Kyoto is bathed in history and home to no less than 17 World Heritage sites and thousands of temples, from Kiyomizu and Sanjusangendo Temples, through to the Kyoto Imperial Palace, and the UNESCO listed Nijo Castle. A must see is the glittering Kinkakuji buddhist temple – a former retirement villa, it’s perched on the banks of a pretty pond and surrounded by lush green gardens.