Kyoto, Japan’s capital for over 1,000 years, offers a rare link between modern life in a city and its very ancient past. Here, Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines, Zen rock gardens, and UNESCO World Heritage Sites are at every turn. Visit the 7th-century Shimogamo Shrine with its stunning arcade of orange gates, the elegant Kinkakuji Temple with a gold-leaf exterior perfectly reflected in a placid lake, and Kiyomizu-dera Temple with a hillside location that makes for spectacular city views. Still the center of traditional Japanese culture, Kyoto is the place to experience a tea ceremony, savor multi-course Kaiseki haute cuisine, and catch sight of a geisha as you stroll through Gion at dusk.
To enjoy the charms that Kyoto has to offer, it's recommended to make use of less busy times to visit shrines – early in the morning, or late at night when they're lit up, for example. Additionally, you can divide Kyoto into a number of areas, complete with their own unique beauty and charm. In central Kyoto , there are a number of historic buildings and unforgettable pristine old townscapes for travelers to visit.