Kyoto travel guide — Kyoto tourism and travel information

Kyoto travel guide

about Kyoto

Kyōto (Japanese: 京都市; -shi) is a city in Japan that has a population of 1.5 million and time zone UTC + 9 hours. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto prefecture, as well as a major city of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area. An obsolete spelling for the city is Kioto.

Kyoto geography

Located on the middle-western portion of the island of Honshu the city is surrounded by mountains. Because Kyoto is surrounded by mountains on all sides, it is infamous for its stifling summer nights with no air movement.

The city was laid out in a grid pattern in accordance with traditional Chinese geomancy. Today, the main business district is located in the south and centre of town, with the less populated northern area retaining a far greener feel.

Kyoto is divided into the following wards: Fushimi-ku, Higashiyama-ku, Kamigyo-ku, Kita-ku, Minami-ku, Nakagyo-ku, Nishikyo-ku, Sakyo-ku, Shimogyo-ku, Ukyo-ku and Yamashina-ku.

Kyoto history

Though archaeological evidence places the first human settlement on the islands of Japan to approximately 10,000 BC, the Kyoto area was not settled until the 7th century by the Hata clan from Korea. During the 8th century, when the powerful Buddhist clergy became meddlesome in the affairs of the Imperial government, the Emperor chose to relocate the capital to a region far from the Buddhist influence.

The new city, Heiankyō ("Heian capital") became the seat of Japan's imperial court in 794. Later, the city was renamed to Kyoto ("capital city"). Kyoto remained Japan's capital until the transfer of the government to Edo in 1868 at the time of the Imperial Restoration. (Some believe that it is still the legal capital.) After Edo was renamed to Tokyo (meaning "Eastern Capital"), Kyoto was known for a short time as Saikyō (西京) (meaning "Western Capital").

Kyoto is the only large Japanese city that still has an abundance of prewar buildings, although modernization is continually breaking down the traditional Kyoto in favor of newer architecture, such as the controversial Kyoto Station complex.

The city was designated on September 1, 1956 by government ordinance. In 1997, Kyoto was the site of the Kyoto conference that resulted in the Kyoto Protocol on greenhouse gas emissions.

Near cities to Kyoto

• Setagaya travel guide 16 km
• Nakano travel guide 20 km
• Takatsuki travel guide 21 km
• Hirakata travel guide 25 km
• Katano travel guide 25 km
• Ibaraki travel guide 26 km
• Neyagawa travel guide 28 km
• Shijonawate travel guide 29 km
• Settsu travel guide 32 km
• Moriguchi travel guide 34 km

Near webcams to Kyoto

• Okayama - SETO Bridge webcam 170 km
• Kofu webcam 270 km
• Fuji webcam 270 km
• Mt. Fuji webcam 270 km
• Yokohama webcam 360 km
• Yokohama webcam 360 km
• Tokyo webcam 370 km
• Tokyotower webcam 370 km
• Tokyo Tower webcam 380 km
• Kwangju webcam 810 km

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Kyoto travel services

cheap flights to Kyoto

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Kyoto real estate

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City Travel Guide comes with Kyoto real estate guide with several tips on home valuation, realtors comparison, secrets on finding the "right" home, loans guide and other helpful real estate advices. Our partners also maintain Kyoto property for sale and rental listings, real estate laws and reviews. We will try to help you with buying property in Japan, choosing real estate agents, property finders, relocation help, and information for English speakers wanting to buy real estate in Kyoto.

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Kyoto travel books

Kyoto travel guide books

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Kyoto maps and atlases

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