Kyōto, Cultural capital in Kansai, Japan.
Kyōto is a major city in the Kansai region on the main island of Honshū and sits in a wide basin surrounded by forested mountains. Narrow lanes lined with low wooden houses alternate with wide boulevards, temple grounds, and cultivated gardens.
The city was named imperial capital in 794 and kept that role for over ten centuries until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. During World War II it was spared from heavy bombing, so many structures from past eras have survived.
Over a thousand Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines shape the cityscape, and they continue to play a living role in daily life. Residents visit these places regularly for prayer, while craftspeople weave kimonos and produce lacquerware in small workshops.
Two subway lines and a dense bus network connect the main sights from early morning until late evening. Many temples open around eight or nine in the morning, and the footpaths between sites are easy to explore on foot.
The Philosopher's Path follows a canal at the foot of the eastern mountains and is lined by hundreds of cherry trees that let their blossoms hang over the water in spring. In autumn, maple trees along the same route turn bright red and orange.
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