Tucked into northwest Kyoto, Ryoan-ji is a Zen temple famed for its kare-sansui rock garden—15 carefully placed stones set in a sea of raked white pebbles. Pause, sit, or simply gaze; the spare, meditative composition draws you into quiet reflection and has earned the site UNESCO World Heritage recognition.

Nearby Spots

Ninna-ji

Kinkaku-ji

Daitoku-ji

Nijo Castle

Kyoto Imperial Palace

Popular in Osaka & Kansai

Fushimi Inari Taisha

Kiyomizu-dera

Arashiyama

Gion

Nishiki Market

Osaka Castle