Sightseeing near Kyoto Station

Kyoto Railway Museum

Kyoto Railway Museum is Kyoto’s newest museum and the biggest railway museum in Japan with a diverse range of exhibits dedicated to Japan’s rich history of railroad innovation. Massive in scale, the eagerly awaited museum opened its doors for the first time on April 29th 2016 to excited crowds of railway enthusiasts. Read more

Kyoto Tower

A cheerful beacon of 1960’s optimism, Kyoto Tower stands at 131 meters high from its base to the tip of its spire, and it is the tallest structure in Kyoto. As such it dominates the skyline and can be spotted from many of the sightseeing locations around the city. Read more

Higashi Honganji Temple

Just ten minutes’ walk from Kyoto Station is the grand complex of Higashi Honganji Temple, one of the great popular centers of Buddhism in Kyoto, and entry to it is completely free. Read more

Nishi Honganji Temple

Nishi Honganji Temple is a large temple compound located north west of Kyoto Station with many beautiful buildings of historical and architectural significance. It is one of two head temples of the Jodo Shinshu sect of Buddhism in Kyoto. Read more

The Shosei-en Garden

Shosei-en is a truly delightful stroll garden just 12 minutes walk from Kyoto Station. Hidden behind large walls, and with an entrance tucked away on a side street, this beautiful garden is very easy to miss. However, beyond those walls are spacious park-like grounds, which include traditional villas, teahouses, and a large pond dotted with islands and bridges. Read more

The Ryukoku Museum, the Costume Museum & Shomen Dori Street

Close by Nishi Honganji Temple are two unique museums, and a number of interesting old buildings. If you are interested in Buddhist art and history then you might want to try the Ryukoku Museum, and then take a look at some of the shops selling Buddhist goods on Shomen Dori Street. Alternatively if you are interested in the history of Kyoto during the Heian period, over a thousand years ago, then the Costume Museum might be for you. Read more

Umekoji Park & The Kyoto Aquarium

Umekoji Park is a welcome patch of green in one of Kyoto’s more built up areas, about 15 minutes walk north-west of Kyoto Station. Previously the site of the JR freight railway, in the early 1990s it was converted into a city park, which opened in 1995 providing local people with a wonderful space in which to enjoy, trees, grass, flowers and clean air. Read more

Toji Temple and Kobo-ichi Market

Toji Temple, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site of immense historical significance, just 15 minutes’ walk south of Kyoto Station. Especially famous for its five story pagoda, Toji’s awe inspiring buildings and beautiful Buddhist statuary make it an essential stop when touring Kyoto. In addition, on the 21st of each month there is a massive flea market on temple grounds. Read more

Traveling from Kyoto Station to the Golden Pavilion of Kinkakuji Temple

Kinkakuji Temple’s Golden Pavilion is probably Kyoto’s most famous sight. Covered in glittering gold leaf, the pavilion dazzles admirers as it shimmers in the sunlight over its mirroring pond. Both the temple and its delightful Zen stroll garden are a must visit location for any visitor to Kyoto. The only problem is its location. Kinkakuji Temple is located in the far north west of Kyoto and is not located near any major train lines. Read more

Tofukuji Temple

Tofukuji Temple is one of Kyoto’s oldest and most famous temples, and very easy to get to as it is just one stop away from Kyoto Station on the JR Nara Line. This temple is renowned not only for its historical buildings, and the artistry of its gardens, but also for a deep ravine filled with maple trees that runs through the center of its grounds. In all seasons visitors can enjoy spectacular views here from the quaint wooden bridges that cross the ravine, but in the autumn when the maples are a blaze of red the sight is unforgettable. Read more

Kyoto National Museum

Kyoto National Museum is a major art museum in Japan and one of the country’s four national museums. The other national museums are in Tokyo, Nara, and Kyushu. Kyoto National Museum has two main buildings set in pleasant gardens: the Special Exhibition Hall and the Heisei Chishinkan Wing. The Special Exhibition Hall is the original museum building; a fine red brick Meiji era structure dating from 1895 which is designated as an Important Cultural Property. Read more