Nestled in the Tanba mountains, Kyoto has more World Heritage Sites per square mile than anywhere else in the world. Its gardens and gracious ways enrich your mind, body and soul.
The dedication of artisans throughout the centuries has meant that even today we can enjoy the amazing beauty of washi, kimono, and miniature dolls. Travel & Leisure has named Kyoto as the World's Best City for the second consecutive year in 2015.
The oldest historical novel in the world, Tale of Genji was written in Kyoto a thousand years ago, and today, the same tranquil timelessness can be seen in Japanese dance in Gion Corner, or should you indulge in a private geisha party besides the lantern-lit walkways of Pontocho.
Today the literary tradition lives on in the writing of Haruki Murakami, who calls this town by the Kamogawa his birthplace. The charm and nostalgia of his novels can be seen in the quiet walkways around Ebisugawa or the bohemian cafes near Kyoto University, the alma mater of many Nobel Laureates, including Aung San Suu Kyi.
Kyoto is a place to visit in every season and time of your life. In Fall I love the beauty of the red maple leaves, lit up in the gardens at night with a perfect mirror reflection in the lake. Springtime provides a wonderful opportunity for cherry blossom viewing, whether by boat or romance train in Sagano, or under a pink blossom sky while lazing away with friends at a picnic. And even when it rains or snows, there is always a cooking class or a tea ceremony where it is easy to make friends and enjoy Kyoto hospitality.
We look forward to making your trip a memorable one and would love to hear from you.
Come and see all of Japan. But come first and last to Kyoto, the cradle of everything that was and is Japan
From your friends at JapanTravel, okini. (Thank you in Kyoto dialect)
