10 Most Instagrammable Places in Kyoto

Kyoto Botanical Gardens is the oldest botanical garden in Japan and features one of its largest greenhouses. It was reopened in 1961 after being occupied by the Allied Forces in the post-war period, having originally been built in the Taisho period as the Taiten Memorial Kyoto Botanical Garden. You can enjoy a kind of world tour of flora in the greenhouse thanks to the approximately 4,500 varieties of tropical plants on display.

In the flowerbeds and gardens, seasonal flowers and plants produce a relaxing atmosphere. It's also famous as a cherry blossom viewing spot. The autumn leaves in the forest are quite stunning, and the light displays of the season only add to the spectacle.

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is a very popular sightseeing spot. More and more visitors are seeking to capture its beauty on their Instagram profiles. The grove is almost like a tunnel of bamboo, so you can expect an experience unlike pretty much anywhere else.

In winter, there are fantastic views when the whole Arashiyama area is lit up with illuminations. Take a ride in a rickshaw or wear a kimono and you'll be able to take some incredible photos that look like you're stepping back in time.

Fushimi Inari Taisha is famous for its photogenic Thousand Torii Gates (Senbon Torii). The row of dedicated torii gates along the Okusha Sando (approach to the inner shrine) is like a red tunnel, forming an amazing view. In the daytime it gets very crowded, so it’s best to visit early in the morning when not many people are around if you want to take pictures quietly and without obstruction.

Don't forget to visit the tower gate and the main shrine too. This shrine is the origin of the 1,300-year history of the belief in Inari, known for prosperity in business, family safety, and rich harvests. At night, you can enjoy the beautiful scenery lit up with illuminations, making the shrine stand out in the darkness.

Philosopher's Path (Tetsugaku no michi) is one of the most popular walking paths for taking pictures and enjoying the beautiful landscape along the Lake Biwa canal. The cherry trees alongside the road are elegant not only when in full bloom in spring, but also in autumn when the leaves turn red. It's certainly easy to become philosophical in a setting such as this.

There are cafés and temples along the 2 km path from Jodoji Bridge in the north to Nyakuoji Bridge in the south, which makes it a great tourist route. It's even been selected as one of the 100 best paths in Japan. Since it's close to Kyoto University, perhaps you’ll also be inspired by walking the path where scholars and writers like Kitaro Nishida once walked.

Kyoto Tower is a well-known landmark for Shinkansen users, as it's visible from Kyoto Station. The newly opened Kyoto Tower Sando is a shopping mall featuring a variety of local delicacies and souvenirs. From the observation deck, you can view the entire Kyoto cityscape and see the beauty of every season.

If possible, check out the night view when the autumn colors arrive and the World Heritage temples and shrines are lit up. It’s also cool to see Kyoto Tower itself lit up in various colors, changing from season to season.

Kinkakuji (The Golden Pavilion) is one of the undoubted highlights sightseeing in Kyoto. It was built in the Muromachi period by Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, and is officially known as Rokuonji Shariden. It's unique in its decoration with gold leaf and phoenixes depicting the Buddhist vision of paradise. It became even more magnificent in 1987, when it was refurbished and restored.

The Japanese style of the bell tower, garden, and tea ceremony room are particularly impressive. There's so much to see here that you it’s difficult not to keep taking snaps with your phone or camera to capture it all. As you walk around the temple grounds, it's best to take your time to find views of the season that are beautiful to you.

Kiyomizu-dera is an ancient temple that has been around since 778. The current temple complex was built in 1633 and is registered as a World Heritage Site. The Stage of Kiyomizu is famous for its elevated main hall, which juts out like a platform on a stage. Many tourists visit during the autumn to see spectacular changing colors. The illuminations at night are also a must-see.

There are also many other points to visit, including the Niomon and Nishimon gates, a three-storey pagoda, and a special tour of the interior of the hall, so you'll never get bored exploring the area. Don't forget to visit the stone-paved streets on the nearby Nineizaka and Sanneizaka slopes.

Toji, a World Heritage Site, is one of Kyoto’s most distinctive temples, built at the time when the capital was being relocated to Heian-kyo. It's famous for its five-storey pagoda, the tallest wooden architecture in Japan, which you can see even from the Shinkansen. This image really encapsulates everything about Kyoto.

Within the spacious temple grounds, look out for the sacred sites of goeido (the former residence of Kobo Daishi Kukai) and kondo (the main hall where the statue of Yakushi Sanzonzo is kept). There are also illuminations to enjoy during cherry blossom season and when the autumn colors arrive.

The five-storey Yasaka Pagoda is located on Yasaka-dori. Pictures taken here will look like the quintessential Kyoto scene. Don't forget to frame the pagoda itself along with the stone sidewalk of Yasaka-dori and the kyo-machiya (traditional Kyoto townhouses). With the beauty of its architecture reconstructed in the Muromachi era, Yasaka Pagoda has become a symbol of Higashiyama.

Yasaka Pagoda is open to the public, so feel free to wander in. Visit in the evening, at sunset or when lit up at night, and you’ll find that the area looks completely different.

Togetsu-kyo Bridge is located in Arashiyama, an area of Kyoto full of nature. It's a scenic spot surrounded by mountains. You can enjoy fantastic views here, especially during cherry blossom and when the colors change in autumn, or in December when the bridge is beautifully lit up and appears to float on the Katsura River.

It's also a great starting point of sightseeing in Arashiyama, including the observation deck in Kameyama Park, the trolley train, and the Hozugawa river boat ride. True to its elegant name based on the sayings of Emperor Kameyama, the bridge has always stood as a symbol of Arashiyama’s beautiful scenery.