Kyōto

Kyōto is a city where ancient Japan feels wonderfully alive. For more than a thousand years it served as the home of Japan’s emperors, and that extraordinary history is visible around every corner — in grand temples, elegant palaces, and peaceful gardens that have stood for centuries. Wandering its streets feels like flicking through the pages of a history book, except everything around you is beautifully, thrillingly real.

The city is packed with unforgettable sights. Thousands of vivid orange torii gates wind up a forested mountain at Fushimi Inari Taisha, while the Golden Pavilion shimmers in gold leaf beside its mirror-still pond. At Nijo Castle, the floors actually squeak like birdsong beneath your feet — a clever trick to catch intruders! And at dusk in the Gion district, you might glimpse a maiko gliding through lantern-lit lanes in a gorgeous silk kimono.

With so many temples that visiting them all would take years, Kyōto rewards every curious explorer who steps inside its ancient, magical world.

Kyōto Puzzle Set

City illustration + map puzzle, shipped to your door.

Available in 110, 252, 520 and 1,014 pcs

From $44.99

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Quick fact

Kyōto served as Japan's imperial capital for over a thousand years and is home to 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Fun fact

Kyōto has so many temples that if you visited one every single day, it would take you more than four years to see them all!

Landmarks

Fushimi Inari Taisha

This magical Shinto shrine is famous for its thousands of bright orange torii gates that form tunnels winding all the way up a forested mountain.

Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)

This breathtaking three-story Zen Buddhist temple is covered in real gold leaf and sits beside a perfectly still pond that mirrors its shining reflection.

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

Walking through this towering grove of giant green bamboo feels like stepping into another world, especially when the wind makes the stalks sway and whisper.

Gion District

Stroll down the historic stone-paved lanes of Gion at dusk and you just might spot a geiko or maiko — traditional performing artists — in colorful kimono.