Kyoto
Kimono, Koyo And Sakura
Kyoto is an ancient cultural capital with a long history in western Japan, located right next to Osaka, the largest city in the Kansai region. There are countless temples and shrines in Kyoto, including Kinkakuji Temple, Kiyomizu-dera Temple and Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine. Kyoto is also one of the best places to enjoy cherry blossoms in Japan, such as the Arashiyama area.
Ancient Capital Sceneries
In 794 A.D., Emperor Kanmu moved the capital to Kyoto and named it Heian-Kyo (平安京), which opened the 400-year Heian Period of Japan. To this day, Kyoto residents still have pride in their hearts. Perhaps this is the reason why when you walk in the streets of Kyoto, you can still feel the noble and mysterious atmosphere of this ancient city.
Nijo Castle
Cradle and Tombstone of the Shogunate
In 1603, Nijo Castle was built by Ieyasu Tokugawa, and it eventually becomes today's size by the expansion of his descendants. The Nijo Castle Honmaru-goten Palace was destroyed by fire, and part of the old Katsura-goten Palace was later moved to this site. The perfectly preserved Ninomaru-goten Palace is a national treasure of Japan.
The streets of the Gion Shirakawa (祇园白川) and Hanami-no-kaido (花見小路) areas have very traditional Japanese scenes, with Geisha and people dressed in kimonos. The Gion Festival hosted by Gion Yasaka Shrine is one of Japan’s three major festivals and is celebrated by visitors from all over the world for a whole month.
Kyoto Gion
Teahouse, Geisha and Festival
Gion 祇園 is centered around Shijo-dori Street, and is famous for its well-dressed Geisha, who can often be seen in the streets. The streets of Gion, Shirakawa and Hanamikoji are very traditional, and the Gion Festival 祇園祭 held every year by Gion Yasaka Shrine is one of the three major festivals in Japan.
The beautiful scenery of Arashiyama in Kyoto is gorgeous. Every spring and autumn, the cherry blossoms and red leaves of Arashiyama become an unforgettable sight. Arashiyama is also famous for its cultural attractions such as Tenryuji Temple and Nonomiya Shrine.
Kyoto Arashiyama
The Eternal Scenic Beauty
Arashiyama, located in the northwest of Kyoto, is a famous cherry blossom and maple viewing spot. The Katsura River flows through the foot of Arashiyama, and the Togetsukyo Bridge across the river is known as the symbol of Arashiyama. In addition to the beautiful natural scenery, the Saga Arashiyama area is also home to such attractions as Tenryu-ji Temple and Nonomiya Shrine.
Tenryuji Temple
Pond Views of Four Seasons
Located at the foot of Arashiyama Mountain in Kyoto, Tenryuji Temple is the head temple of the Tenryuji school of Rinzai Buddhism and was built to worship Emperor Goudaigo. Tenryuji Temple is now home to the Dharma Hall, Abbot's Quarters, Hall of Many Treasures, and the Sogen Pond, which has been designated as a Special Place of Scenic Beauty of Japan.
Temples and Shrines in Kyoto
There are countless temples and shrines in Kyoto, many of which were founded in the Heian period, and most of them are of high rank. For example, the Toji Temple is the missionary dojo of Master Kukai, Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine is the main shrine of all Inari Shrines in Japan, and Kitano Tenmangu Shrine is the main shrine of more than ten thousand Tenmangu Shrines and Tenjin Shrines in Japan.
Toji Temple
The Temple of National Protection
To-ji Temple, also known as Kyo-o-gokoku-ji Temple, was founded in 794, and holds a supreme position among Japanese Buddhist temples as the preaching ground of Master Kukai for the Shingon Buddhist School. It has the tallest five-storied pagoda in Japan, which is a national treasure, along with the temple's Golden Hall and Mieido Hall.
Daigoji Temple
Hideyoshi Toyotomi's Cherry Blossom Party
Daigoji Temple in Kyoto was built in 874 and is divided into three parts: Kami-Daigo, Shimo-Daigo, and Sanbo-in. The Golden Hall and the Five-storied Pagoda inside the temple were built during the Heian period. Toyotomi Hideyoshi supported the renovation and expansion of the temple and held a grand cherry blossom viewing event here.
Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine
Main Shrine of 30,000 Inari Shrines
Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine, located under Mount Inariyama, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, is the main shrine of more than 30,000 Inari shrines in Japan. It is dedicated to the Inari god, who blesses the harvest. The symbols of the shrine are the fox and the vermillion torii.
Kyoto Kitano Tenmangu Shrine
Head of All Tenmangu Shrines
Kitano Tenmangu Shrine in Kyoto is dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, the god of academics, and is the head shrine of more than 10,000 Tenmangu Shrines and Tenjin Shrines in Japan, and is greatly admired by students. Kitano Tenmangu Shrine was founded in 947, and the Sanko-mon Gate and the Main Shrine in its territory are precious historical buildings.
World Heritage Sites in Kyoto
When the capital of Heian-Kyo was established, the city was divided into blocks with a grid of intersecting streets modeled after the layout of Chang’an and Luoyang in China’s Tang Dynasty. For more than a century, Kyoto has suffered from wars, natural and man-made disasters, and many precious cultural relics were burned to the ground. 17 architectural relics of Kyoto were inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1994, among which Nijo Castle, Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Kinkakuji Temple and Toji Temple are the most popular tourist spots.
Kyoto Kinkakuji Temple
Icon of Kyoto
Kinkakuji Temple is the most iconic site in Kyoto. It was originally the villa of General Ashikaga Yoshimitsu during the Muromachi period, but after his death, it was transformed into a Buddhist temple and named Rokuon-ji Temple. The Kinkakuji Temple was rebuilt in 1955 and is decorated with more than 10,000 gold leafs inside and outside, with a golden bronze phoenix statue at the top.
Kiyomizudera Temple
National Treasure Kiyomizu Stage
Located at the foot of Higashiyama Mountain in Kyoto, Kiyomizu-dera Temple was founded in 778 and is one of the most popular sightseeing spots in Kyoto. The wooden Kiyomizu stage, which protrudes from the cliff in front of the main hall, is a national treasure. The temple also has the highest three-storied pagoda in Japan.
Byodoin Temple
The National Treasure Phoenix Hall
Byodo-in was the former villa of the Yorimichi family from the Heian period, it is located along the Uji River in Kyoto. The Phoenix Hall in the Byodo-in, built in 1053, is one of the few remaining Heian-era buildings in Japan and is considered a national treasure.
