Kyoto

Japanese

Kyoto is the old capital of Japan, relocated from Nara, established by Emperor Kannmu in 794 and the Heian period lasted for about 400 until Yoritomo Minamoto established Kamakura shogunate in 1192 in Kamakura.

Although more than one thousand years have elapsed since then in the city appropriately remained many important historical spots until today.

Not only for its historical monuments and tourism, Kyoto is also an important city for education and international activities. The city still is the capital of Buddhism and some traditional cultures like Tea Ceremony, Flower Arrangement etc.

Kyoto is loved by visitors for its abundant historical monuments and also for its natures seasonal variety beautifully matched with its scenery .

The visitors may feel very much relaxed visiting these old historical spots and can enjoy typical traditional cultures as well.

Heian-jingu In mid-April when the cherry blossoms were full bloom, my friend and I (Tamaji, right) visited northeast Kyoto and we hope that this page with some original pictures help you a better understanding of the city and deepen your interest in this country.

Heian-jingu Shrine

Testsugatku no Michi (Phylosopher's Walk)

Ginkaku-ji Temple (Shilver Pavillion)

Kiyomizu-dera Temple

Heian-jingu Shrine

Heian-jingu Shrine was built in 1895 on the 1,100^th anniversary of the foundation of Kyoto as a replica two third of its original size of the Imperial Palace built in 794.

The shrine is dedicated to the souls of Emperor Kannmu, the founder of Kyoto, and Emperor Komei, the last Emperor of Kyoto when it was the capital.

The main buildings begin with the great gate of Otemon and over the big yard covered with white sand spred the main sanctuary halls of Honden which are connected with east and west towers of Soryu-ro and Byakko-ro. The sanctuaries are green copper-roofed, built of plain wood and red vermilion-painted, which shows a splendid expansion of buildings in beautiful harmonious colors.

The shrine garden Shin-en surrounds the sacred area of the precincts with 30,000 square meters and is divided in four sections. The garden is known as the most beautiful and typical landscape of the Meiji Period. The cherry blossoms in full bloom are exquisite in spring, the irises (Kakitsubata), Japanese irises (Hana-shobu) and water lilies in early summer, and the bush clover (Hagi) in autumn are also remarkable. A variety of trees with blossom in every season provide attractions throughout the year. The snow scenes in winter around the ponds are also admired.

The historical pageant Jidai-matsuri festival is held during October 21-23 and is one of the three biggest festivals of Kyoto. It is organized by the citizens and hundreds of men and women, in costumes of one thousand years from the days of Emperor Kanmu to the Meiji Restoration, parade throughout the boulevards in a pageantry of the colorful history of Kyoto.

Testsugatku no Michi (Phylosopher's Walk)

Tetsugaku no Michi (Philosopher's Walk) is named after Philosopher Kitaro Nishida who loved to walk this quiet pathway every morning for his philosophical meditation. He was the professor of Kyoto University and has spent his life attempting to combine Oriental Zen and Western philosophies and established an original so called Nishida philosophy.

The pathway begins its way north from Nanzenji along the Sosui, small canal and the water originated from Biwako lake, for about two kilometers. It reaches near the precincts of Ginkakuji, the Silver Pavilion. The pathway is lined with cherry trees and a few tea houses and craft shops along the canal. In spring when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, people like to walk the way enjoying a little philosophical meditation.

Ginkaku-ji Temple (Silver Pavilion)

Ginkaku (Silver Pavilion) Temple is the popular name of Jisho-ji and was built in 1482 by Yoshimasa Ashikaga, the eighth Shogun of the Muromachi shogunate, as his villa of retreat. He made this villa in Higashiyama area following in the Golden Pavilion built by his grand father Shogun Yoshimitsu Ashikaga.

After Yoshimasa's death in 1490, Ginkaku turned to be a temple for Zen-sects according to his will.

The main buildings are Silver Pavilion (Kannon-do, national treasure), Togu-do (residence of Shogun, national treasure) with Dojin-sai tea room (the oldest tea room in Japan) and Hondo (main building). Various statues of Buddhism, Kannon, Jizo and Shaka Muni are installed in these buildings.

The garden is the first example of Chisen-Kaiyu garden style and is called Kinkyochi. The sandy part in the garden was designed in the early Edo period and the mound in the center is called Ginshaden or the sea of the silver sand. They represent Lake West in China. The small sand hill shaped Mt. Fuji is named Kogetsudai.

The garden looks standing in contrast with the buildings at a glance, however its deep cultural spirits of its founders might be better understood when carefully obsereved.

Escaping from troublesome political problems at the end of the Muromachi period, Yoshimasa devoted himself organizing various cultural salons frequently and established the so called Higashiyama Culture which is known today as Japanese traditional arts like No theater, Sa-do tea ceremony, Ka-do flower arrangement ceremony etc.

Kiyomizu-dera Temple

Kiyomizu-dera temple is reached by passing through Sannen-zaka on a cobblestone road of Monzen-machi, the town in fron of the temple. Along it there are souvenir shops displaying Kiyomizu-yaki pottery and traditional crafts.

The temple was founded in 798 by Tamuramaro Sakanoue, so called god of war and named Seii-taishogun barbarian suduing generalissimo, for the sake of priest Enchin. The main temple is perched atop Otowa-yama and is part of the city's southeast foothills. A landscape of Kyoto is seen from the balcony of the temple, the balcony supported by 139 pillars, high on the hillside. On the grounds are Otowanotaki waterfalls and visitors drink the pure water (kiyo-mizu) to cleanse their souls.

The cherry blossoms in full bloom are loved and the cherry blossoms lighted up at night by the illumination are one of the seasonal events Kyoto.