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Kyoto Station Area, Central Kyoto, Eastern Kyoto, North-Eastern Kyoto & North-Western Kyoto

Kyoto

Tony Clemens
2005-08-31 22:08:29

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swamped by hordes of Japanese tourists. You have to walk pass endless stalls and shops selling good luck charms, fortunes and all manners of souvenirs (I picked up a t-shirt) to get to the temple. The main hall has a huge veranda which juts over the hillside, supported by 139 15m- high wooden pillars. Its an excellent view of the city. There are several other buildings on the grounds including several pagoda and a sacred waterfall which improves health and test scores.

Another popular temple is Ginkaku-ji, sometimes called the Silver Pavilion although the scheme to cover the building in silver leaf never happened. Build in 1482 as a villa for shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa it was converted to a temple after his death. The gardens were laid out by painter and garden designer Soami and includes a stone garden which represents waves and Mt. Fuji.

North-Eastern Kyoto Area

This area of Kyoto contains some of Kyoto's modern architecture with boutiques, chic restaurants, and galleries. Between the Kamo-gawa and Takano-gawa rivers there is also some Shinto shrines and the city's Botanical Gardens.

ShintÅ� is the indigenous religion of Japan and is based on respect and awe of natural phenomena. It encompasses myths of the origin of Japan and the Japanese people including the royal family who were believed to be divine until 1945 when the Americans dismantled the mechanisms of State ShintÅ� and forced the emperor to refute his divine status. In fact the Japanese believe their entire race is descended from the gods, a belief most every other religion and/or people seem to share.

Kamigamo-jinja is one of Japan's oldest shrines and predates the founding of Kyoto. The shrine was established in 679 and is dedicated to Raijin, the god of thunder. The present buildings, over 40 in all, including Haiden hall, are exact reproductions of the ...