9 Must-See Temples in Kyoto Japan

6.4K Temples in Kyoto Japan are different from any other temples in the world.

After a number of visits to Japan over the years, I’ve put together this guide to Kyoto temples and shrines to help you find the best ones.

Kyoto is Japan’s ancient capital and cultural center, so it has some of Japan’s most famous shrines, and Kyoto also has a number of must-see temples.

There are actually over 2,000 temples and shrines in Kyoto, so it’s hard to decide which ones to visit. Read on for my complete Kyoto temple guide.

Where to stay in Kyoto?

The best traditional shrines and temples in Kyoto Japan

1. Kinkaku-ji temple

Kinkaku-ji Temple (also known as the Golden Pavilion) is one of the most iconic and famous places in Japan.

This is the #1 most visited temple in Kyoto and for a pretty good reason. It’s almost impossible to take a bad photo here.

A good time to visit is in the morning before the wind picks up then you can see the reflections on the pond.Unfortunately it was very windy when we went so no reflections.

Read more: Kinkakuji Temple

2. Ginkaku-ji temple

After visiting the Golden Pavilion, you may know that it also has a lesser-known twin called Ginkaku-ji, the Silver Pavilion. This one is located in eastern Kyoto (Higashiyama), but it’s not too difficult to get to.

Also known as Higashiyama Jisho-ji, this temple dates back to the 15th century when it was originally built as a mountain villa for the shoguns.

It is a beautiful building in its own right and very photogenic with a dry sand garden and a raised cone that looks like Mount Fuji.

3. Tenryu-ji temple

This temple was built in the 14th century and is located in the Arashiyama district of Kyoto.

It has a beautiful landscaped garden and incredible autumn colors if you go near the middle of November.The garden is the main reason this one made my list of best temples in Kyoto.

Tenryu-ji also borders the famous Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, so chances are you’ll still be nearby if you’re visiting the best tourist spots in western Kyoto.

4. Fushimi Inari Shrine

This is an 8th century Kyoto shrine with over 1,000 orange torii gates surrounded by forest.

It’s fun to walk through the maze of gates and there are some beautiful mountain trails too.

However, this place can be very crowded with tourists, so it is better to come early in the morning or late in the afternoon.

5. Kiyomizu-dera Temple

This is probably the most famous temple in Japan, and it’s also a great place to see the fall colors.

Most people take photos of the main building, but our favorite part was actually the orange pagoda next to it.Anyway, there are many good photo ops around this temple in Kyoto.

Kiyomizu-dera is a Buddhist temple built in eastern Kyoto in the 8th century.

6. Find the Pagoda

It’s impossible to visit Kyoto’s Higashiyama district without seeing this iconic pagoda towering above the rest of the buildings.

The Yasaka Pagoda has 5 floors and although it was built in the 15th century, it is part of a temple that dates back to the 6th century.

The best photos are of course outside, but you can also go inside (up to the 2nd floor of the pagoda) for a fee.

7. Kenneth Temple

This is a random temple we passed while walking around the Higashiyama area of ​​Kyoto.

Little did we know at the time, but it turns out that this is actually one of Kyoto’s most important Zen temples. 1202, it is also considered to be the oldest Zen temple in Kyoto.

White and black colors are suitable for pictures.

8. Byodo-in Temple (Uji)

This is an underrated temple located in Uji, a small town between Kyoto and Nara that is very easy to visit from Kyoto.

Byodo-in Temple was originally built in the 11th century, and today it is even featured on the Japanese 10 yen coin.

Amazingly, Byodo-in Temple actually has a twin building in Hawaii that looks just like it and has the same name.

9. Todai-ji Temple (Nara)

Todai-ji Temple is one of Japan’s largest and most impressive attractions.Even though it is located outside of Kyoto, you can still easily visit it from there.

This huge ancient monument has a very interesting history behind it.It was the largest wooden building in the world for a millennium and houses the world’s largest bronze Buddha statue.

We have visited Todai-ji several times and it is a must-see.If you look at Nara Park, it also has other traditional Japanese temples and shrines.

Nara is very easy to visit on a day trip from Kyoto or Osaka, so you should definitely add it to your Japan bucket list.

Kyoto temple map

Here’s a Kyoto temple map that you can use to plan your trip in Japan. You can click on the icons to get more information and directions for each attraction, but keep in mind that some locations on this map may be approximate.

For more detailed information on how to get to Kyoto temples on this map, you can check out my individual travel guides for each location.

Japanese temple etiquette

Kyoto Japan’s traditional shrines and temples are open to tourists, but there are some basic rules and things to know:

• Always be calm and respectful, not loud, especially when you are indoors.
• You may have to take your shoes off to enter the temple premises, this means leaving them at the entrance or sometimes they will give you plastic bags to take with you.
• You can take photos on the grounds of the temple, but usually not inside the buildings. If photos are not allowed, it will be posted with a signature.
• Some temples and shrines in Kyoto are free, but most are not.
• There are many kimono rental shops in Kyoto, and you can wear them in a Japanese temple. If you ask the locals, they don’t take offense to foreigners wearing their traditional clothes for pictures, and you’ll find many of them do the same.

Best time to visit

Kyoto’s temples and shrines are especially spectacular during the fall and cherry blossom seasons, but that’s also when they’re most crowded.

The timing of these seasons varies each year, but generally you can see sakura (cherry blossom) season during the last week of March, and the fall colors peak in mid-November (in the Kyoto area).

Generally the best time of day to visit is early morning and late afternoon as the temples can get extremely crowded by noon, especially during holidays and peak season.

At any of the temples with ponds (like Kinkakuji), you’ll still want to be there early in the morning to capture the pond’s reflections before the wind picks up.

Hotels in Kyoto (click here)

Best Tours in Kyoto Japan (click here)

More Japanese shrine and temple guides

Thanks for looking, I hope you enjoyed this list of some of the best temples to visit in Kyoto, Japan.

Don’t forget to check out my full list of the best things to do in Japan before you go. You can also find more tips, information and photos in my Japan Travel Guide blog.

Happy travels!