Chureito Pagoda

Rows of stalls selling tamagoyaki, uni and knife-sharp tuna cuts. Go before 10am.

Thousands of vermilion torii gates climbing Mount Inari. The full loop takes two hours. The head shrine of the Shinto god Inari is famous for thousands of vermilion torii gates covering the trails up Mount Inari. The gates are gifts from individuals and businesses. The full loop to the summit takes a few hours.

Tokyo's oldest temple, approached through the lantern-hung Nakamise shopping street in Asakusa. Free to enter and busiest mid-morning. Founded in the 7th century, Senso-ji is Tokyo's oldest temple. It is approached through the Kaminarimon gate and along Nakamise-dori, a street of traditional snack and souvenir stalls.

A short, striking path through towering bamboo on Kyoto's western edge. The grove sits beside Tenryu-ji, a Zen temple that is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto UNESCO site. The bamboo path is busiest from mid-morning, so early visits are much quieter.

A UNESCO listed wooden temple on Kyoto's eastern hills with a huge veranda overlooking the city.

A Zen temple whose gold leaf covered pavilion reflects in a mirror pond in northern Kyoto.