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Nijo CastlevsRyoanji Temple
Both Ryoanji Temple and Nijo-jo Castle are rated very highly by professionals. Overall, Nijo-jo Castle scores significantly higher than Ryoanji Temple. Nijo-jo Castle scores 92 with accolades from 4 reviews like Lonely Planet, Frommer's and Michelin Guide.
Nijo Castle
Fodor's
Frommer's
Michelin Guide
U.S. News & World Report
541 Nijojo-cho, Horikawa-nishiiru, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture
From $0/night
Fodor's "Nijo Castle, begun in 1603, is a grandiose and unequivocal statement of the shogunate's power." Full review
Frommer's "The Tokugawa shogun's Kyoto home stands in stark contrast to most of Japan's other remaining castles, which were constructed purely for defense." Full review
Michelin Guide 2 Stars
"The ceremonial rooms are embellished with paintings finished with gold, exemplary works of the Kano school, lavishly decorated coffered ceilings and superb tokonoma, altars which honour the ancestors." Full review
U.S. News & World Report7.0
"After years of bitter strife, the aging samurai lord Tokugawa Ieyasu finally wrested power from Japan's many warring clans and unified them at the turn of the 17th century. Upon being..." Full review
Ryoanji Temple Fodor's U.S. News & World Report Frommer's
13 Ryoanji Goryonoshitacho, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture 616-8001
From $0/night
Fodor's "The solemn stones set into the sand at Ryoan-ji's rock garden has become one of Japan's quintessential images." Full review
U.S. News & World Report5.0
"Every day, hundreds of people visit Ryoanji Temple to see its Zen rock garden – which is probably the most famous of its kind in Japan." Full review
Frommer's "Home to what is probably the most famous Zen rock garden in all of Japan." Full review
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After visiting the rock garden, be sure to take a walk around the temple grounds.
