train to Kameoka and then taking the Hozu River Cruise back to Arashiyama.