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Rakuchu (central) | Rakuto/Higashiyama (east) | Rakunan (south) || Rakuhoku (north) | Rakusei (west)
The 15m-high wooden veranda of Kiyomizudera
temple is supported by 139 pillars |
Maple leaves in
a temple garden |
Rakuchu (Central Kyoto)
Less than a 1km walk to the south west of Kyoto station is the
distinctive 55m, 5-story pagoda of Toji temple, Japan's tallest and one of the symbols of Kyoto. The
pagoda was built in 1644 as part of the restoration of the temple,
which dates from 796. Toji (East Temple) was built along with
the short-lived Saiji (West Temple) when the capital moved to
Kyoto in 794. It houses a huge collection of ancient works of
art. Just to the north of the station are Nishi-Honaganji and
Higashi-Honganji temples. The magnificent Nishi-Honaganji was founded in 1272
and is the head temple of the Jodo-Shinshu sect. Many of the buildings
date from the 17th century, including the impressive Imperial Messenger's Gate,
the 3-story Hiunkaku (Flying Cloud Pavillion) and Japan's oldest outdoor Noh stage.
Higashi-Honganji was founded in 1603 with the support of Tokugawa Ieyasu
and as a result of a succession dispute between two sons of Honganji's
11th abbot which split the sect in two. These days, Nishi-Honganji
has some 7 million members and Higashi-Honganji about 5.5 million.
Ieyasu also built Nijo Castle in 1603 as his Kyoto residence. The castle, near Nijo station,
is very popular with tourists and often crowded. It is famous
for its creaking floorboards, whose sound is said to be like the
chirping of nightingales and warns of intruders. Kyoto Imperial Palace
(Kyoto Gosho) is located between Marutamachi and Imadegawa stations
on the Karasuma Line. It was the residence of the emperor between
1331 and 1868 - the former Edo Castle in Tokyo took over the role
the following year. The two main buildings are Seiryoden (Palace Building)
and Shishinden (Ceremonial Hall). Its last official state ceremony was the enthronement
of Emperor Showa in 1926. It is open to the public in spring and
autumn and permission is needed to visit. The nearby Nishijin
area is famous for its silk-weaving industry, which produces
Japan's finest silk and wool fabrics for kimono and obi (sashes).
Rakuto/Higashiyama (Eastern part of Kyoto)
About 1km east of Kyoto station is Sajusangendo. The name of
the building comes from the 33 (sanjusan) bays (ken)
between its pillars. Founded in 1164 and rebuilt in 1266, this
structure houses the sentai butsu, or 1001 statues of Buddha.
Having so many images was believed
to multiply the Buddha's power. Across the street is the Kyoto National
Museum, which houses thousands of items, hundreds of which are designated
as National Treasures. One of the three biggest museums in Japan,
its collection is divided into fine arts, handicrafts and archaeological
objects. On the hill behind, the large veranda of Kiyomizudera
(Temple of Clear Water) is built over a cliff and has a great
panoramic view of the city. The Japanese saying 'to jump off Kiyomizu
veranda' means to take a leap in the dark. The temple was first
built in 798 and the present buildings date from 1633. There are
7 halls as well as a 3-story pagoda and other minor buildings.
Back down the hill and a little north along the Kamo River is
the Gion area, the most famous of the traditional geisha
quarters and also home of the Minami-za kabuki theater. The area is
centered around Yasaka Shrine and is designated as a preservation district. The many old wooden
buildings house geisha establishments and ryotei restaurants,
where guests eat, drink and are entertained by geisha
and maiko (apprentice geisha). In April, the Miyako Odori
festival of traditional dance is held here, with women dressed
in centuries-old costumes. The famous month-long Gion Festival is
sponsored by Yasaka Shrine and comes to a climax on July 17th.
Just across the river lie the Pontocho and Kiyamachi districts,
with many excellent bars and restaurants.
1km north of Gion, just past the famous Miyako Hotel, are the National
Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art and Heian
Shrine. The shrine was built in 1895 to commemorate the city's 1,100th
anniversary as the capital and dedicated to the first and last
emperors to reign there. The shrine sponsors the spectacular Jidai (Jedi?)
Festival (Festival of the Ages) on October 22nd., in which there is a
parade of people dressed in costumes from the various ages of
Japanese history. Part way up Mt. Daimonji to the east is Nanzenji
temple, the area around which is famous for yudofu (boiled tofu) dishes.
One feature of the annual late-summer O-bon festival is the lighting of huge bonfires on Mt. Daimonji and
other mountains around the city, known as Daimonji Okuribi. The five bonfires
are in the shape of dai (great) and other Chinese characters and are a send-off to the
departing souls of the dead. The neighboring Nyakuoji temple marks one end of
Tetsugaku-no-michi (Philosopher's Walk). The 40-minute walk along a canal is enjoyable
year round but is particularly beautiful in spring and autumn.
At the end of the walk you reach Ginkakuji (Temple of the Silver Pavillion), originally built as a country
villa for the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa in 1482. He died before the walls of the villa could be covered
in silver so the building doesn't quite live up to its name. Its
beautiful gardens are laid out on two levels, an upper rock garden
and a lower strolling garden built around a pond.
A maiko in the Gion district |
Tetsugaku-no-michi in autumn |
Rakunan (Southern part of Kyoto)
One stop south of Kyoto station is Tofukuji, named after the nearby temple. Founded in 1236 by the famous
priest Enni, it is one of the Gozan, the five most important temples in Kyoto. The large complex
includes several excellent Zen gardens in the style of the Kamakura
Period (1185~1333). The 2-story sammon (main gate) is the oldest of its kind in Japan. A couple of stops
further down the line, or a 15-minute walk, is Fushimi Inari Shrine. Originally built on Mt. Inari in 711 and later moved down the
mountain, it is one of Japan's most popular shrines and has some
30,000 subsidiary Inari shrine's around the country. The shrine
is guarded by Inari, a fox deity, and people visit the shrine
to pray for success in business and a good harvest. A unique feature
of the shrine are the 10,000 red torii gates that form tunnels along the two paths to the shrine.
Daigoji temple is 45 minutes by bus from Kyoto station. It's actually
a monastery made up of many temples and halls which was started
in 874 by the monk Shobo. The emperor Daigo visited in 907, beginning
a long relationship between the temple and the Imperial family.
The oldest surviving structure is a five-storey pagoda built in
952. Most of the rest of the buildings were rebuilt by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in the
late 16th century. Mampukuji temple, near Obaku station on the Nara Line, was founded in 1661
by the Chinese monk Ingen and was built in the Ming-dynasty Chinese
architectural style. Since the late 18th century, all abbots have
been Japanese. 10 minutes walk from Uji station, the next after Obaku, is Byodoin
temple. The main attraction is the Amidado or Ho-odo (Phoenix Hall) built in 1053. It was designed to represent the
mythical bird descending to earth, with a central hall, two 'wings'
and a rear corridor for the 'tail'.
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