Visit Kyoto

Above, Kyoto and Tokyo are connected by the JR Tokaido Shinkansen.

Photos by Armand Vaquer

If one is interested in Japanese history, they should pay a visit to Kyoto.

One of the stops of 2004's G-TOUR was the city of Kyoto. We had traveled there by shinkansen (bullet train) from Atami. We stayed at the Gimmond Hotel while we were in Kyoto.

Kyoto has plenty to see. And here are some of the places we visited.

Heian Jingu Shrine

Above, Heian Jingu Shrine.

The Heian Jingu Shrine was built in 1895 for the 1,100th anniversary of the establishment of Heiankyō (the old name of Kyoto). The shrine is dedicated to Emperor Kanmu and Emperor Kōmei.

The shrine has beautiful gardens and the Soryu-ike pond, which features the Garyu-kyo, a walkway consisting of stone pillars that served as foundation stones for the girders of Sanjo Ohashi and Gojo Ohashi, two famous bridges in the Kyoto city center. The stone walkway was featured in the movie Lost In Translation in a scene of Scarlett Johannson stepping across the pond.

Nijo Castle

Above, Nijo Castle gate.

Nijo Castle was built in 1626 with the primary purpose as a symbol of power of the Shogunate to both allies and enemies. The castle is noted for its Nightingale Floors which are designed to creak and squeak whenever walked upon. The floors prevented anyone from sneaking around in the castle without being heard. This is to warn the occupants of possible attack by assassins. Nijo Castle also has beautiful gardens to stroll through and photograph.

Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)

Above, Kinkaku-ji Golden Pavilion.

Kinkaku-ji or "Golden Pavilion" started out originally as a villa called Kitayama-dai. It was later purchased by Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, and transformed into the Kinkaku-ji complex. Following Yoshimitsu's death, the building was converted into a Zen temple. Kinkaku-ji is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Kyoto.

The temple was burnt down on July 2, 1950 by a monk named Hayashi Yoken, who then attempted suicide on the hill behind the building. He survived and was taken into custody. The temple was rebuilt in 1955. The temple received a new coating as well as gilding with gold-leaf (thicker than the original gilding). The renovation was completed in 1987.

One other attraction we stopped at was Kiyomizu-dera, which was featured briefly in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II in 1993. A detailed article was posted previously. To view it, go here. Kiyomizu-dera is covered in The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan.

Other Kyoto attractions include the Kyoto Imperial Palace, Nijo Jinya, Nishiki Market and Honganji Temples.

Getting to Kyoto (Source: Japan-Guide.com)

Tokyo and Kyoto are connected with each other by the JR Tokaido Shinkansen. Nozomi trains require about 140 minutes to reach Kyoto from Tokyo, Hikari trains about 160 minutes and Kodama trains about four hours.

The regular one way fare from Tokyo to Kyoto is 12,710 yen by non-reserved seat on any train, around 13,200 yen by reserved seat on Hikari or Kodama trains and around 13,500 yen by reserved seat on a Nozomi train. A 7-day Japan Rail Pass costs about the same as regular round trip tickets. The Japan Rail Pass is valid on Hikari and Kodama trains, but not on Nozomi trains.