Kyoto

The ceremonial rooms are embellished with paintings finished with gold, exemplary works of the Kano school, lavishly decorated coffered ceilings and superb tokonoma, altars which honour the ancestors. — Michelin Guide

The present structure dates from 1855. It's hardly palatial, though fine in its way; the ingenious cypress-bark roof is particularly attractive. — Fodor's

Breathtakingly modern though half a millennium old, its sculpted sand garden would transport anyone into a Zen state (if not for the crowds). — Concierge

The harmony and beauty of Katsura Imperial Villa arises from its austere layout, which was to inspire Bauhaus architects as well as Le Corbusier. — Michelin Guide

This museum displays sculpture, Japanese paintings, ceramics, clothing and kimono, lacquerware, metalworks, and other treasures, most of which were once in Kyoto's many temples. — Frommer's

The riverside 685-year-old Zen monastery has 24 temples on the property. — Travel + Leisure

If you arrive in Kyoto by train, you will find that the station, the first building you see, has paradoxically opted for modernity. — Michelin Guide

Kodai-ji, a temple founded in 1606 by the widow of a high-ranking nobleman, was partially destroyed by fire. — Michelin Guide

The solemn stones set into the sand at Ryoan-ji's rock garden has become one of Japan's quintessential images. — Fodor's

Hang out with samurai at this movie-set theme park from Toei, producer of Japanese period dramas and superhero shows. — Time Out

Nanzen-ji is an awesome sight, and has played a significant part in popularising Zen Buddhism in Kyoto. — Time Out

Possibly the world's most ostentatious retirement cottage, the magnificent gold-sheathed Kinkaku-ji was built by Shogun Yoshimitsu Ashikaga (1358–1409). — Fodor's

One of Kyoto's most awe-inspiring spectacles, this 400-foot-long hall holds 1,000 golden statues of the many-limbed Kannon. — Fodor's

Gion is the famous entertainment and geisha quarter on the eastern bank of the Kamo-gawa. — Lonely Planet

The museum is known for its collection of modern Japanese paintings, with an emphasis on the artistic movements in the Kansai region. — Fodor's

Goju-no-to, the five-story main pagoda of the Daigo-ji temple complex, dates from 951 and is reputed to be the oldest existing structure in Kyoto. — Fodor's

This shrine's thousands of red gates may well be the quintessential image of Japan. — Fodor's