Kyoto is a former imperial capital of about 1.46 million people, founded as Heian-kyō in 794 and famed for its temples, gardens and traditional quarters. Its compact core and surrounding districts—Gion’s teahouses, Arashiyama’s riverside and bamboo groves, and Fushimi Inari’s torii-lined mountain paths—sit among one of the world’s densest clusters of World Heritage sites: the 17 “Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto.” Highlights range from Kiyomizu-dera and Kinkaku-ji to strolling lanes and seasonal shrines that survived largely intact into the modern era. Getting in is straightforward via Shinkansen at Kyoto Station, with the JR Haruka limited express linking Kansai International Airport in about 70–80 minutes.
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