Kiyomizu-dera temple

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An independent Buddhist temple in eastern Kyoto. The temple is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto. Kiyomizu-dera was founded in the early Heian period. The temple was founded in 798, and its present buildings were constructed in 1633, ordered by the Tokugawa Iemitsu. There is not a single nail used in the entire structure. It takes its name from the waterfall within the complex, which runs off the nearby hills (got its name from the waterfall). The main hall has a large veranda, supported by tall pillars, that juts out over the hillside and offers impressive views of the city. Large verandas and main halls were constructed at many popular sites during the Edo period to accommodate large numbers of pilgrims. The temple complex includes several other shrines, among them the Jishu Shrine, dedicated to Ōkuninushi, a god of love and “good matches”. Jishu Shrine possesses a pair of “love stones” placed 6 meters/20 feet apart, which lonely visitors can try to walk between with their eyes closed. Success in reaching the other stone with their eyes closed implies that the pilgrim will find love, or true love. One can be assisted in the crossing, but this is taken to mean that a go-between will be needed. The person’s romantic interest can assist them as well.

Gion district

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Gion is a district of Kyoto, Japan, originally developed in the Middle Ages, in front of Yasaka Shrine. The district was built to accommodate the needs of travelers and visitors to the shrine. It eventually evolved to become one of the most exclusive and well-known geisha districts in all of Japan. The geisha in the Gion district refer to themselves as “geiko” instead of “geisha”. Gion remains dotted with old-style Japanese houses called machiya, which roughly translated means “townhouse”, some of which are ochaya or “tea houses”. These are traditional establishments where the patrons of Gion—from the samurai of old to modern-day businessmen—have been entertained by geiko in an exclusive manner for centuries. There are also many modern entertainment establishments in Gion – restaurants of all types, bars, clubs, pachinko, off-track betting, and a very large number of tourist-oriented establishments, particularly along Shijō Street; the region is both a major tourist hub, and a popular nightlife spot for locals.

Kinkaku-ji temple

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Kinkaku-ji (“Temple of the Golden Pavilion”) is a Zen Buddhist temple with a beautiful garden complex, which is an excellent example of Japanese garden design from the Muromachi period. The site of Kinkaku-ji was originally a villa called Kitayama-dai, belonging to a powerful statesman, Saionji Kintsune and was later converted into a zen temple. During the “Onin War” all of the buildings in the complex aside from the pavilion were burned down and later in 1950 the pavilion was lost to the flames too. The present pavilion structure dates from 1955, when it was rebuilt. The pavilion is three stories high, approximately 12.5 meters in height.

Gingaku-ji temple

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A Zen temple in the Sakyo ward of Kyoto, built in 1490. It is one of the constructions that represent the Higashiyama Culture of Muromachi period. The two-storied “Kannon hall” is the main temple structure. Its construction began 1482. The structure’s design sought to emulate the golden Kinkaku-ji which had been commissioned by his grandfather Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. It is popularly known as Ginkaku, the “Silver Pavilion” because of the initial plans to cover its exterior in silver foil; but this familiar nickname dates back only as far as the Edo period (1600–1868). During the Ōnin War, construction was halted. Despite Yoshimasa’s intention to cover the structure with a distinctive silver-foil overlay, this work was delayed for so long that the plans were never realized before Yoshimasa’s death. The present appearance of the structure is understood to be the same as when Yoshimasa himself last saw it. This “unfinished” appearance illustrates one of the aspects of “wabi-sabi” quality.

Nijo-jo castle

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The Nijo castle consists of two concentric rings (Kuruwa) of fortifications, the Ninomaru Palace, the ruins of the Honmaru Palace, various support buildings and several gardens. It is one of the seventeen assets of Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto. In 1601, Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate, ordered all the feudal lords in Western Japan to contribute to the construction of Nijō Castle, which was completed during the reign of Tokugawa Iemitsu in 1626. Parts of Fushimi Castle, such as the main tower and the karamon, were moved here in 1625-26. It was built as the Kyoto residence of the Tokugawa Shoguns. The Tokugawa Shogunate used Edo as the capital city, but Kyoto continued to be the home of the Imperial Court. Kyoto Imperial Palace is located north-east of Nijo Castle.

Kyoto gosho (Kyoto Imperial Palace)

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The Kyoto Imperial Palace (Kyōto-gosho) is the former ruling palace of the Emperor of Japan. The emperors have resided at the Tokyo Imperial Palace since 1869 (Meiji Restoration); the preservation of the Kyōto Imperial Palace was ordered in 1877. Today the grounds are open to the public. The palace is situated in the Kyōto-gyoen, a large rectangular enclosure 1.3 km north to south and 0.7 km east to west which also contains the Sentō Imperial Palace gardens. The estate dates from the early Edo period when the residence of high court nobles were grouped close together with the palace and the area walled. When the capital was moved to Tokyo, the residences of the court nobles were demolished and most of Kyōto Gyoen is now a park open to the public.

Heian-jingu shrine

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The Heian Shrine (Heian-jingū) is a Shinto shrine located in Sakyō ward of Kyoto. The Shrine is ranked as a Beppyou Jinja (the top rank for shrines) by the Association of Shinto Shrines. It is listed as an important cultural property of Japan. The architecture of the main palace mirrors the style and features of the Kyoto Imperial Palace, the style from the 11th-12th century (late Heian Period). The Shrine’s entrance gate is one of the largest in Japan. On October 22, Heian-jingū hosts the Jidai Matsuri, which is one of the most important festivals of Kyoto. The procession of this festival begins at the old Imperial palace, and includes carrying the mikoshi (portable shrines) of Emperors Kanmu and Kōmei to the Heian-jingū. The Shrine is also used for traditional Japanese weddings as well as concerts. It is rare for a modern concert to be held at a historic site like the shrine, but merging modern and old culture in Kyoto has become a trend. Adjacent to the Shrine is Okazaki Park, where visitors can learn about culture. The Shrine is surrounded by the Kyoto Public Library, Kyoto Museum of Modern Arts, Kyoto Kaikan, and the Kyoto Zoo.

Arashiyama

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A district on the western outskirts of Kyoto with many notable tourist sites, including:

• The Iwatayama Monkey Park on the slopes of Arashiyama (Over 170 monkeys live at the park).
• The romantic “Moon Crossing Bridge”, notable for its views of cherry blossoms and autumn colors on the slopes of Arashiyama.
• The tombstone of the Heike courtesan Kogo of Sagano.
• Tenryū-ji, the main temple of one the 15 branches of the Rinzai school, one of the two main sects of Zen Buddhism in Japan.
• The hamlet of Kiyotaki, a small scenic village at the base of Mt Atago, the home to a notable Shinto shrine.
  Matsuo Shrine, half a mile south of the area, which is home to a blessed spring.
• Kameyama koen has a stone commemorating Zhou Enlai’s visit to Arashiyama. He was moved by the cherry blossoms and mountain greenery.
• Ōkōchi Sansō, the Japanese-style home and gardens of the film actor Denjirō Ōkōchi.