How to choose between 17 UNESCO World Heritage sites in Kyoto, Part 1

Kyoto, the historical Imperial Capital of Japan, has no less than 17 UNESCO-listed World Heritage sites. This probably the most dense concentration of UNESCO sites anywhere. But, how easy is it to visit the UNESCO World Heritage sites in Kyoto as a tourist – and, are they all worth visiting? If not, which ones are the most worthwhile, which ones are easy to access, and what about crowds???

Kyoto gets very busy these days, or at least some places do – how feasible is it to see the best or most interesting UNESCO World Heritage sites in Kyoto?

This is my feeble attempt to introduce the sites to you, and disclaimer first, I haven’t visited them all myself. But rather than trying to visit all countries of Europe or all prefectures in Japan, visiting all 17 UNESCO World Heritage sites is a much more feasible goal!

I got an early start in 2004, when, in financial recovery from graduate school and in my first full-time decent wage job, I scraped enough money together for a week in Japan. So, fresh off the Shinkansen in Kyoto, I dropped my bag in a very cheap hotel and headed to Sanjusangendo, my first Kyoto Temple, followed by a walk to Kiyomizudera on the rather obscure Otani Cemetery route! I managed four UNESCO World Heritage sites in Kyoto then (the others were Ginkaku-ji and Kinkaku-ji and Ryoan-ji), but I really fell in love with Kyoto on that first trip, and I returned, as I promised myself on that trip.

I am even going to spend more time in Kyoto next year, so, I should be able to revisit sites I loved, and I will visit some new to me sites.

But do we really need another guide to Kyoto’s UNESCO Heritage sites, especially since at least half are incredibly popular and prone to overcrowding? Probably not. But I can tell you which UNESCO World Heritage sites in Kyoto are less crowded and easy to visit. This post will reflect my impressions and opinion, so it’s only natural that I may not have liked certain sites as much, but that doesn’t mean that they are not worth visiting! I also added a section where I suggest even less crowded worthwhile alternatives.

Since this post got longer and longer while I wrote and researched it, I decided to publish this in two parts. I ordered the sits roughly by age, starting with the oldest, and I am making a cut after No.8, which is Daigo-ji and the only one in this post that is in suburban Kyoto (Fushimi-ku). I will then cover Numbers 9-17 including the two Uji and Kozan-ji on Mount Takeo in a second post.

17 UNESCO World Heritage sites in Kyoto: An Overview

The United Nations were formed in June 1945. UNESCO, formed in the same year, is the United Nation’s Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. UNESCO has been designating properties of universal cultural and historical value onto its Worlds Heritage List since 1972.

The UNESCO World Heritage List was inaugurated by UNESCO over 30 years later but stem back to the 1950s when the construction of the Aswan Dam in Egypt put a number of ancient temples at danger of flooding, and the governments of Egypt and Sudan asked the UNESCO for assistance in protecting these temples. The first UNESCO World heritage site, though, in 1978, was actually the Galapagos islands. As of today, there are nearly 1300 properties on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

All Kyoto sites were added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1994. The UNESCO World Heritage sites in Kyoto consist of thirteen Buddhist temples, three shrines and Nijo Castle.

In nearby Sakai, you will find another UNESCO site, older than anything in Kyoto: The Mozu Kofun (5th Century AD tombs, added in 2019), and further down on Kii Peninsula, the Kumano Kodo is designated UNESCO World Heritage, too.

My list here will be roughly in historical order, and then, I will give my very subjective rating and recommendations.

1. and 2. The Kamo Shrines: Kamigamo-jinja and Shimogamo-jinja

Although I am drawn to Kyoto’s temples a bit more, I love a good shrine. And these two ancient ones deliver. The are considered a single shrine dedicated to the Kamo River deity, with Kamigamo-jinja the “Upper” and Shimogamo-jinja the “Lower Shrine”. They predate the Imperial City of Kyoto, which was established in 794 By how long? Probably a century, some sources say the shrine was founded in 678, which makes it one of the oldest Shrines in Japan.

Both Kamo Shrines were brought under the patronage of the Imperial Court

If you are in Kyoto in May, consider visiting the Aoi Matsuri, where a large parade of people dressed in Heian Period costume walks from the Former Imperial Palace to Kamigamo Shrine.

