Explore the best arts, culture, and attractions in Kyoto and Osaka.

Kyoto

Osaka

Sprawling 15-story railway station with shops, eateries & services plus a movie theater & hotel.

Built in 1603, this cypress-wood castle with extensive gardens was a home for the shogun Ieyasu.

Geisha district featuring high-end shops & restaurants, a Zen garden & women in colorful kimonos.

Long-running museum with Japanese sculptures, paintings, calligraphy & metalwork, plus a cafe.

Historic, tranquil temple with a gold-leaf facade set amid landscaped gardens & a reflecting pond.

A popular sightseeing path runs uphill through this forest of towering bamboo stalks.

Scenic pedestrian path along a cherry tree–lined canal that passes by various temples & shrines.

This 15th-century Zen temple features picturesque gardens & a sand mound shaped like Mount Fuji.

400-year-old iconic market studded with stalls offering all manner of Japanese edibles.

Revered castle dating to 1597 & since rebuilt, featuring gardens & a museum with varied exhibits.

One of the world's biggest aquariums, with exhibits ranging from Arctic to tropical marine life.

Underground art museum, with a gift shop, showing works by noted artists in a variety of mediums.

Focusing on space & energy, this museum houses interactive displays, a planetarium & a coffee shop.

Connected skyscrapers with a rooftop garden observatory, plus a restaurant & lounge with city views.

Contemporary spa facility featuring an indoor kid's waterpark, hot tubs, spa treatments & eats.

Serving the greater Osaka area, this hub on a man-made island has rail access & an adjacent hotel.