Sightseeing Spots
There's more to the allure of Kyoto than just its historical treasures. You can also enjoy its diverse and stunning scenery: exquisite valleys whose appearance changes with each of the four seasons, lush green hillsides, beautiful seascapes, vibrant green tea fields, and traditional rural townscapes. Discover all of Kyoto's spectacular scenery that should be seen at least once in your life.
Kyoto Prefecture is divided into five areas, in each of which you can get to know a side of Kyoto that you never knew existed.
You'll find Kyoto by the Sea facing the Sea of Japan; Woodland Kyoto, where you'll still find unspoilt Japanese landscapes; Kyoto Tea Country, with its beautiful rolling tea fields; Kyoto Otokuni Bamboo Grove, which has many historical and cultural heritage sites; and cosmopolitan Kyoto City.
![](https://www.kyototourism.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Sea-Wood_Horyuji-Tokoin-01-1024x680.jpg)
Horyu-ji Toko-in Temple
Horyu-ji Toko-in Temple, situated in Kyoto Prefecture’s Ayabe City, was built in 673 by the ascetic ...
![Kyoto by the Sea](https://www.kyototourism.org/wp/wp-content/themes/kyototourism/assets/images/common/icon_sea.png)
![Woodland Kyoto](https://www.kyototourism.org/wp/wp-content/themes/kyototourism/assets/images/common/icon_wood.png)
![](https://www.kyototourism.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Sea-Wood_Ryogonji-01-1024x721.jpg)
Ryogon-ji Temple
Ryogon-ji Temple, in Ayabe City, Kyoto Prefecture, is famous for the thousands of azaleas that bloom ...
![Kyoto by the Sea](https://www.kyototourism.org/wp/wp-content/themes/kyototourism/assets/images/common/icon_sea.png)
![Woodland Kyoto](https://www.kyototourism.org/wp/wp-content/themes/kyototourism/assets/images/common/icon_wood.png)
![](https://www.kyototourism.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Sea-Wood_Gokurakuji-01-1024x680.jpg)
Gokuraku-ji Temple
Situated in Kyoto Prefecture’s Ayabe City, Gokuraku-ji Temple was said to have been founded in 1479. ...
![Kyoto by the Sea](https://www.kyototourism.org/wp/wp-content/themes/kyototourism/assets/images/common/icon_sea.png)
![Woodland Kyoto](https://www.kyototourism.org/wp/wp-content/themes/kyototourism/assets/images/common/icon_wood.png)
![](https://www.kyototourism.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Sea-Wood_Tanshu-Kannonji-Temple-01-1024x768.jpg)
Tanshu Kannon-ji Temple
Located in Fukuchiyama, Tanshu Kannon-ji Temple was founded in 720 by the Indian monk Hodo. In 961 t ...
![Kyoto by the Sea](https://www.kyototourism.org/wp/wp-content/themes/kyototourism/assets/images/common/icon_sea.png)
![Woodland Kyoto](https://www.kyototourism.org/wp/wp-content/themes/kyototourism/assets/images/common/icon_wood.png)
![](https://www.kyototourism.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Sea-Wood_Yamaga-Castle-Park-01.jpg)
Yamaga Castle Park
Yamaga Castle Park in Ayabe City, Kyoto Prefecture, is one of the "200 Best Nature Spots in Kyoto" b ...
![Kyoto by the Sea](https://www.kyototourism.org/wp/wp-content/themes/kyototourism/assets/images/common/icon_sea.png)
![Woodland Kyoto](https://www.kyototourism.org/wp/wp-content/themes/kyototourism/assets/images/common/icon_wood.png)
![](https://www.kyototourism.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Sea-Wood_Ankokuji-Temple-01-1024x679.jpg)
Ankoku-ji Temple
Ankoku-ji Temple was founded in the mid-14th century by order of Ashikaga Takauji, the founder and f ...
![Kyoto by the Sea](https://www.kyototourism.org/wp/wp-content/themes/kyototourism/assets/images/common/icon_sea.png)
![Woodland Kyoto](https://www.kyototourism.org/wp/wp-content/themes/kyototourism/assets/images/common/icon_wood.png)
![](https://www.kyototourism.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Sea-Wood_Choanji-Temple-01.jpg)
Choan-ji Temple
Choan-ji Temple is said to have been founded in accordance with the imperial command of Prince Marok ...
![Kyoto by the Sea](https://www.kyototourism.org/wp/wp-content/themes/kyototourism/assets/images/common/icon_sea.png)
![Woodland Kyoto](https://www.kyototourism.org/wp/wp-content/themes/kyototourism/assets/images/common/icon_wood.png)
![](https://www.kyototourism.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Sea-Wood_Fukuchiyama-Castle-01.jpg)
Fukuchiyama Castle
Before Fukuchiyama Castle, there was Yokoyama Castle, a fortress of the Yokoyama, the local ruling f ...
![Kyoto by the Sea](https://www.kyototourism.org/wp/wp-content/themes/kyototourism/assets/images/common/icon_sea.png)
![Woodland Kyoto](https://www.kyototourism.org/wp/wp-content/themes/kyototourism/assets/images/common/icon_wood.png)
![](https://www.kyototourism.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Sea-Wood_Kurotani-Area-01-1024x768.jpg)
Kurotani District
Kurotani washi paper is a tradition that has been protected for 800 years, and is also designated an ...
![Kyoto by the Sea](https://www.kyototourism.org/wp/wp-content/themes/kyototourism/assets/images/common/icon_sea.png)
![Woodland Kyoto](https://www.kyototourism.org/wp/wp-content/themes/kyototourism/assets/images/common/icon_wood.png)
![](https://www.kyototourism.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Sea-Wood_Kehara-Area-01-1024x673.jpg)
Kewara District
In the Kewara District in Oe-cho, Fukuchiyama City, a large number of rice paddies of various sizes ...
![Kyoto by the Sea](https://www.kyototourism.org/wp/wp-content/themes/kyototourism/assets/images/common/icon_sea.png)
![Woodland Kyoto](https://www.kyototourism.org/wp/wp-content/themes/kyototourism/assets/images/common/icon_wood.png)
![](https://www.kyototourism.org/wp/wp-content/themes/kyototourism/assets/images/common/default.jpg)
Yakuno Highland
The Yakuno Highland, located in Yakuno-cho, Fukuchiyama City in the northwest of Kyoto Prefecture, i ...
![Kyoto by the Sea](https://www.kyototourism.org/wp/wp-content/themes/kyototourism/assets/images/common/icon_sea.png)
![Woodland Kyoto](https://www.kyototourism.org/wp/wp-content/themes/kyototourism/assets/images/common/icon_wood.png)
![](https://www.kyototourism.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Sea-Wood_Oriental-Paperbush-and-Shaga-forest-01-1024x683.jpg)
Fringed Iris & Oriental Paperbush Meadow
Oitomi is a town in Ayabe City in the north of Kyoto Prefecture, where there's a forest with dense f ...
![Kyoto by the Sea](https://www.kyototourism.org/wp/wp-content/themes/kyototourism/assets/images/common/icon_sea.png)
![Woodland Kyoto](https://www.kyototourism.org/wp/wp-content/themes/kyototourism/assets/images/common/icon_wood.png)