Kinkaku-ji

The Zen temple officially named Rokuon-ji, nicknamed for its pavilion whose top two floors are coated in gold leaf; a World Heritage Site and one of the 17 Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto.

Kinkaku-ji is a Temple in Kyoto. You will find it at Kinkakuji-cho, Kita-ku, Kyoto 603-8361.

City buses and two subway lines (Karasuma and Tozai) cover the main sights. The central districts are flat, so renting a bicycle is a popular way to get between temples.

Reaching Kyoto: Kansai International Airport (KIX) is about 81 km southwest of the city; Osaka's Itami Airport (ITM) is closer, about 39 km away, with frequent domestic connections. The Tokaido Shinkansen runs from Kyoto Station to Tokyo in about 2 hours 15 minutes.

Worth knowing: Fushimi Inari's full 4-km mountain trail takes about 2 hours, start early to walk it in the quiet. Kinkaku-ji and Arashiyama pair well as a half-day in the city's north and west. Kyoto's buses get crowded in peak seasons; the subway is often faster for cross-town trips.