Kyoto

Kyoto is a city in the central part of the island of Honsh, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the sa!a"Ko#e"Kyoto metropolitan area. Culture $lthou%h ra&a%ed #y wars, fires, and earth'ua!es durin% its ele&en centuries as the imperial capital, Kyoto was spared from the fire#om#in% of (orld (ar II. (ith its )*** reli%ious places" 1+** ,uddhist temples and -** .hinto shrines, as well as palaces, %ardens and architecture intact, it is one of the #est preser&ed cities in Japan./hree special sites ha&e connections to the imperial family0 the Kyoto 1yoen area includin% the Kyoto Imperial Palace and .ento Imperial Palace, homes of the 2mperors of Japan for many centuries3 Katsura Imperial 4illa, one of the nation5s finest architectural treasures3 and .hu%a!u"in Imperial 4illa, one of its #est Japanese %ardens.

Kyoto Imperial Palace

.ento Imperial Palace

Katsura Imperial 4illa

.hu%a!u"in Imperial 4illa

/he 6Historic 7onuments of $ncient Kyoto6 are listed #y the 892.: as a (orld Herita%e .ite. ther sites outside the city are also on the list. Kyoto International 7an%a 7useum is also situated in Kyoto. For an entrance fee &isitors are a#le to &iew e;hi#itions and read as much man%a as they desire. /he museum is ma!in% an attempt to ac'uire e&ery man%a e&er pu#lished and so far houses appro;imately )**,*** titles. Economy /he !ey industry of Kyoto is information technolo%y and electronics. /ourism also forms a lar%e #ase of Kyoto5s economy. /he city5s cultural herita%es are constantly &isited #y school %roups from across Japan, and many forei%n tourists also stop in Kyoto /raditional Japanese crafts are also major industry of Kyoto, most of which are run #y artisans in small plants. Kyoto5s !imono wea&ers are particularly renowned, and the city remains the premier center of !imono manufacturin%. .uch #usinesses, &i#rant in past centuries, ha&e declined in recent years as sales of traditional %oods sta%nate.

Colleges and universities

Kyoto 8ni&ersity

Home to <= institutions of hi%her education, Kyoto is one of the academic centers of the country. Kyoto 8ni&ersity, one of Japan5s national uni&ersities, is considered to #e one of the top uni&ersities in Japan. Kyoto 8ni&ersity is ran!ed the second uni&ersity in Japan and )5th in the world. Kyoto also has a uni'ue hi%her education networ! called the :onsortium of 8ni&ersities in Kyoto, which consists of three national, fi&e pu#lic >prefectural and municipal?, and -1 pri&ate uni&ersities, as well as the city and four other or%ani@ations. /he consortium does not offer a de%ree, #ut offers the courses as part of a de%ree at participatin% uni&ersities. Tourism $#out )*A of Japan5s 9ational /reasures and 1-A of Important :ultural Properties e;ist in the city proper. /he 892.: (orld Herita%e .ite B Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto(Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities includes 1= locations in Kyoto, 8ji in Kyoto Prefecture and Ctsu in .hi%a Prefecture. /he site has #een desi%nated as (orld Herita%e in 1DD-.

Kami%amo .hrine

.himo%amo .hrine

/E"ji

Kiyomi@u"dera

.aihE"ji

/enry"ji

Kin!a!u"ji

FyEan"ji

9ishi Hon%an"ji

9ijE :astle

Gai%o"ji

1in!a!u"ji

9inna"ji

KE@an"ji

8me!oji .team Hocomoti&e 7useum

Kyoto International 7an%a 7useum

Kyoto 9ational 7useum

Kyoto ,otanical 1arden

!"atayama mon#ey $ar# $rashiyama 7on!ey Par! Iwatayama in 9ishi!yE"!u is a par! where mon!eys roam freely. /he par! itself is inha#ited #y a troupe of o&er 1=* Japanese maca'ue mon!eys. $fter payin% admission, one wal!s up a steep hill, at the top of which is an enclosure where &isitors may %o in and safely feed the mon!eys. $s there are no fences, the mon!eys can come and %o as they please, #ut they are especially tempted #y food such as apples or peanuts. 2&en thou%h the animals are wild, they ha&e #ecome accustomed to humans, and so are not afraid to come close to tourists #earin% food.

%estivals 7ajor festi&als punctuate Kyoto5s calendar. /he first is the $oi 7atsuri on 7ay 15. /wo months later >July 1 to <1? is the 1ion 7atsuri !nown as one of the < %reat festi&als of Japan, culminatin% in a massi&e parade on July 1=. Kyoto mar!s the ,on Festi&al with the 1o@an !uri#i, li%htin% fires on mountains to %uide the spirits home >$u%ust 1+?. /he cto#er )) Jidai 7atsuri, Festi&al of the $%es, cele#rates Kyoto5s illustrious past.

1ion 7atsuri

$oi 7atsuri

Jidai 7atsuri

1o@an !uri#i