Visiting the Kamo Shrines

When you say UNESCO World Heritage, these two don’t feature high on people’s lists, and this slight obscurity, plus their location a bit away from the Centre does not make them a top tourist attraction. So, you may ask yourself: Why the Kamo Shrines? Why aren’t famous Fushimi Inari or the similar-looking Imamiya Shrine or Yasaka Shrine, which plays such a central role in Kyoto’s history, on the UNESCO list? Well, I do not know.

When you visit, you will not get mobbed by other tourists. Both shrines lie in rather generously-sized parks and can easily be reached by bus from central Kyoto, or make a leisurely half-day cycle along the Kamo River path.

I visited in autumn 2024, before peak leaf season, on a weekend, when many locals were out and about. There was some vibran gingko leaf to admire, and I loved the cheerful atmosphere, with many people in beautiful kimono waking about, kids dressed up to the nines, people just milling about and having a great time. Right at the bottom of the large park is the Kawai Shrine, one dedicated to beauty, with ema shaped like a mirror, and pens to paint your beauty ideal on that mirror. This one gets quite popular, but do not miss the main shrine building a five-minute walk further north.

There were several souvenir shops and snack stalls, and the goshuin is written by hand, not pre-printed, which I always appreciate, and there weren’t any queues for anything despite this being a weekend.

Shimogamo-jinja is the easier to visit shrine, in walking distance to Keihan Line’s Demachiyanagi terminus. It’s situated in a large forest-like park and offers some excellent autumn leaf viewing, with both gingko (yellow) and maple (red) leaves. The shrine area is so big that it does not feel crowded at all.

I have not been to Kamigamo-jinja yet. It is allegedly more suited for cherry blossom viewing, and for a relatively long period, as it has different varieties of sakura. You can get to Kamigami-jinja by Kyoto Metro to Kitaoji, then walk about 15 minutes, or by bus – much less walking.

So, all in all, the Kamigamo Shrines make a lovely trip to the edges of central Kyoto, without uncomfortable crowds. As to why these two are UNESCO World Heritage and other historical and large shrines, like Yasaka, Kitano Tenmangu and Imamiya shrines aren’t, I do not know.

Don’t care about UNESCO Heritage Status? Here are similar alternatives

Whoa, I am going to tread careful with this, but if you want a similar shrine to Shimogamo-jinja with even fewer crowds, consider visiting Imamiya Shrine. Imamiya-jinja is a large shrine in the Northwest, built to ward off an epidemic, where you can pray for good health and good relationships.

It has picturesque vermilion red and white shrine architecture, the unique historic aburamochi restaurants, and beautiful underrated Daitoku-ji in its neighbourhood. Visiting both will give you a pleasant half days visiting significant classic Kyoto shrine and temple architecture without encountering huge crowds.

3. Saiho-ji: The Moss Temple

I was pretty surprised when I researched this post and found that modest Saiho-ji, founded in 731, is the oldest on this list. In 1339 when it became a temple of the Rinzai Zen Buddhist School and Muso Soseki, Buddhist Monk, Zen Master, Garden designer and Tea Master, remodelled the temple its gardens, then a dry landscape garden in the Zen manner, one of thee earliest in the country.

Saiho-ji is most famous for its otherworldly moss garden which was established in its current form in the 1920’s when the temple and some of its tea houses were renovated. And one could say it is also quite famous for its somewhat restrictive visitor policy, which the temple has operated with great success in the 1970’s!

It used to be one of the most touristy temples in Kyoto in the 1950s. This is when the management sought to restrict visitors numbers and generate a higher revenue to maintain the labour.

-intensive moss garden.  Since the 1970’s, they only accept visitors who have a prior reservation, asking for advance booking and a reasonably big fee of 4000JPY.

Visiting Saiho-ji

This requires a bit of preparation, as you need to create an account and then purchase a ticket though the temple’s web site. We are not talking about a Ghibli Museum-style frenzy here, but consider buying your tickets two months in advance. I bought the “Nichi-nichi Sanpei”, an ordinary visit, where you are invited to copy a sutra in the Hondo, and then you can spend as much time in the gardens as you wish.

It’s an easy ride from Kyoto City Hall on the No.63 bus or from Kyoto Station on the No.73 bus. There is plenty of staff around to direct you, and honestly, I really like how this individual temple has been dealing with visitors – they allow enough to fulfil demand, but they never let the place get crowded.

