Culture & History in Kyoto

Higashiyama

Enjoy a Stroll through Higashiyama  The Higashiyama district is dotted with many temples. Among these temples, Kiyomizu-dera and Fushimi-in...

Nijo Jinya

Many rooms of the highest quality   There was a man by the name of Suketada Ogawa who had served under Hideyoshi Toyotomi, and was defeated at t...

Shimogamo Shrine

A solemn holy ground evoking a long history The World Heritage site of Shimogamo Shrine (Kamo-mioya Shrine) is located in the triangular zone bracke...

Hozu River Cruise

The Hozu River Cruise, a tradition of 400 years From the old times, the waters of the Hozu River were used to transport goods downstream to the large...

Byodoin Temple

Aristocrat’s second house turned into a temple Byodoin temple was established in 1052 when an aristocrat named Yorimichi Fujiwara decided to t...

Samurai Kembu Theater

A training dojo to learn about the spirit of the samurai Long ago, kembu was used by samurai before a battle for mental concentration and self-encou...

Toji (Kyo-o-gokokuji)

Forever the landmark of Kyoto It is believed that Toji was built when Emperor Kanmu relocated to the ancient capital (the present day Kyoto, then ca...

Saiho-ji Temple (Koke-dera)

Koke-dera, a World Heritage site Reportedly founded by the Buddhist priest Gyouki in the 700s, the temple was destroyed by war and floods after whic...

Ohara

What is Ohara? Located in northeast Kyoto, Ohara is a quiet area with plenty of beautiful nature in a mountain valley. Since the temples and tourist...

Sanzen-in Temple

Sanzen-in’s association with the Imperial family When the monk Saicho built Enryaku-ji Temple in 788, the construction of a thatched hut undern...

Kurama

The Legend of Mt. Kurama’s Tengu A large tengu is displayed in front of Eizan Railway’s Kurama Station. It’s said that a tengu resi...

Daigo-ji Temple

Devastated by fire and war only to be rebuilt by Hideyoshi Toyotomi In 874, Shobo, a disciple of a disciple of the founder of Shingon Buddhism, Kuka...

Takao

Takao, an area by the Kiyotaki River which flows at the foot of Mt. Takao Takao is known as the famous area in Kyoto whose leaves change color the e...

Kitano Tenmangu

Kitano Tenmangu, the shrine of the Patron of Learning Established in 947, Kitano Tenmangu is the head shrine for the nation’s 10,000 tenmangu e...

Manshu-in Temple

A temple of high status connected to the Emperor Built initially in 728 on Mt. Hiei as a place of meditation by the monk Saicho, it was moved to its...

Yoshimine-dera Temple

A temple rebuilt by the mother of the 5th shogun, Tsunayoshi Tokugawa Built in 1029 only to be often burned down in war, it was rebuilt by Keishoin,...

Chion-in Temple

A temple that was developed with support from the Tokugawas Chion-in is the headquarters for the Jodo sect in Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto. In 1175, the...

Ishibei Koji

Kodai-ji

The wonderful autumn foliage is reflected like a mirror in the pond Following the passing of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, his widow, Nene, under her title of...

Enko-ji Temple

Enko-ji, the school that was transformed into a temple In 1601, Ieyasu Tokugawa invited monks with the intention of developing national education, a...