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WHAT
TO
SEE
I
WHAT
TO
DO
I
WHERE
TO
VISIT
I
WORLD
HERITAGES |
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Tokyo
I
Kyoto
I Hiroshima
I Nagasaki
I Okinawa
I Kanazawa |
|
Mt. Fuji I
Hokkaido
I Nikko I Hakone I Takayama I Nara |
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The
former
capital
of
Japan,
famous
worldwide
for
its
temples
and
shrines.
Kyoto
was
the
center
of
politics
and
culture
for
1,200
years. |
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 Kyoto
stretches
from
southeast
to
northwest
in
the
central
and
northern
Kansai
Region
(Midwest
Japan).
It
has
three
geographical
features,
the
saw-toothed
coast
area
around
the
Maizuru
Bay
in
the
northwest,
the
Tamba
Mountains
around
the
center
and
the
Kyoto
Basin
in
the
southeast. |
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Kyoto
became
the
capital
of
Japan
in
the
8th
century.
It
had
flourished
as
the
center
for
Japanese
politics,
economy
and
culture
for
some
1,200
years
until
the
capital
functions
were
transferred
to
Tokyo
in
the
mid
19th
century.
There
remain
many
temples
and
shrines
that
had
been
built
during
this
long
period.
Seventeen
historic
sites
including
the
Kiyomizu-dera
Temple
and
the
Nijo-jo
Castle
are
designated
as
World
Cultural
Heritage
sites. |
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You
may
meet
Maiko,
young
dancing
entertainers
who
walk
in
long
hanging
sleeved
kimono
in
the
Gion,
see
the
townscape
characterized
with
popular
19th
century
style
latticework,
and
visit
the
Nishijin
where
they
weave
traditional
nishijin-ori
textiles
with
vivid
colored
threads.
The
festivals
are
famous
not
only
in
Japan
but
are
known
worldwide.
The
three
major
festivals
of
Kyoto
are
Aoi-Matsuri
Festival
in
early
summer,
Gion-Matsuri
Festival
in
summer
and
Jidai-Matsuri
Festival
in
autumn.
There
is
also
the
Okuribi
in
five
hills
of
Daimonji,
where
torches
shaping
a
letter
or
figure
are
ignited
into
flames
on
the
night
of
August
15,
in a
Buddhist
ritual
called
O-bon
or
Urabon-e. |
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