Strolling through the garden was beautiful, with some seemingly like-minded people who enjoy quiet contemplation and visiting in depth rather than ticking off sights. There is an air-conditioned rest area with water dispensers, rest rooms and drinks vending near the Main Hall I have a more detailed post on Saiho-ji here.You are led to the main hall, where you copy a sutra, and then can visit the gardens at your leisure – and stay as long as you want. It is peaceful, and the temple is doing a great job in controlling visitor numbers and at the same time generating some revenue. It it pleasant, it never felt full, and taking the bus there was a breeze. And the moss? WEll, if you love a somewhat unusual Japanese and unique garden, you should totally come here. I think it is totally worth it, and have written about my visit here.

Didn’t pre-book, ticket too expensive? Consider these alternatives

Even though I loved my visit to Saiho-ji and really recommend visiting, you may have had no success securing tickets or didn’t fancy paying the relatiely high entrance fee?

Worry Not. Like bamboo, moss is pretty much ubiquitous. There is a good amount of moss to be found in many gardens. From personal experience, the moss gardens at Ginkaku-ji are also very impressive.

And then there is an initiative by JR Central to promote some less obvious temples that all have moss gardens, and they issued a seasonal promotional “Moss Passport“. For a 1000JPY fee, you can visit six temples – and collect the stamps, of course! These include Jokakku-ji (gets rammed in autumn, otherwise quiet) and Gioji in Arashiyama, Tofukuji (gets rammed in autumn, otherwise quiet, too) south of Kyoto Station, Sanzen-in and Shorin-in in Ohara, and the lovely Enko-ji (a superb autumn leafing spot without huge crowds).

4. Enryaku-ji: Kyoto’s Defender and the Powerhouse

Enryaku-ji is about as old as the City of Kyoto and was founded in 788 by the Buddhist monk Saichō – the same who brought Tendai Buddhism from China to Japan. At first, a monastery and temple complex was established here to protect the new capital’s “weak” Northeastern Corner from bad spirits and possible potential intruders, and its monks practiced meditation peacefully and stood in close exchange with the Imperial court and was considered a significant power in Japan, and at some point governed about 3000 sub-temples.

Succession conflicts and conflict with a neighbouring Tendai Monastery at Mii-dera meant that Enryaku-ji’s monks became known more for warfare than quiet religious practice, and for centuries, there have always been tensions between the monks of Enryaku-ji and whoever officially governed Japan, to the point that Oda Nobunaga razed the temple to the grounds and had 2000 monks murdered. Following a change of rule, the temple was rebuilt during the Shogunate and today still has a somewhat rebellious streak, having performed ceremonies with yakuza organisations and spawning the “marathon monks” a tiny elite of monks who perform elaborate endurance tests over a seven-year cycle.

Visiting Enryaku-ji

Enryaku-ji is a temple I have not visited yet, partly because it is a bit of a trek up Hiei-zan, and partly because its Main Hall has been under restoration since 2016.

It gets its fair share of visitors, but the site on top of Mount Hiei is absolutely sprawling, so it is unlikely to get very crowded. Its elevation (at 848 metres, Kyoto’s second highest mountain after Mt Atago) may give a reprieve from summer heat, early autumn leaf watching, and snow in winter.

The fastest and cheapest way to get to Enryaku-ji is by direct bus (Keihan Bus to Hiei Sancho) from Kyoto Station (No.57) or Keihan Sanjo Station (No. 56) and takes an hour and a quarter.

The more scenic route affording views of Lake Biwa is by train to Hieizan-Sakamoto, a short bus ride and Sakamoto Cable car. Coming from the Kyoto side, you make your way to the Eizan Cable car either by Karasuma Metro Line, Bus or Eizan Electric Railway. Several ticket deals and passes are available on both cable car routes, but unless you wish to save money, you will probably see most if going up one way and coming down another. Also, lots of smaller temples, especially famous for their autumn leaves (Enko-ji, Shisen-do, Manshu-in, Renge-ji and Ruriko-in) as well as an Imperial Villa oare en route if you take the Eizan route, suitable for a very full day of autumn leaf viewing.

5. To-ji

If you have just arrived in Kyoto and would like to spend some relaxing time before checking into your hotel, without joining the massive queues for buses to Gion and Higashiyama – Toji makes a great introduction to Kyoto’s sights. It’s a very nice large temple you can reach by walking from Kyoto Station in less than 20 minutes.

