Byodoin Phoenix Hall
Discover Byodo-in Phoenix Hall, a 1000-year-old UNESCO World Heritage temple near Kyoto. Featured on Japan's 10-yen coin, this architectural masterpiece offers stunning Pure Land Buddhist art, seasonal gardens, and authentic Uji tea experiences. Complete visitor guide included.
Kamo Mioya Shrine
Discover Shimogamo Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring National Treasure architecture, 53 Important Cultural Properties, and Tokyo's Dome-sized primeval forest. Experience authentic Shinto traditions, the famous Aoi Festival, and sacred rituals at one of Japan's oldest shrines, founded before Kyoto became the capital.
Silver Pavilion of Jisho-Ji Temple
Discover Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion), a UNESCO World Heritage site embodying Japan's wabi-sabi philosophy. Experience the perfect harmony of 15th-century architecture, innovative sand gardens, and seasonal beauty along Kyoto's Philosopher's Path.
Daigoji Temple Golden Hall
Discover the extraordinary story of Daigoji Temple's Kondo, a National Treasure that was saved from destruction and relocated 200km from Wakayama to Kyoto in 1600. Experience this architectural masterpiece alongside 700 cherry trees and Kyoto's oldest pagoda.
Nijo Castle
Discover Nijo Castle, Kyoto's UNESCO World Heritage Site where the Tokugawa shogunate rose and fell. Experience the famous nightingale floors, 400-year-old Kano school paintings, and the newly reopened Honmaru Palace. Your essential guide to Japan's most complete feudal palace.
Kurama Temple Sutra Mound Relics
Explore the National Treasure sutra mound relics of Kurama-dera Temple, where 12th-century bronze containers preserved Buddhist texts for eternity. Discover mystical mountain trails, legendary warrior training grounds, and the dramatic Fire Festival.
Iwashimizu Hachiman Shrine Headquarters
Experience the 1,160-year-old Iwashimizu Hachimangu Shrine, a National Treasure featuring rare Hachiman-zukuri architecture, imperial history, and surprising connections to Edison's light bulb. Just 30 minutes from Kyoto without the crowds.
Kitano Tenmangu Shrine
Discover Kitano Tenmangu, Kyoto's National Treasure shrine where political exile Sugawara no Michizane became the deity of learning. Experience 2,000 plum blossoms, monthly markets with 1,000 vendors, and authentic Japanese culture without crowds.
Komyo-Ji Temple Niomon Gate
Experience the only National Treasure in northern Kyoto - Komyoji's 800-year-old Niomon Gate with rare chestnut-wood shingles, fierce guardian statues, and breathtaking mountain views. A authentic pilgrimage site founded by Prince Shotoku in 599 AD, far from tourist crowds.
Daitokuji Temple
Discover Daitoku-ji Temple, Kyoto's 700-year-old Zen complex housing National Treasures and revolutionary gardens. Birthplace of Japanese tea ceremony and wabi-sabi aesthetics, this temple village offers authentic cultural immersion beyond typical tourism.
Nanzenji Temple Hojo
Discover Nanzenji Hojo, Japan's National Treasure featuring imperial palace architecture, masterful Kano school paintings, and the famous Leaping Tiger Garden designed by Kobori Enshu. Experience authentic yudofu cuisine and serene Zen gardens in Kyoto's Higashiyama district.
Honganji Temple Hiunkaku
Discover Hiunkaku Pavilion, one of Kyoto's Three Great Pavilions alongside Kinkaku-ji and Ginkaku-ji. This rarely-opened National Treasure at Nishi Honganji showcases asymmetrical beauty from the Momoyama period, floating like clouds above a tranquil pond garden.
Manpukuji Temple
Explore Manpukuji Temple in Uji, Kyoto - home to Japan's newest National Treasures (2024). Experience unique Ming Dynasty architecture, traditional Fucha vegetarian cuisine, and the cultural legacy of Zen master Ingen. A hidden gem just 5 minutes from Obaku Station.
玳玻 Tenmoku Tea Bowl
Discover the Taihi Tenmoku tea bowl, a National Treasure from 12th-13th century China housed at Shokoku-ji Temple in Kyoto. Learn about its unique tortoiseshell glaze pattern, historical significance in Japanese tea ceremony, and how to visit this masterpiece of Song Dynasty ceramics.
Meihoki
Discover Meihoki, a 7th century Chinese Buddhist manuscript preserved as a National Treasure at Kyoto's Kosanji Temple. This rare collection of karmic tales survived only in Japan, offering unique insights into Tang Dynasty Buddhism.
Yohen Tenmoku Tea Bowl
Discover the mystical Yohen Tenmoku tea bowl at Rikkoin Temple, one of only three surviving examples in the world. Learn about this 800-year-old treasure's cosmic patterns, its connection to tea ceremony culture, and viewing opportunities in Kyoto.
Artifacts Excavated from Inariyama Tumulus in Musashi,
Explore the dramatic discovery of Japan's oldest readable text - 115 gold-inlaid characters hidden for centuries on an ancient sword. Visit the Sakitama Museum near Tokyo to see authentic 5th-century artifacts that proved Japan's early unification.
Twelve Devas in Color on Silk
Discover the 9th-century National Treasure silk paintings of the Twelve Devas from Saidai-ji Temple, the oldest surviving examples of these Buddhist guardian deity images in Japan, now preserved at the Tokyo National Museum.
Taga Castle Monument (December 1st, Tenpyo Hoji 6th Year)
Discover the Tagajo Monument, one of Japan's three oldest stone inscriptions and newest National Treasure. This 8th-century frontier marker near Sendai offers free access to authentic ancient history, seasonal beauty, and the exact spot where haiku master Matsuo Basho wept.
