Don't be disappointed when
you arrive at Kyoto station. The surrounding area is Anytown, Japan.
This city has wonders, but those wonders are spread widely and you will
have to catch buses, take taxis, or put in the leg-work to appreciate
why Kyoto is one of the world's best destinations. There are some
lovely walks, but keep your blinkers on, and focus on the wheat, not
the chaff and you will be thrilled. Don't forget, the Japanese are
inveterate domestic sightseers, and in Kyoto you will never be alone.
When you visit a Zen garden if you can ignore your fellow visitors,
then it is possible to appreciate the experience.
The city is best visited during the changing colours of fall, a crisp blue-skied winter, or a cherry blossom spring. Be warned, summer can be unbearably hot and humid although maybe the crowds are smaller, so those coming during a European or North American summer vacation may find themselves exhausted. We travelled there at New Year and enjoyed cold but clear air and gardens sprinkled with snow. Because this is a world Heritage destination, English is more widely spoken and many places are used to foreigners, so hotels and transportation are easier to navigate here than in many other Japanese destinations.
We stayed at the Hearton Hotel which is conveniently placed, with easy access two minutes from Karasuma Oike subway station which is itself only a short ride from the main JR station. The main sights of Kyoto are spread out around the hills, so wherever you stay, you will be doing a lot of travelling during your visit, so being close to a subway station and bus stops is an advantage. We found we could walk to Pontocho with no trouble. Like almost all Japanese hotels, the rooms are functional but compact. A semi-double is large enough for two, unless you are a little overweight! The staff were helpful and can ease your check-in by using English if needed.
Central Kyoto is laid out in a modern grid pattern, but was originally based on the ancient Chinese city of Chang-an in a specially selected location, surrounded by mountains on three sides, with the Kamo river flowing through the middle. The changing seasons and periodic flooding created a culture of customs and religious observances that are still in evidence today. This year-long succession of festivals and rituals means that a visitor can return again and again and experience something new in the landscape, culture and food. A city for all seasons!.
The city was founded in 794 as a new capital city by an emperor named Kanmu of the powerful Fujiwara family. It's importance in the development of traditional cultural pursuits is is unparalleled in Japan: the tea ceremony reached new heights of refinement here, as did flower arrangement, calligraphy and theatre. Western visitors can experience this to some extent, but remember that the Japanese can spend a lifetime perfecting their appreciation of these arts through years of study and reflection, so don't worry if they seem difficult to penetrate at first.
One of the images of Kyoto is of its geisha, or professional entertainers. The sight of a fantastically costumed geisha scurrying to her next engagement through the streets of Gion is an intoxicating and memorable sight. The simple muted colours of the teahouse exteriors contrasts so well with the glorious colours of their kimono and obi (belt). The profession dates from the 17th century and in its heyday employed hundreds of women in several distinct areas. Here in Kyoto they prefer to use the terms geiko and maiko. Geiko translates as 'child of the arts' and they train for many years in classical dance or the playing of instruments such as the shamisen, which is a three-stringed traditional instrument. Maiko is the name given to apprentices who are still in the process of developing all the subtle skills needed to entertain the cream of Japanese business leaders. For anyone who wishes to delve deeper into the world of the geisha I recommend reading Arthur Golden's novel: Memoirs of a Geisha set in the city before and after the war.
Temples and shrines represent two incongruous
belief systems that in Japan sit happily side by side. Temples are
Buddhist places of worship introduced and developed across Japan after
struggles in the 6th century. The religion came via China and Korea and
forms the basis of many modern Japanese beliefs and basic morality.
Today there are several distinct sects that have millions of adherents
and substantial political clout. In addition, there are sub-sects and
virtual cults that have very specific beliefs and are seen as quite
threatening. In contrast, Shinto shrines are based on the need to
placate kami, the Japanese word for natural spirits
or 'gods' who inhabit certain objects or places. This is the native
animalistic religion of Japan and has ancient roots. Despite its age,
many people still incorporate Shinto rituals into their lives and
marriages.
The imagery associated with temples and shrines is easy to differentiate. Shrines have distinctive wooden gates, often painted red with two rails at the top. These are called torii and are easy ways to recognise you are entering a shrine. Maps use a symbol of a torii to show the location of a shrine, whereas temples are recognised by a swastika, which is a sacred Buddhist symbol. There are many types of shrine from tiny to enormous, but most share similar features such as knotted rope and folded zig-zag paper. The main sanctuary is the honden and is where the kami resides in a separate object or shintai. The shrine is run by priests who perform ceremonies, often involving purification. Strangely, one can often find Shinto shrines within the grounds of a Buddhist temple.
Buddhist temples are run by monks who meditate and worship within its confines. The main building is the hondo and you may spy statues of Buddha, or other enlightened beings called bosatsu. Jizo is a popular guardian bosatsu or guardian of children and pregnant women and are found throughout Japan. Temples often have associated graveyards, and in Kyoto some also have pagodas which house an important relic. Many visitors to Kyoto are eager to enter the famous symmetrically-built Zen temples such as Daitokuji and Ryoanji where the monks live austere lives, and contemplate in gardens of carefully-paced rocks in raked-gravel. There is a beautiful simplicity to Zen temples that many find alluring, although they are not common in Japan, so they are a 'must see' if you come to Kyoto.
The main focus for foreign visitors are the cultural sights, but for Japanese visitors, Kyoto is much more. The cuisine in particular is noteworthy, with subtle seasonal variations and a refinement of flavours and visual attractiveness that thrill and delight. One of the difficulties for foreigners is gaining access to this rich dining, but some restaurants do cater for non-Japanese, and staff are always helpful. As is the case anywhere in Japan, don't go in if there is no obvious menu on display, or you are concerned about the prices! High-class teahouses (ochaya) are basically off-limits, as are the finest restaurants, where a personal introduction is often necessary. Maybe it is the exclusivity of these hidden worlds that people find so attractive and mysterious about the city, and about Japan in general.
It is more than easy to find souvenirs here. The Japanese love taking home mementos and gifts from their trips, and of course Kyoto provides a wealth of great crafts and products for your suitcase. The streets are filled with temptation. Great buys are tea, incense, ceramics, tableware and dolls. Others pick up fine hand-made paper, or pickles and sweets. The choice is enormous and mostly excellent value. The Japanese are wise shoppers and determined bargain hunters so competition is fierce and you should have no problem in finding something to suit any price range. The area around Kiyomizu temple is a good choice for you, especially on the walk down the paved streets towards the old entertainment quarter of Gion.
Kyoto has many wonders and I'm sure your guidebook or links from this
website can provide you with lots of additional information, so here I
will concentrate of a few images to wet your appetite and spur you to
discover more for yourself. Here, I don't show central Nijo castle,
Sanjusangen-do temple, Pontocho alley, or outlying Fushimi shrine, to
name but a few fantastic places. So I urge you to build up your own
list of top sights to visit and discover for yourself the World
heritage of Kyoto.
Click on the image to find descriptions and images of some of the major sights in Kyoto...
