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KYOTO |
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The capital of Japan for more than a thousand years, KYOTO is
endowed with an almost overwhelming legacy of ancient Buddhist temples,
majestic palaces and gardens of every size and description, not to
mention some of the country's most important works of art, its richest
culture and its most refined cuisine. For many people the very name
Kyoto conjures up the classic image of Japan: streets of traditional
wooden houses, the click-clack of geta on the paving stones, geisha in a
flourish of brightly coloured silks, and the inevitable weeping cherry.
While you can still find all these things, and much more, first
impressions of Kyoto are invariably disappointing. For the most part
it's a sprawling, overcrowded city with a population of 1.5 million and
a thriving industrial sector. The die-straight streets certainly
simplify navigation, but they also give the city an oppressive
uniformity which you won't find among the tortuous lanes of Tokyo. And,
perhaps not surprisingly, Kyoto is a notoriously exclusive place, where
it's difficult for outsiders to peek through the centuries-thick layer
of cultural refinement into the city's secretive soul.
However, there's plenty for the short-term visitor to enjoy in Kyoto. In
fact, the array of top-class sights is quite mind-boggling: more than
1600 Buddhist temples, hundreds of Shinto shrines, two hundred
classified gardens, a clutch of imperial villas and several first-rate
museums. With so much choice, the biggest problem is where to start, but
it's perfectly possible to get a good feel for Kyoto even in a couple of
days. Top priority should go to the eastern, Higashiyama district, where
you can walk from the famous Kiyomizu-dera to Ginkaku-ji , the Silver
Pavilion, taking in a whole raft of interesting temples, gardens and
museums on the way. Or you could head for the northeastern hills to
contemplate the superb Zen gardens of Daitoku-ji and Ryoan-ji , and then
gorge on the wildly extravagant Golden Pavilion, Kinkaku-ji . With more
time, you can visit some of the central sights, of which the highlight
is Nijo-jo , a lavishly decorated seventeenth-century palace, while
nearby Nijo-jin'ya is an intriguing place riddled with secret passages
and hidey-holes. Try also to visit at least one of the imperial villas,
such as Shugaku-in Rikyu or Katsura Rikyu , or the sensuous moss gardens
of Saiho-ji , all located in the outer districts. And it's well worth
making time to wander off the beaten track into Kyoto's old merchant
quarters. The best of these, surprisingly, are to be found in the
central district north of Shijo-dori and across the river in Gion . Here
you'll find the traditional crafts shops and beautiful old ryokan for
which the city is justly famous.
Kyoto's festivals tend to be more stately than rumbustious. The most
famous feature grand costume parades, esoteric ritual and elegant geisha
dances, and take place in spring and autumn. These two seasons are
undoubtedly the best time to visit Kyoto, though also the busiest; after
a chill winter, the cherry trees put on their finery in early April,
while the hot, oppressive summer months (June-Aug) are followed in
October by a delightful period of clear, dry weather, when the maples
erupt into fiery reds.
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