To-ji Temple was founded in 796 AD and was one of three temples in situ when Heian-kyo, what was to become the capital city, was founded.

It’s a perfectly balanced one, famous, easy to reach, not too crowded, and a fabulous flea market too boot once a month. It offers a lot to see in its wide grounds and is a prime spot for cherry blossoms and autumn leaves viewing, without ever getting painfully crowded. And you can walk here from Kyoto Station in about 15 minutes, or take a train, which takes all of two minutes. No need to to navigate the crowded Kyoto Station Concourse or squeeze on the sometimes painfully crowded buses, a gentle start into Kyoto, and one of its oldest temples.

This also makes To-ji one of Kyoto’s oldest temples, although Koryu-ji (founded 603) is considered Kyoto’s oldest, and Saiho-ji in Arashiyama dates back to 731, and Kiyomizudera was established in 778 – so these are older by a few decades. To-ji was founded as a Nara Buddhism temple but granted to Kukai, later known as Kobo Daishi, in 823 AD Kobo Daishi founded the Shingon sect of Buddhism here, and Toji is still considered the head temple of Shingon Buddhism. Pretty much every building in the temple grounds has been rebuilt after being destroyed by fired, mostly in the 17th Century . Its Main Hall, the Kondo, will have a collection of beautiful Buddha Statues from the Momoyama (early Edo, 1563-1603) period, known for their liberal use of gold and colour.

Visiting To-ji

I visited with my mother at the beginning of the cherry blossom season, having wanted to visit for quite some time, and the cherry blossom forecast showing a decent progress despite being early in the season.

To-ji is very easy to visit – it’s one kilometer from kyoto Station (use the South Hachijo Exit) and easy to walk – several buses from both Main and South exits go there, ir it’s one stop on the Kintetsu Kyoto Line.

We took a bus from Sanjusangen-do, a very relaxed ride because most tourists travel the other direction. For about 500JPY, you can stroll its extensive gardens, particularly good at cherry blossom time, view its Five Story Pagoda – allegedly the tallest wooden tower in Japan – built in the 1600’s and in good shape. 

I am honest with you, I cannot remember exactly which parts of To-ji we visited – we came for the cherry blossom and followed the signposted course. It may well be that some halls are off limits to the public, but we saw the Kodo (Lecture Hall) with some very impressive collection of very large and very old Buddha statues, who are the oldest original display in Japan. Plan for at least an hour for a leisurely visit to what’s publicly accessible.

In all honesty, we were pretty much fixated on the cherry blossoms, and it didn’t matter to us that some parts of the temple were not open to the public or that photographs were not allowed inside the Lecture Hall.

I went to a side building to collect my Goshuin, which, to my delight, is hand-written on site, which is relatively rare for a large temple with mass appeal. There was no queue whatsoever.

I am not going to list any alternatives here because To-ji has several culturally significant buildings sitting on a very spacious site.

6. Kiyomizudera

Kiyomizudera is one of the most iconic sights of Kyoto, a spread-out temple in a scenic hill side location, that offers magnificent views and is famous for cherry blossoms and autumn leaves – and it has a very interesting shrine on site, too. It’s the Jack-of-all-trades of Kyoto temples, always beautiful – and therefore, gets pretty crowded year-round.

The temple was founded in 778 at the site of a waterfall, hence the name “Kiyo Mizu – clean water – 清い水, although all buildings you see today are early Edo period, dating back to the 1633. It is dedicated to the Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy and Compassion.

The temple belongs to the Hosso School of Buddhism, one of the six schools of ancient Nara Buddhism, and was reformed at the Kita-Hosso SChool by its then abbot, in the 1960’s. At this site, you also see a nice example of “Shinbutsu-konkō”, the syncretism between the Buddhist and Shinto religious practice, with the Jishu-jinja Shrine, dedicated to the god of love and matchmaking, on its site.

Learn more at the temple’ s official web site, www.kiyomizudera.or.jp.

Visiting Kiyomizudera

Of all famous sites in Kyoto, this is one of the “big three” along with Fushimi Inari and and the bamboo forest at the back of Tenryu-ji in Arashiyama. In theory, this magnificent temple has it all: the majestic red Niomon Gate the foot of the hill, sweeping views, cherry blossoms, autumn leaves, large impressive Hondo with statues of the Kannon and the famous “stage”, a Hinoki Wood balcony, fun and games at the Jishu-jinja.

