KYOTO:BEYOND the HISTORY
Kyoto is a must place when it comes to travel to Japan. Your visit to this old capital of Japan is the time you are impressed by seeing the real depth and magnificence of the places and architectures from pictures. Located 330 miles (530km) west of today’s capital Tokyo, Kyoto served as the capital city from 794 until 1868 when the capital moved to Tokyo. It is the most popular destination even for Japanese people, not to mention foreign tourists looking for Japan’s uniquely beautiful scenery and calm spiritual experience.
This world-famous city is having special tourism campaign starting in December 2007 since the winter is the time when the city becomes calm and less crowded so that easier for tourists who would like to have deeper insight. During Kyoto Winter Special Campaign 2008, the City of Kyoto opens the doors of the historic sites that are usually closed to the public for preservation. This special exhibition allows visitors to architectures, paintings and sculptures as old as 800 years.
This is a great opportunity for all visitors to Kyoto to experience the quiet time of the year in the old capital and feel the most of the epicenter of the traditional Japanese culture. It is almost walking through the museum with life-size old Japanese architecture, since the city still maintains the old urban environment with full of historic landmarks and the Japanese traditional architecture.
SPECIAL EXHIBITION TO THE PUBLIC
The city of Kyoto has century-old buildings and historic sites on almost at every corner: Some of them are closed to public visitors for preservation purposes. The highlight of the Campaign 2008 is the time-limited public access to some of these sites. From January 12 to March 18, 2007, multiple sculptures, paintings, drawings, calligraphy pieces and interior pieces as old as 700 years will be exposed. For centuries, many of these art pieces have been registered as Japan’s national treasures and painstakingly maintained for natural materials and breathtaking human art.
HIGASHIYAMA
The key of Kyoto visit is to see the origin and old tradition of much of what is commonly known as traditional Japanese culture in today’s world. Higashiyama area, the eastern part of the city was where things were happening. From the 15th century, Higashiyama is the birthplace of aesthetics of Zen Buddhism and the ideas of wabi-sabi (beauty in simplicity). You will find old specialty stores and shops still running business in this area such as tofu shops, green tea rooms and Japanese pottery shops. They are all signature stores of each industry, which remains common and significant in the Japanese society to this day. Visit old shops and factories to witness how craftsmen and professionals carry traditional techniques and methods to maintain the original quality of products.
ARASHIYAMA
On the contrary, the western part of Kyoto is much quieter: Its hilly landscape attracted many Zen temples looking for isolation from urban bustling for concentration to meditation. Even to this day, many hidden low-key Zen temples remain in the bamboo woods and deep in the hill, attracting locals and tourists for calmer air to escape from busy daily life. Once you have calm state of mind, listen to the sound of unchanged nature such as water, wind, leaves and birds. In the silence, the hillside of Arashiyama will guarantee the breathtaking view of the city from the highland area of Kyoto.
MAGNIFICENT VIEW OF KYOTO
Kyoto Winter Special Campaign 2008 makes special presentations, Hana-Toro (Flower Lantern Festival) of the entire areas of Higashiyama and Arashiyama, both of which are historic and culturally significant places for today’s Japanese society. In Arashiyama, the 3.2 miles of promenade will be lit up with nearly 3,000 lanterns from December 8 to 17, 2007. Among all the wooden discreet Zen temples in the deep nature, the visual presentations with lights and flower arrangements on the historic façade create mystic flavor to the exotic ancient Japan.
Higashiyama will also be presented with special lantern lighting and Japanese flower arrangements. From March 14 to 23, 2008, the 4.6 miles of promenade takes you century-old cultural epicenter with multiple temples, shrines, pagodas, art studios and so on. The lit-up cityscape will be emerged with the magnificence and depth of the old capital, particularly on the over 500 years old five-story pagoda of Hokan-ji Temple and Kiyomizu-Temple, the world heritage site for its 400 years old wooden structure and the impressive vast veranda 42 feet high above ground. The whole Higashiyama area has remained almost as is over the centuries, and you may see some geishas strolling down an alley with lanes of old houses in the Gion district.
With very distinctive four seasons, Kyoto is going into quieter after fall: Kyoto Winter Special Campaign 2008 welcomes visitors from all over the world to share the picturesque beauty and atmosphere which is unique only from this time of the year. Beautiful natural environment around the city is definitely the key for the cultural and urban development, and for over 1200 years, the city still thrives as the Japanese beauty and simplicity.
–Nori Akashi: Marketing Specialist at the New York Office of JNTO.
KYOTO SPECIAL EXHIBITION SITES
| Kasando, Hatto (Dharma Hall) and Zuishun-In of Shokokuji-Temple One of the major Zen temples from the 17th century and the oldest remaining Dharma Hall |
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| Five-story Pagoda and Kanjou-In of To-ji Temple (Eastern Temple) A Buddhist temple in the city center with the highest wooden tower in Japan. |
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| Chishaku-In A temple built in the 16th century containing the iconic paintings from the Momoyama-period (around 1600) art. |
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| San-Mon Gate, Seishido of Chion-In San-mon Gate, the main gate to Chion-in Temple, the Zen temple built in 1234. The gate is two-storied and Japan’s largest temple gate. The gate itself was built in 1619. |
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| Rokudo-Chinnou-ji Temple The place been known as a place to pray for the souls of commoners since the 10th century. Its popular name, Rokudo-san, refers to the six areas reserved for the deceased. |
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| Rokuharamitsu-ji Temple A temple founded for Kannon pilgrimage. Now it is a treasure house with a famous modern Kannon statue and a number of other carvings from the Kamakura period (1185 – 1333). |
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| Ryuhon-ji Temple A Nichiren-Sect temple from the 12th century. The garden is famous for distinctive seasonal views with flowers and trees. |
HOW TO GET THERE:
Take the Bullet Train (Shinkansen). From Tokyo Station it takes about 2.5 hours. From Osaka, take Tokaido Line from Shin-Osaka station for about 30 minutes (by express).
FIND MORE ABOUT JAPAN TRIP:
www.japantravelinfo.com
KYOTO INFORMATION:
www.kyoto.travel
ABOUT KYOTO WINTER SPECIAL
CAMPAIGN 2008:
www.kyotowinterspecial.com
Japan National Tourist Organization
New York OfficeOne Rockefeller Plaza, Suite 1250, New York, NY 10020
TEL: 212-757-5640 www.Japantravelinfo.com
