Join us on our latest journey to Kyoto,
Japan’s old capital city, filled with temples,
culture, good food and geishas.
Kyoto means capital city,
and that’s exactly
what it was. Kyoto was
Japan’s capital for
more than 1000 years
between 794 and 1868.
Today, Kyoto is one of the
most visited cities in Japan.
Probably because of its 1600
temples, 250 shrines, and
palaces, gardens, and museums
Kyoto sits on the Honshu island in Japan’s Kansai region – about 370 kilometers southwest of Tokyo. The easiest way to travel to Kyoto is by bullet train (shinkansen) from Tokyo, which will take about 3.5 hours. Express trains runs about every 15 minutes! And they’re all on time. This is Japan.
Many factors work together to create Kyoto’s uniqueness (compared to other Japanese cities). The city has an unrivalled architectural, artistic, culinary, economic, and recreational mix. Modern buildings stand beside 1200-year-old temples, unusual restaurants, craft shops, and family-run businesses. People enjoy peaceful hikes on riverside paths and do business or window shop along streets lined with historic wooden teahouses and shops. Everywhere, small artistic touches adorn doorways, vestibules, and parks.
A couple hundred years ago – a gruesome warning greeted visitors to Kyoto: impaled heads on stakes lined the Kamo River banks. Their purpose? Just a small warning to visitors about severe consequences that awaited them if they didn’t obey the rules during their visit to the capital city. Today, visitors and residents enjoy cooling breezes, the sound of lapping waves, and the sight of abundant wildlife along these banks. Few cities can boast so many temples, shrines, and 17 UNESCO World Heritage sites, which explains why more than 55 million visitors come here each year. Its plentiful supply of religious and historical buildings and monuments is due to its age (founded in 794 A.D.). Many structures were spared from earthquakes, fires, and wars – or rebuilt after these catastrophes. Kyoto was also spared from World War II bombing attacks due to its historical significance.
And Kyoto’s night life? After dusk, the area between the Sanjo and Shijo bridges (the Kiyamachi) comes alive. Sake bars, noodle shops, and restaurants are scattered throughout the Kiyamachi area, although they’re sometimes hard to find because they’re not all on street level; some are on the upper floors of buildings.
Kyoto is known for keeping many of its best restaurants and sights a secret, i.e., off limits to first-time visitors (Japanese and foreigners alike). Kyoto’s by-introduction-only custom applies to many areas of traditional culture such as private temples, gardens, art galleries, restaurants, and especially the geisha teahouses. We entered the city with our a local guide and found some of the secrets behind the facade.