There also appear to be very few restriction as to where you can enter and what you can photograph.

Unfortunately, this means that it gets completely rammed with tourists, and not always the pleasant kind. I first came here in 2004, and encountered mostly schoolgirls doing the divining for boyfriends, keen to practice their English.

I then did not come back for quite some time. In 2025 during sakura season, with my mom in town, I felt it a sacrilege to leave out this temple, but it was impossible to get her there at 6am, like I had intended. But, rolling up in a cab at 7.30, it wasn’t so bad! We slowly walked up from the Niomon Gate all the way to the Oku no In, the sacred waterfall, and yes, there were quite a few people, but we were able to walk freely and enjoy the various sites of this wonderful temple, and walked down Sannen-zaka and Ninen-zaka to Kodai-ji just as the shops were opening.

To visit Kiyomizudera, you need a bit of time, since it’s a fair walk from the nearest bus stop, and buses between Kyoto Station and Kiyomizudera and from Kiyomizudera onwards get notoriously crowded, with massive queues at the bus stops of Gojo-zaka and Kiyomizu-michi.

Here, it makes much more sense to arrive early, consider spending on a taxi, visit Kiyomizudera, which should not take longer than an hour unless you take a long walk around its expansive grounds, and then have a nice walk to visit Kodai-ji.

After visiting Kodai-ji, you can continue to Yasaka Shrine, where you can easily catch multiple buses – or walk through Gion to Shijo Station.

A longer nice walk along the quieter roads after Maruyama Park will take you past Chion-in and Shoren-in, both very much visit-worthy large but quieter temple, to the Higashiyama Station of Kyoto Metro.

Crowds at Kiyomizu-dera too much bother? Here are some alternatives

It is fair to say that I can see why Kiyomizu-dera Temple gets so many visitors since it is a unique temple ina very scenic location! And I would say the crowds are not bad at all if you visit early in the days – before 8am.

There isn’t really any place like Kiyomizudera. It isn’t a Kyoto landmark for nothing.

You can escape the worst crowds by heading towards Taisan-ji and the Koyasu-no-to Pagoda – only a fraction of visitors venture there, and approach Kiyomizu-dera via the quieter Otani Cemetery route – it is just slightly longer and you don’t get the traditional approach via shop-lines Sannen-zaka. You will still need to use the main entrance to purchase your ticket, but you will bypass crowded Sannen-zaka that 95% of people use due to its shops.

Another route to not get caught get caught in the crowds, is to take a bus to Higashiyama Yasui before 9am and make your way to Korin-in and Entoku-in on the Nene-no michi, a beautiful traditional street with no crowds. Then, visit Kodai-ji and don’t forget to have a look at its lovely bamboo forest, before heading to Ninen-zaka and see whether you fancy a walk there. I get it, there are a lot of cute shops, including a Studio Ghibli store, but with most shops opening around 10am, you might get a relatively peaceful walk there.

The photo above was taken at around 9.30 on a weekday during cherry blossom season, and the crowds were not so bad, but nearby Sannenzaka where shoops open a bit earlier, was busier but not terrible.

7. Ninna-ji

Ninna-ji was founded in 868 by the then-emperor, Koko (58th Emperor) to propagate Buddhist teachings in Japan. It was completed by the the 59th Emperor, who became the abbot (or Monzeki, aristocratic priest) after he retired from being Emperor.

This being a Heian-era temple founded by nobility, it has always been a Shingon Buddhist temple, as the Shingon School was a very popular school of Buddhism among nobility during the Heian period.

Ninna-ji is a very spacious complex of classic Buddhist temple architecture, with its harmonious Edo-era Main Hall (Kondo) designated a National Treasure. The southerly Nio-mon from the early Edo Period is Kyoto’s three largest temple gates, and its Five-Storey Pagoda is an original from the same period.

The temple keeps some wooden Amida Buddha sculptures that are designated National Treasure, but I am unsure whether they are on permanent display in the Treasure Hall Museum.

Visiting Ninna-ji

Ninna-ji can easily be combined with Kinkakui.ji and Ryoan-ji, and there are frequent buses from Downtown Kyoto and Kyoto stations serving all three temples. Since Ninna-ji is quite far west in Kyoto, it is usually quiet, except late in sakura season, when its late-blooming Omuro cherry grove gets plenty of visitors.

