Despite being omitted from virtually all guidebooks, it’s one of the true unknown gems of Kyoto. It was founded in the eighth century, and went through an unlucky patch for a millennium or so; by turns it was destroyed by flood, fire and typhoon, and had to move location a few times. Today, it sits a short distance from the end of Saga Toriimoto, one of Kyoto’s three historic preservation districts. Two fierce statues guard the entrance. Once you’re through the gate, though, you’ll find over 1200 small (knee-to-waist high) statues, each with its own unique character - you’ll see a cheerful boxer near the entrance, but you could spend hours checking out the rest, and you’ll do it in relative seclusion, since this is well away from the tourist trail. The statues were carved in 1981 by amateurs under the direction of master sculptor Kocho Nishimura. Moss and forest have begun to reclaim the area, and if you’ve ever wondered what Angkor Wat would look like crossed with Japanese kawaii, this is your chance. ¥300