11 Things To Do In Kyoto

Above, Kiyomizu-dera's Koyasu, a three-storey pagoda. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Now that foreign visitors can visit Japan again, it is well worth a foreigner to travel to Kyoto.

It is a contrast to the hustle & bustle of Tokyo. There are many things to see and to in Kyoto and TheTravel has posted a list of 11 things to do there.

They begin with:

Located in central Japan by Lake Biwa is the beautiful and historic city of Kyoto. As the cultural capital of Japan, visitors to Kyoto will be greeted with many Buddhist temples, ancient palaces, stunning gardens, and holy Shinto Shrines.

Originally known as Heian-kyō, the ancient city of Kyoto was founded in 784 CE, and by 793 CE, was the Imperial seat of Japan. Although this was the historic founding of the city, archeological evidence indicates human inhabitation in this region from at least the Paleolithic era. During the Ōnin War of 1467–1477, the city faced much destruction and damage. Luckily, by the mid-1500s, the city had returned to its former glory. During the Edo period, Kyoto was one of the most important cities in all of Japan and was an important cultural center.

Before the Meiji Restoration in the late 19th century, Kyoto was the historic home of the many emperors from ancient times to the Meiji era. After the location of the emperor was moved to Tokyo, great efforts were put into place to preserve the beautiful and historic sites of this city.

Today, visitors can enjoy learning about traditional Japanese history and see historic buildings, holy temples, and magnificent gardens.

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