Konnichiwa~
Yeah~ Now we are heading to Kyoto, Japan...
Kyoto City is surrounded by mountains in Western Honshu, and seems to have a reputation worldwide as Japan's most beautiful city. It was founded in 794, and continued to be the capital of Japan until 1868.
The city was once the capital of Japan, therefore sheltering the imperial family. It has gone through so many wars that almost demolished its structures. Also, the city contains 17 UNESCO World Heritage sites, and 20% of Japan’s national treasures reside in Kyoto, making it a must see place indeed.
Nijo Castle was used as an imperial palace for a while before being donated to the city and opened up to the public as a historic site. Nijo Castle can be divided into three areas: the Honmaru (main circle of defense), the Ninomaru (secondary circle of defense) and some gardens that encircle the Honmaru and Ninomaru. The entire castle grounds and the Honmaru are surrounded by stone walls and moats.
ܤ Picture 2: Kiyomizudera Templeܤ
A visit to the Kiyomizudera Temple might be one of the most unforgettable moments of your life! Kiyomizudera means “pure water temple” is best known for its wooden stage that juts out from its main hall, 13 meters above the hillside below. The stage affords visitors a nice view of the numerous cherry and maple trees below that erupt in a sea of color in spring and fall. The main hall was built without the use of nails.
Kinkakuji means the "Temple of the Golden Pavilion". It is a Zen temple in northern Kyoto whose top two floors are completely covered in gold leaf. Formally known as Rokuonji, the temple was the retirement villa of the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, and according to his will it became a Zen temple of the Rinzai sect after his death in 1408.
Kinkakuji is an impressive structure built overlooking a large pond, and is the only building left of Yoshimitsu's former retirement complex. It has burned down numerous times throughout its history including twice during the Onin War, a civil war that destroyed much of Kyoto; and once again more recently in 1950 when it was set on fire by a fanatic monk. The present structure was rebuilt in 1955.
✾Western Kyoto✾
Katsura Imperial Villa is one of the finest examples of purely Japanese architecture and garden design. It is one of Japan's most important large-scale cultural treasures. Its gardens are a masterpiece of Japanese gardening, and the buildings are even more important, one of the greatest achievements of Japanese architecture. The palace includes a shoin (building), tea houses, and a strolling garden.
ܤ Picture 5: Fushimi Inari Shrine - A walking path leads through a tunnel of torii gates ܤ
Fushimi Inari Shrine is an important Shinto shrine in southern Kyoto. It is famous for its thousands of vermilion torii gates, which straddle a network of trails behind its main buildings. The trails lead into the wooded forest of the sacred Mount Inari, which stands at 233 meters and belongs to the shrine grounds.
ܤ Picture 6: Gion Matsuri ܤ
Gion Matsuri, the festival of Yasaka Shrine, is the most famous festival in Japan. Kyoto's biggest festival dates back to the 9th century when people tried to seek the protection of the gods against a pestilence that was then ravaging the city. It takes place over the entire month of July.
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