The temple grounds with the stately Niomon, Five-Storey Pagoda and Main Hall (Kondo) are free to visit. I highly recommend paying the 700JPY fee to see the Abbot’s Quarters, a pleasant Meiji -era rebuild, with the superb Ninna-ji Palace Gardens incorporating borrowed scenery and the Pagoda almost perfectly.

I am not going to list any alternatives since Ninna-ji usually doesn’t get crowded except at the end of cherry blossom season when people come to admire the late-blooming Omura-sakura grove.

8. Daigo-ji

Founded in 878, Daigo-ji is a very large temple consisting of an older “Upper Temple” and the newer “Lower Temple”. The latter is famous for its late Heian-era Sanboin subtemple with gardens that were created at the initiative of Toyotomi Hideoshi. He who also held his infamous cherry blossom viewing parties here. And well – this is what made the temple famous and endears it to mostly Japanese visitors to this day.

I like Daigo-ji as it combines a lot of classic Kyoto temple architecture in a nice forested compound, just a little outside Kyoto yet easily accessible by bus and Metro.

At Sanboin, you will see a very large classic Japanese landscape garden designed by no other that Toyotomi Hideoshi himself -and the location of his fables cherry blossom viewing parties.

You get a photogenic pagoda, according to historians, the oldest wooden structure still standing in Kyoto, completed in 951. You get photogenic gates and avenues of cherry trees between tempe buildings. In autumn, Japanese maple and the surrounding hillside will colour the area spectacularly, and the Benten-do Hall, fairly high up on the Lower Temple precinct, will be surrounded by flaming red trees. It’s not a temple that can be seen in an hour – best take half a day to visit properly.

Visiting Daigo-ji

Daigo-ji is a grand place for cherry blossom viewing – usually popular among Japanese visitors, with lots of seasonal stalls and a craft market and prepared for loads and loads of visitors. If you can arrange it, better visit on a weekday during peak season.

We were visiting during cherry blossom season when it was quite busy, but super orderly. The Daigo-ji cherry blossom season is also comparably long, thanks to the different varieties of cherry trees in the extensive temple grounds.

You can see how in the background there are loads of cherry blossoms, while the Shidarezakura tree out front is not in blossom yet – apparently, it is forbidden to photograph it during bloom – I am not sure why, but perhaps a measure of crowd control?

We took a Keihan bus from Downtown, but the easiest way is probably the Kyoto Metro to Daigo Station then walk about 850 metres, or take the Metro to Ono, the previous station and catch a bus from there.

I think outside cherry blossom season this temple is really quiet, and it might be one of those hidden gems in autumn season, since the grounds are very green and Kami Daigo, the Upper temple, sits in a forested area.

Combine this by moving on south to Uji (see Part Two for the Uji UNESCO sites) or head up North by bus or Metro to Yamashina for Bishamon-do, another jewel that hardly anyone bothers to visit. For me, visiting Daigo-ji and Bishamon-do was one of the best days in my recent cherry blossom trip, due to the moderate crowds and the abundance of cherry blossoms at Daigo-ji.

Where to Stay

With Kyoto’s UNESCO World Heritage sites spread all over Kyoto – and some quite far out or in Uji – you will want to stay somewhere with great access to public transport. In this section, I will recommend you a few places to stay in Kyoto – some of whom I have stayed, others I am planning to stay in in the near future.

I have picked those places for good style, value for money, and above all a pleasant location from where most UNESCO World Heritage sites in Kyoto can be reached from easily. I consider the below moderate budget and would rate them between a three – and a four star accommodation. Also, check out Part Two of this post, where I will recommend some more hotels closer to some specific sites, and suitable for travellers on a smaller budget.

Kyomachiya Ryokan Sakura Urushitei

“This is my favourite” my mother exclaimed as she plopped down on the comfy bed of our little double room at Kyomachiya Ryokan Sakura Urushitei. We paid under 100 Euro per room night in cherry blossom season and here we got a bona fide hotel in a central location, with some of the loveliest multilingual staff. Admittedly, booked nice months in advance, but this hotel will please everyone with its decent-sized tastefully furnished rooms available both in Western and in traditional Japanese style, and its tastefully decorated ground floor with so many places to sit and relax. It is not a ryokan and neither is it a Kyomachiya (traditional town house) , but if you have travellers with highly varying tastes in your party, this will be the perfect compromise that doesn’t feel like a compromise at all.

