Why go
No other city in Japan holds this much of the old country in one place. There are seventeen World Heritage sites in and around the city, among them Kiyomizu-dera on its wooden stage, the gold pavilion of Kinkaku-ji and the rock garden at Ryoan-ji. Fushimi Inari's tunnels of red gates climb a whole hillside in the south.
It is also a living city. Geiko and maiko still work in Gion, Nishiki Market has fed the city for centuries, and the kaiseki restaurants here set the standard for the rest of Japan.
When to go
Late March to early April for cherry blossom, and mid November to early December for the autumn maples. Both are spectacular, crowded and the most expensive weeks of the year. May and October are mild and easier.
Summer is hot and very humid, though July brings the Gion Matsuri, one of Japan's great festivals. January and February are cold, quiet and the best value, with the chance of snow on the temple roofs.
Where to base yourself
Higashiyama and Gion, on the east side, put the old lanes and the best-known temples on foot, and are at their loveliest before breakfast and after dark. The centre, around the Kamo River and Nijo Castle, is better for restaurants, shopping and the subway.
Arashiyama, in the western hills, is a river-and-forest retreat about half an hour from the centre. It suits a slower stay or a return visit.
What we would build into your trip
Fushimi Inari at dawn, before the tour groups. A private tea ceremony, a kaiseki dinner booked well ahead, and an evening walk through Gion with a guide who can explain what you are seeing. A morning in Arashiyama for the bamboo grove and the garden at Tenryu-ji.
With a spare day, we add Nara for its great bronze Buddha and deer park, or Uji for green tea and the Byodo-in temple.
Good to know
Kyoto has no airport. The bullet train from Tokyo takes about two and a quarter hours, and Kansai International Airport is around 75 minutes away by direct train. Taxis are plentiful and are often the easiest way between temples.
Some private lanes in Gion are closed to visitors, and photographing geiko and maiko without permission is not welcome. The best restaurants need booking weeks ahead, usually through a hotel concierge.