
Horyuji Temple, Nara Park © JNTO
Kyoto, Japan’s most historically important town, is the
country’s sightseeing capital, packed with 1,700 Buddhist
temples, 300 Shinto shrines, imperial palaces, gardens and
traditional wooden homes, all well preserved and presenting a
picture of traditional Japanese culture. The city lies in the
mid-western Kansai district on the island of Honshu, surrounded by
plains full of rice paddies.
Visitors arriving from the Kansai International Airport or on
board the famous Shinkansen bullet train at Kyoto’s modern
central station may be disenchanted to initially discover a
thriving, overcrowded industrial city with a straight grid of
uniform streets presided over by the futuristic Kyoto Tower. The
city may present a modern face, but explore behind the scenes in
the outer districts or off the beaten track in the old merchants'
quarters and you will glimpse cameos and images of traditional
Japan, from cherry blossom to geishas, and bonsai trees to shoji
screens.
Apart from the architectural legacy, which was fortunately
spared the heavy bombings inflicted on other Japanese cities during
World War II, Kyoto also boasts some of Japan’s most
significant art works, a culturally traditional way of life, and
superior cuisine. No visit to Japan is complete
without devoting time to experience Kyoto.