Admittedly, the location isn’t the most exciting, but it is pretty inoffensive and convenient, 10 minutes walk to Downtown Shops at Shijo-dori, about eight to ten minutes walk to three different bus stops serving most of Kyoto.

If you would like more detailed hotel information, please feel free to check out my review here.

Gion Shinmonso

Incidentally, this is the second place where I stayed with my mother, and one where I decided to spend a little more money than I normally do, because – well, there were two of us, sharing, and my mother, who is in her 70’s, has somewhat different expectations to a hotel than I do. Gion Shinmonso is located in the centre of Gion – so it is perfect for crowd-free early morning walks (late nights still are very busy) and this inn, though modern, is a lot more Japanese than most Kyoto hotels.

Firstly, all its rooms are tatami-floored, with futon bedding, and rather large in size, which is rare in a prime like Gion. Secondly, the inn has a massive shared bath for its relatively small size, immaculately kept and never that busy.

Also, not much English is spoken, which, for me, was rather an advantage, since most other visitors were Japanese, including some pleasant high school students – it was lights out at 11pm and the hotel was extremely quiet and relaxing.

You have to love futn bedding and sitting on low tables on the floor, and not mind trekking to Family Mart (100 metres) for your morning coffee, but all in all, I really liked staying here and I was out early most mornings anyway and happy to go on a coffee run. Staff was really friendly if not overly outgoing, but we had no issue whatsoever – we asked to call a taxi a few times, which arrived promptly, and stored our luggage for a few hours on the day we checked in. There were no queues, no crowding, just a really relaxed atmosphere.

Expect to pay roughly 100-120 Euro at Gion Shinmonso per room per night, but book well in advance to get these good rates.

For more detailed review, please take a look at my post here. 

UNESCO World Heritage sites in Kyoto – my interim balance

So, here we have the first 8 of the UNESCO WOrld Heritage sites in Kyoto – which ones should you visit?

In terms of history and uniqueness, my choice would definitely be one of the old Kyoto Shrines – I liked both Shimogamo and Imamiya Shrines, but Yasaka Shrine, if you have limited time, is a suitable classic shrine to visit, too.

Kiyomizudera is one of those Top Five sights in Kyoto that is very unique, and I recommend to see it at least once – visit in the morning (before 9am) and consider a less busy appracha nd definitely see the smaller streets and temples around it for a respite from the crowds.

I would not miss To-ji due to the proximity to Kyoto Station.

And Saiho-ji and Daigo-ji may be a bit of a trek and I see why they get omitted but for me, they are personal favourites, mostly due to the abundant green space and artful gardens.

At present, I would probably omit Enryaku-ji until restoration works have been completed, and it is a bit of a trek up Hiei-zan, but probably stunning in autumn.

And Ninna-ji? Ah, well, that’s a slow burner, beautiful and a little out of the way, If you are planning to visit Ryoan-ji or Kinkaku-ji, I would definitely include Ninna-ji as well, and also if you would like to see cherry blossoms at the end of the traditional season.

The Small Print

This is just Part One of my UNESCO World Heritage sites in Kyoto, due to the post getting longer and longer. So I decided to split it in two, with the older UNESCO World Heritage sites in Kyoto in this part, and the newer ones (well, quite a few will essentially a thousand years old) in Part Two.

I visited Kyoto by myself or with family several times between 2004 and 2025, first staying just one night in a cheap business hotel, then often just for a night or two on a fairly touristy itinerary. When I returned to Kyoto after a long hiatus in May 2024, I started visiting places off the beaten track.

All trips were organised and paid for by myself. All reviews are unbiased and reflect my personal experience only. I have some affiliate links to Booking.com and Agoda in this post, and I may earn a small commission if you book your accommodation using this link. I only recommend places I have either stayed in myself or at least would stay in myself, so your support of this site, if you find the information helpful, is very much appreciated.

I don’t run ads (hate them, use an ad blocker myself) and I am not going to put any affiliates in here that I am not using myself so other than Booking and occasionally Agoda, you’re likely not going to find anything much here in terms of advertising, since my travel money comes from a regular job, not this web site. Any commission earned will primarily go towards web hosting, buying more photo storage, and, should things really turn out well, books and travel, but the way things are now, this blog is 100% a hobby.

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