Higashiyama District in Kyoto

Kiyomizu-dera or "Pure Water Temple" is one of the most famous and popular Buddhist temple in Japan. Kiyomizu-dera was founded in 778. The main hall with its wooden stage hovering 13 meters above ground is a masterpiece of Japanese temple architecture and a tourist hotspot. In 1994 the temple was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The oldest pagoda in Kyoto is with a height of 46m a landmark sign of the Higashiyama district. It is also the 3rd tallest wooden structure in Kyoto. The five-story pagoda with the temple treasure (Yasakato-ezu), a designated important cultural property, belongs to the last remaining parts of the Hokanji Temple.

Kodai-ji Temple is one of the greatest Zen temples in Kyoto, located within the Higashiyama District. The temple is officially known as Kodaiji-jushozenji and belongs to the Rinzai Buddhist sect. It was established in 1606 to pay tribute to Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537 - 1598), the warlord of the Sengoku era (1467 - 1568).

Maruyama Park or Maruyama Koen is the oldest public park in Kyoto and a nationally-designated Place of Scenic Beauty. The park is located near the Yasaka Shrine within the Higashiyama district at the eastern end of Gion. It is the most famous Hanami party spot for locals during the cherry blossom season and a must-see for every visitor to the city.

The Gion district in Kyoto is renowned as the most famous Geisha district in Japan. Take a stroll along the traditional wooden machiya merchant houses and enjoy the Edo Times atmosphere. I highly recommend visiting this place. Certain parts of the area have been granted the status of a national historical preservation district.

The Chion-in Temple in Kyoto is the head temple of the Jodo (Pure Land) sect of Japanese Buddhism. The sect has millions of followers and Chion-in is one of the most sacred and most popular temples in Japan. At the entrance, you will find there the Sanmon Gate (main gate). Sanmon is with a height of 24m and a width of 50m the largest temple gate in Japan.

The famous Yasaka Shrine, also known as Gion Shrine, is one of the most popular Shinto Shrines in Kyoto. The Shinto Shrine was founded in 656. Yasaka-jinja became the headquarters of over 2000 sub-shrines all over Japan with the same name and Susanoo-no-Mikoto shrines. Every evening hundreds of lanterns (sponsored by local businesses) get lit and create a unique atmosphere.

Kennin-ji Temple was founded in 1202 by Shogun Minamoto Yoriie (1182 - 1204) upon the request of Emperor Tsuchimikado, the 83rd emperor of Japan (1196 - 1231). It is the oldest Zen temple in Kyoto with a beautiful Zen garden. The temple is part of the Five Great Zen Temples of Kyoto (Kyoto Gozan). Over the centuries the temple burned down many times and was rebuilt afterwards.

The Philosopher's Walk (Tetsugaku no Michi) is an app. 2km long pedestrian path in Kyoto alongside a branch of the Lake Biwa Canal. It is on my Most Popular Cherry Blossom Spots In Kyoto list the absolut number one. The Philosopher's Walk got its name from Nishida Kitaro (1870 - 1945), a Kyoto University professor and one of the most famous philosophers in Japan.

Tofuku-ji is one of the five great Zen temples of Kyoto, also known as Kyoto Gozan. This temple was established in 1236 by Kujo Michiie (1193-1252), who was an imperial chancellor and a prominent statesman during the Kamakura period (1185-1333). It took him 19 years to complete the construction of the temple buildings.

Shoren-in is the first out of five Monzeki Temples (Sanzen-in, Bishamon-do, Myoho-in, Manshu-in) of the Tendai sect in Kyoto. The sight of the huge more than 800-year-old camphor trees at the entrance of Shoren-in temple was really fascinating for me. Shoren-in is dating back to the late Heian period (794 - 1185). The temple is full of national treasures and important cultural assets.

The Yogen-in Temple, a Jodo Shinshu Kengo-in Buddhist temple in Kyoto, is famous for its main hall and the so-called blood ceiling. It is the blood of Mototada Ioni and other samurai warriors, who committed suicide at the end of an 11-day siege on the floor of Fushimi Castle in 1600. In 1594 the temple was established by Yodo-dono, concubine of shogun Hideyoshi Toyotomi (1536 - 1598), for the memorial service for her father Nagamasa Asai.

The 120m long main temple hall is called Sanjusangen-do, which means a hall with thirty-three spaces between columns. It is the longest wooden building in Japan. The Japanese government registered Rengeo-in (official name) as a National Treasure. In 1164 Sanjusangen-do was built by Taira-no-Kiyomori (1118 – 1181), a powerful politician and warrior.

Awata-jinja Shrine is well-known for its annual lantern festival at the beginning of October called Awata Taisai. The shrine is located on top of a hill. From there, you have a great view of Kyoto. The beautiful and quiet shrine marked in the old days the starting point of the Tokai-do Road. The road connected Kyoto with Edo (Tokyo).

The Kyoto National Museum belongs to the top 4 national museums in Japan. The other 3 are the Nara National Museum, the Tokyo National Museum, and the Kyushu National Museum. The museum, one of the oldest in Japan, houses over 12000 art objects with a focus on pre-modern Japanese and Asian works. It was designed by the architect Katayama Tokumain (1854-1917).

Yasaka Koshindo Temple was built during the Heian period (794 - 1185). Its unique decoration of colorful balls, and a talisman called Kukurizaru, made this place really popular. It is one of the few remaining temples of Koshin-do in Japan. Monkeys belong to the Koshin faith and it is said that their spirit is protecting people and their homes from bad influences.