Temples and shrines in Kansai
Explore Kansai temples and shrines: Fushimi Inari, Kinkaku-ji, Todai-ji, Kasuga Taisha and hundreds of sacred sites across the region.
Top experiences to book
Bookable activities with verified prices and instant confirmation on GetYourGuide.
Kyoto: Kyoto Fushimi Inari guided walking tour
Kyoto: Kyoto Kinkaku-ji golden pavilion guided tour
Nara: Nara Todai-ji great buddha 2 hours
Nara: Nara Kasuga Taisha sacred deer shrine
Osaka: Osaka Shitenno-ji private tour
Himeji: Himeji castle Engyo-ji temple guided
Koyasan: Koyasan Okunoin cemetery Kobo Daishi
Uji: Uji Byodo-in temple tea sweets 90 min
More tours on Viator
Top-rated experiences with verified reviews, bookable on Viator (a Tripadvisor company).
ViatorKyoto: Zen Garden, Zen Mind (Private)
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ViatorNear Fushimiinari: Kyoto Home Cooking Class & Supermarket tour
From$120Check availability →
ViatorKyoto Wagashi(Japanese sweets) Cooking Class near Fushimiinari
From$82Check availability →
ViatorKiyomizu Temple and Backstreets of Gion, Half Day Group Tour
From$57Check availability →
ViatorBamboo Grove Temple and Garden Views Tour
From$60Check availability →
ViatorKyoto: Zen Meditation at a Private Temple with a Monk
From$94Check availability →Read our in-depth guides
Fushimi Inari Taisha guide
Complete guide to Fushimi Inari Taisha's torii gates near Kyoto — free 24-hour access, the summit hike, crowd timing, and etiquette.
Kasuga Taisha guide
Guide to Kasuga Taisha in Nara — the shrine's thousands of stone and bronze lanterns, sacred deer, admission, and the Mantoro lantern festivals.
Kinkaku-ji guide
Guide to Kinkaku-ji, Kyoto's gold pavilion — admission, hours, the 1950 fire history, and how to pair it with nearby Ryoan-ji and Daitoku-ji.
Kiyomizu-dera guide
Guide to Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto — the wooden stage built without nails, admission and hours, the Otowa waterfall, and Higashiyama crowd timing.
Koyasan's Okunoin cemetery guide
Guide to Okunoin, Koyasan's forest cemetery — the walk to Kobo Daishi's mausoleum, the 1,200-year-old lanterns, dawn and night tours, and etiquette.
The best temples in Kyoto
A ranked, honest comparison of Kyoto's best temples — Fushimi Inari, Kinkaku-ji, Kiyomizu-dera, Tenryu-ji, and Ryoan-ji — with crowd timing for each.
Osaka's temples and shrines
Guide to Osaka's overlooked temples and shrines — Shitenno-ji, Isshin-ji's bone Buddha, Sumiyoshi Taisha, and Osaka Tenmangu, beyond the castle.
Sumiyoshi Taisha guide
Guide to Sumiyoshi Taisha in Osaka — one of Japan's oldest Shinto shrines, its distinctive architecture, the arched drum bridge, and how to get there.
Todai-ji guide
Guide to Todai-ji in Nara — the Great Buddha Hall, admission and hours, Nara Park's deer, and how to plan a day trip from Osaka or Kyoto.