Kinkakuji Temple

Kyoto is known to the world as the Japanese city where Kyoto Protocol on global climate change was adopted in 1997. Yet the city has a rich, evocative history for locals and visitors alike.

Kyoto was Japan's capital for over 1,000 years, and during that time became the repository of much of the best of Japanese art, culture, religion and thought.Kyoto has also developed as a new centre of forefront industry regarding the environment and high technology.It can be reached in two hours and 40 minutes by the Super Express Train from Tokyo and 75 minutes from the Kansai International Airport near Osaka.The eternal history of Kyoto started in 794 when Emperor Kanmu set the new capital on this site. Since then, until the national capital moved again in 1869, Kyoto had been a capital of Japan for over 1,000 years. The period from the beginning to the late 12th century is called Heian period. It was the time of aristocrats and Kyoto flourished as a centre of politics, economy and culture.Samurai class stared to get power since the late Heian period and finally, a samurai lord, Minamoto not Yoritomo established the samurai dominant regime in Kamakura in the late 12th century. Japan experienced double governance of both imperial court and samurai shogunate for over 140 years. After the Kamakura period, a new shogunate, was established by a samurai lord, Ashikaga Takauji. The shogunate flourished the most in the time of the third shogun. Yoshimitsu and Kyoto re-bloomed as a centre of politics and culture.Kyoto went through stormy civil war period since the mid-15th century. The feudal lords in the local region competed their power. The most successful one was Oda Nobunaga and his follower, Toyotomi Hideyoshi achieved to unify Japan in the Azuchi Momoyama period which is the culmination of samurai reign. Toyotomi largely contributed to Kyoto in restoration of temples and shrines and massive city construction.The 264-year history of Edo period was started in 1603 when the first shogun, Tokugawa leyasu established Edo shogunate. During that period, temples and shrines in Kyoto devastated in civil war fire were rebuilt and industries were restored to enjoy peaceful samurai lord reign. However, at the end of the Edo period, Kyoto was a centre of civil war and the capital was moved to Tokyo while Kyoto was still in the confusion. Kyoto took a new step to be a modernised city after the Meiji restoration.In the Muromachi period, the samurai culture which was strongly affected by Zen philosophy and elegant aristocrat culture assimilated each other and reached culmination of the new culture. It developed Chado, Kado, Noh, Kyogen and other typical Japanese cultures. These art forms are loved and appreciated by people all over the world.Kyoto hosts 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites as cultural properties of ancient capital which tells relic of 1,000 years history of Kyoto. They are the great treasures not only for the Japanese people but for the people all over the world.Highlights Hiei-Zan Enryakuji Temple:The 848-metre-high Mt. Hiei itself is the hallow site with over 200 temples. Saicho, the founder of the Tendai Sect set the sacred fire in the main hall under the commission of Emperor Kanmu in the early Heian period to protect the capital from the ominous direction (northeast). The fire has never been extinct for 1,200 years.Toji Temple:The temple was built in 764 after the relocation of the capital as a capital guardian temple. Later Kukai, the founder of Shingon Sect, became the head monk and the temple prospered as a training centre of the sect. It hosts several important architecture including Kon-do hall (National Treasure), Daishi-do hall, Renge-mon Gate. Especially the five-storey pagoda, 55 metres high, is a symbol of Kyoto which is the highest wooden pagoda in Japan.Kinkakuji Temple:Originally it was a villa of the third shogun, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. After his death, it was converted to the Zen temple. The official name of the temple is Hokuzan Rokuonji. The entire surface of the three-storey building is covered with real gold foil. Besides the building itself, it creates the majestic scenery when it is reflected on the pond by the temple. It is called the culmination of the culture of this time. The temple was burned down in 1950 by the arson and restored five years later. Kiyomizu Temple:It is the most famous temple in Kyoto which is said to be founded in the Nara period. Located on the slope of one of the Higashiyama mountains, the temple has the 18-metre-high main hall (National Treasure). No nail is used in the construction and it consists of only the 139 pillars extensively. People can enjoy panoramic view of the city from the balcony of the main hall.