1000 Places to See Before You Die 21 - Kyoto’s Old Town, Japan
A trip to Japan is all about cherry blossoms, geisha spotting and zen gardens and you can get almost all of that in Kyoto. We spent a few days in the city and used it as a head quarters for day trips around the area too. Kyoto abounds in temples and old houses and if you want to shop and experience the culture, Kyoto is the place to be, as it is the centre for old crafts like woodcarvings, silks, lacquer and paper goods. Kyoto used to be the home of the imperial court and this of course meant that the city blossomed and was the centre of religion, music, theatre and dance, as well. The city experienced its heyday in the Muromachi period in 1334-1568 AD. Entire neighborhoods became dedicated to a single craft, the craftsmen delivering goods to the court and the feudal lords. The workshops of their descendants can still be found today in the back alleys of the old part of town. Supposedly Kyoto is the home of 20% of all of Japan’s national treasures, such as mor...