京都国立博物館 Kyoto Kokuritsu Hakubutsukan
It is near Sanjusangen-do, and has a large collection of ancient Japanese sculpture, ceramics, metalwork, painting, and other artifacts. (It's quite similar to the Tokyo National Museum in Tokyo/Ueno.) The Museum building is fairly grand, but the statue of Rodin's The Thinker out front is a bit out of place, as there's no Western art inside. It's seven minutes east of Shichijo Keihan.
Tue-Sun 09:30-18:00 · Admission ¥500 (¥1500 during a special exhibition period) · Wi-Fi · Heritage listed · Wheelchair accessible
京都御所 Kyōto-gosho
The palace is a reconstruction (dating from 1855), though the Emperor doesn't spend much time there, and the guided tour doesn't enter the palace buildings, only peeking at them from the outside, but nevertheless, it provides interesting insight into the lives of the Imperial Court and it's the only Imperial site in Kyoto that offers English guides. Show up an hour before the tour at the Imperial Household Agency building (west of Kyoto Imperial Palace), and they'll let you join if there's space, or make a booking for another day if there isn't. If you don't want to chance it, advance bookings can also be made online through the Imperial Household Agency's official website.
English tours Mon-Fri at 10:00 and 14:00 (by appointment only) · Free · Built 1337
龍安寺
Famous for its Zen garden, which is considered to be one of the most notable examples of the "dry-landscape" style. Surrounded by low walls, an austere arrangement of fifteen rocks sits on a bed of white gravel. That's it: no trees, no hills, no ponds, and no trickling water. Behind the simple temple that overlooks the rock garden is a stone washbasin called Tsukubai said to have been contributed by Tokugawa Mitsukuni in the 17th century. It bears a simple but profound four-character inscription: "I learn only to be contented". There is a fantastic boiled tofu (湯豆腐 yudōfu) restaurant on the grounds, which you should be able to find by following the route away from the rock garden and towards the exit. It is slightly expensive, but serves delicious, traditional tofu dishes. There is also a small cafe, serving food including vegetarian yudōfu dishes, from 11am to 3pm. The rest of the grounds are worth a look too - particularly the large pond.
Mar-Nov: daily 08:00-17:00; Dec-Feb: 08:30-16:30 · ¥600 · Limited wheelchair access · Heritage listed · Built 1450
二条城 nijō-jō
Certainly one of the highlights of Kyoto, with fine gardens and splendid centuries-old structures. The castle was built by the Tokugawa shoguns to serve as the shogun's residence in Kyoto. After the fall of the Tokugawa shogunate, the castle served as an imperial residence before being converted to a museum and opened to the public. The series of ornately-decorated reception rooms within the Ninomaru Palace complex is particularly impressive, and known for its "nightingale floors" - wooden flooring which makes bird-like squeaking sounds when stepped on so as to give advance warning when someone was approaching. From the empty base of the donjon that once overlooked the innermost section of the fortress (known as the Honmaru), you can get good views over parts of the castle compound and the wider city beyond. The donjon and original Honmaru Palace burnt down in two separate fires; the current Honmaru Palace was originally part of a prince's residence, and moved to its current location in the Meiji Period (late 19th century). The Honmaru Palace was opened to the public for the first time in 18 years on September 1, 2024, but reservations are required, and it will cost an additional ¥1,000. See also Japanese castles.
Daily 08:45-16:00 (Gate closes at 17:00), Ninomaru Palace closed on Tuesdays. · ¥1,300 for adults; ¥400 for junior and senior high school students, ¥300 for elementary school students, free for children under 6 years · Limited wheelchair access · Heritage listed · Built 1601