Festivals & Events
Best Cultural Experiences
Best Galleries & Museums
Kyoto & Nara at a Glance
The city of Kyoto is situated in the center of Honshu, Japan’s main island, about 370 kilometers (230 miles) west of Tokyo and 30 kilometers (20 miles) east of Osaka. The city, which is part of the wider Kyoto Prefecture, is comprised of eleven ku (wards) that are run by a single city council. The eleven wards, which are home to the vast majority of Kyoto’s main sights, cover 828km² (320 mi²), while the entire Kyoto Prefecture stretches to 4,613 km² (1780mi²). Directly south is Nara Prefecture and within it the city of Nara, which is considerably smaller than Kyoto at just 276km² (105mi²). Just 40 km (25 miles) and an easy 45-minute train journey separate the two cities.
A Brief History
Nara served as Japan’s capital from 710 to 784, while Kyoto was officially established as the country’s capital, named Heian-kyo, in 794, although people had been living in the area for centuries prior. The first Aoi Matsuri (page 76) was held in what would become the city of Kyoto in 544, and before that the Hata clan had settled in what is now the Sagano district and laid early foundations for the city by developing flood control measures. From 794 through to 1868, when the Meiji Restoration saw the emperor and capital status move to Tokyo, Kyoto remained the home of the emperor and with it the country’s capital. The only exception was the period 1192–1333, when under the Minamoto clan, power shifted to the Kamakura shogunate in Kamakura.
Unlike Tokyo and many other cities in Japan, Kyoto managed to avoid the worst ravages of World War Two. Much of it was, however, levelled during the bloody Onin War of 1467–77, the catalyst for Japan’s turbulent 150 year-long Sengoku Jidai (Country at War period), which eventually culminated with the unification of Japan under the Tokugawa shogunate.
Gion district
Kyotoites
At last count, Kyoto’s population was roughly 1.5 million, making it the eighth largest city in Japan, behind (in order) Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, Kobe and Fukuoka. The population of the whole of Kyoto Prefecture is approximately 2.6 million. Like Japan as a whole, aside from the large numbers of foreign tourists who visit the city (some 500,000 a year), Kyoto has a very low number of non-Japanese residents. Nara almost feels like a town by comparison, with a population of approximately 370,000.
Language
Japanese is the first language of 99% of the Japanese population. With a complex system of honorifics and three separate writing systems (the complicated kanji and less difficult, phonetic hiragana and katakana) that between them use thousands of different characters, it isn’t an easy language to learn. Fortunately, even though Japan consistently ranks poorly among Asian countries for English proficiency levels, you will be able to enjoy Kyoto and Nara without knowing any Japanese—there will be someone who can speak English at tourist offices, most hotels, and many of the major tourist attractions. Many tourist attractions, shops and restaurants will have English signs, labels or menus prepared as well. All that said, it’s worth learning a few basic phrases. The locals will certainly appreciate any effort you make, no matter how mangled. If you’d like to try, have a look at the section on useful expressions and pronunciation on page 90.
Maiko in full dress
Religion
Most Japanese don’t consider themselves to be religious—more than 80% say they have no religious affiliation and approximately 65% don’t believe in God or Buddha. It’s better to think of Buddhism, which arrived from China in the 6th century, and Shinto, the indigenous religion of Japan, forming one set of traditional practices that are followed by the majority. In fact, that’s why the Japanese sometimes say they are born Shinto but die Buddhist, in reference to the traditional rituals used for birth and death. Shrines are Shinto, temples are Buddhist. Besides these two religions, between 1% and 2% of the population are Christian and a smaller number Muslim.
Yasaka Shrine
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
Tuttle Travel Pack Kyoto & Nara kicks off with a brief overview of Kyoto and Nara, taking a look at the two cities’ history, people and more, then Chapter 1 covers Kyoto and Nara’s ‘Don’t Miss’ Sights, detailing the top 11 places to visit and things to do—from strolling the meditative grounds of Ginkaku-ji temple and contemplating the cryptic design of Ryoan-ji’s Zen rock garden to exploring the bamboo grove in Arashiyama and enlivening the senses with a wander around Nishiki-koji food market.
In Chapter 2, we break Kyoto and Nara down into nine day-long and half day-long guides, one day starting at Kiyomizu Temple and the shop-filled lanes leading from it and ending at Chion-in Temple; other days taking in sights such as the gilded temple of Kinkaku-ji and the gardens of Daitoku-ji, or exploring the cluster of UNESCO World Heritage sites in Nara.
In Chapter 3: Author’s Recommendations, our Japan-based author makes his picks for Kyoto and Nara’s best hotels and restaurants, top kid-friendly attractions, best places to shop, best cultural experiences, must-see galleries and museums, and more. Lastly, the Travel Tips section presents all you need to know before you go, including the lowdown on visas, health and safety advice, important points of etiquette, transport, useful Japanese, and much more to help you enjoy Japan’s captivating formal capitals with the minimum of fuss and worry.
While all information is correct at time of print, please do make sure to check ahead if you plan to visit any of the venues listed within, as hotels, shops and restaurants may close and every so often tourist attractions (especially historic) undergo major renovations. As such, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for any errors that may be contained within the Travel Pack.
CHAPTER 1
KYOTO & NARA’S
‘Don’t Miss’ Sights
After more than 1,000 years as Japan’s imperial capital, the Kyoto that greets modern-day visitors has numerous reminders of the city’s rich history. The 11 ‘Don’t Miss’ sights here represent the most captivating of those remnants of both ancient Kyoto and the capital before it, Nara, from the decadent golden temple of Kinkaku-ji and the more reserved dry landscape garden at Ryoan-ji to the seemingly endless rows of red torii gateways at Fushimi Inari Shrine and ancient wooden structures at Horyu-ji Temple—the places that make Kyoto and Nara so unforgettable.
1 Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion
2 Ryoan-ji’s Zen Rock Garden
3 Kiyomizu Temple
4 Nijo Castle
5 Fushimi Inari Shrine
6 The Gion District