Kyoto is a great spot to soak in a huge amount and range of temples, shrines, culture and architecture.
Kyoto - used to be the capital of Japan from 794 through 1868, Kyoto today is a small city with tremendous cultural assets.
Kiyomizu-dera ("pure water temple"), This is a 1000-year-old temple with a great view of the city below.
Saiho-ji, you have to make reservations and pay $30. You can only visit at a couple of set times each day. You have to participate in a 20-minute Buddhist ceremony. After the service you can walk in peace around the garden, which contains 120 different kinds of moss.
Dry Gardens - Kyoto is the birthplace of the Zen dry landscape garden. A dry garden is built on a base of raked pebbles that may suggest water.
Koi - Kyoto's temples keep lovely collections of Koi. Some of the carp may be rotated from a temple's collection into a "mud pond" where the minerals bring their color up..
Arashi-yama - at the west edge of Kyoto. It's the Iwata-yama monkey research station located in the mountains overlooking Kyoto. Not only can you find great mountain scenery, but you will be literally surrounded by wild monkeys.