The Kyoto sightseeing map shows all tourist places and points of interest of Kyoto. This tourist attractions map of Kyoto will allow you to easily plan your visits of landmarks of Kyoto in Kansai - Japan. The Kyoto tourist map is downloadable in PDF, printable and free.

In November 2019, the city of Kyoto recorded approximately 4.94 million tourists, setting the monthly record for that year. Apart from February, Kyoto had somewhere between four and five million tourists visiting in every month of the year. In 2019, the monthly number of tourist visits surpassed Kyoto registered population by more than three times in peak months. Kyoto Prefecture in Japan recorded roughly 87.91 million tourists, establishing a new annual record in 2019 as you can see in Kyoto tourist map. The majority of visitors were domestic tourists. Kyoto, which was once Japan capital city, is renown for its cultural assets.

In recent years, Kyoto has been receiving record numbers of foreign tourists. The main reason for this is a change in Japanese visa requirements for nearby Asian nations like China. Kyoto is now flooded with Chinese tour groups (along with Korean, Taiwanese, Thai and many others). Western visitors are also coming in record numbers, attracted by the affordability of Japan due to weak yen. The result is that Kyoto is now filled to capacity with tourists as its shown in Kyoto tourist map. The vast majority of tourists, especially those in tour groups, visit a very small number of locations in Kyoto. That leaves leaves the rest of the city relatively free from crowds, even in busy seasons like April and November.

There are over a thousand temples in Kyoto, but only about a dozen of them are world famous. The same is true for shrines, gardens, restaurants and shops. There are entire districts of Kyoto that lie off of the beaten tourist track. The temples of far Northern Higashiyama are beautiful and usually deserted. Highlights in this area include Manshu-in, Shisen-do and Enko-ji. Likewise, in Arashiyama, if you walk north of the busy Bamboo Grove area, you will find several quiet spots like Gio-ji and Adashino-Nembutsu-ji. And, the subtemples of Myoshin-ji and Daitoku-ji are usually very quiet as its mentioned in Kyoto tourist map. Temples like Nanzen-ji are open 24 hours a day, so you can stroll the grounds in the early morning or early evening almost entirely by yourself. Also, if you have a choice, visit on a weekday rather than on a weekend. Mondays are usually the least crowded, but remember that most museums are closed on Mondays.

The Kyoto attractions map shows the main monuments, museums and parks of Kyoto. This tourist places map of Kyoto will allow you to easily plan your visits of tourist attractions of Kyoto in Kansai - Japan. The Kyoto attractions map is downloadable in PDF, printable and free.

Nijo Castle (Nijō-jō) as you can see in Kyoto attractions map, complete with well-preserved walls, towers, and a moat, was built in 1603 and later served as the seat of government. The complex has several buildings containing many significant works of art, and is famous as the location chosen by the emperor to issue the rescript abolishing the country once powerful Shogunate. Attractions include the castle East Gate (Higashi Otemon, its main entrance), as well as the Inner Gate, or Karamon, notable for its fine carvings and decorated metalwork. One of Japan most famous shrines, the Fushimi-Inari Taisha Shrine is a must-visit when in Kyoto. Founded in AD 711 and dedicated to the goddess of rice-growing, Ukanomitama-no-mikoto, the shrine is still frequented by merchants and tradesmen who pray for prosperity. In addition to its many fine old temples with their important artworks, Kyoto also boasts a number of impressive collections in its world-class museums and galleries. Perhaps the best known is the National Museum, an art gallery established in 1897 that is widely considered the most important such museum in Japan.

Originally built in the 14th century as a retirement villa for Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu and now a Zen Buddhist temple, the magnificent Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku-ji) is one of Kyoto most picturesque attractions. Built over a large pond, the site is also famous for its beautiful grounds, as well as its old stone pagoda and the Sekkatei Teahouse with its traditionally served beverages. Sanjūsangen-dō (Rengyoin Temple) as its shown in Kyoto attractions map, or the Temple of the 33 Niches, takes its name from its rather unusual structure: its façade is divided into 33 (sanjusan) niches (gen) to reflect the belief that Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy, could take on 33 different personifications. The chief temple of the original Jodo-shinshu sect, Nishi Honganji Temple is an outstanding example of Buddhist architecture. Highlights include the Hondo, or Main Hall. Rebuilt in 1760, notable features of this fine structure include a number of rooms decorated with paintings on gold backgrounds, and numerous important statues, some dating from the 6th century.

In the east part of Kyoto, the Kiyomizu-dera Temple as its mentioned in Kyoto attractions map, an important UNESCO World Heritage Site, lies in a picturesque location on Otowa Mountain overlooking the city. Visitors can enjoy a delightful stroll to the temple along quaint Tea-pot Lane with its small shops and craft stores. Attractions include the large terrace of the Main Hall, built on 30-meter-tall pillars with five rows of cross-beams and used as a stage for temple dances and ceremonies. The original Kyoto Imperial Palace (Kyoto-gosho), built in AD 794 and replaced several times after being destroyed by fire, remains one of the city most visited historic sites. Although the present building was constructed in 1855, it still impresses. Occupying a large (once-walled) enclosure near the heart of the city, highlights include its finely decorated gates and important rooms and buildings. These include the Hall for State Ceremonies (Shishinden), the Emperor Residence (Seiryo-den), the Courtroom (Ko-gosho), and the Imperial Library.

The Kyoto zoo map shows recommended tours of the Kyoto Zoological Park. This zoo map of Kyoto will allow you to easily find out where each animal is and where to picnic in the Zoological Park of Kyoto in Kansai - Japan. The Kyoto zoo map is downloadable in PDF, printable and free.

Kyoto Municipal Zoo (京 都市 動物園) is located in Sakyō ward, Kyoto and was established in 1903, making it the second oldest zoo in the country after Ueno Zoo in Tokyo. It includes a large, dome-shaped aviary which houses a collection of ducks and other birds. It also has many other animals including lions, bears and even penguines. By western standards the care of the animals is much less than ideal. The Kyoto City Zoo is a surprisingly good little zoo conveniently located in the Northern Higashiyama sightseeing district as you can see in Kyoto zoo map. It is the perfect way to give the kids a break from temples and shrines.

Reopened in 2015 after an extensive renovation, the Kyoto City Zoo is a great way to keep the kids entertained for a few hours. It is on the east side of the Okazaki Museum District, in Northern Higashiyama. It is not far from sights like Nanzen-ji Temple, Heian-jingu Shrine and the Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art, so you can easily combine it with a visit to these places or one parent can check them out while the other takes the kids to the zoo. The zoo collection contains all the “biggies” like lions, tigers, gorillas, chimpanzees, elephants, hippos and giraffes as its shown in Kyoto zoo map. Japanese species include Japanese macaques and bears. There is also a small but interesting reptile house. There is even a small petting zoo and regularly scheduled events where kids can handle animals like guinea pigs.

The animal enclosures are well laid out and the entire Kyoto zoo is pleasantly spacious and easy to explore. In addition to the animals on display, there is also a fun little amusement park with rides that kids love (buy tokens for the rides from the vending machines in the middle of the amusement park). The Ferris wheel here gives you a great view over the Northern Higashiyama area as its mentioned in Kyoto zoo map. Finally, there is a proper sit-down restaurant above the main entrance, as well as a snack bar and a rest area with a huge collection of Japanese-language animal books. And on the opposite side of the zoo, there is a small snack bar with an outdoor seating area where you can enjoy ice creams on a hot summer day.