Kyoto Station

JR Kyoto Station has one of the most modern building.
There's no traditional Japanese taste at all.

It's interesting that Kyoto has such station since image of Kyoto is historical city with traditional temples and shrines.

There're big stairs leading you to the terrace on top of the building.
You can see near futuristic architecture from there.

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<The Nearest Station>

JR Kyoto station

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Kyoto Tower

Kyoto Tower is a tower which looks like a candle in front of JR Kyoto station.
The observation deck is at the height of 100 meters above the ground.

There're many free binoculars to see temples and shrines in Kyoto.
You can see many famous sightseeing spots from here.

There's a shrine and a bar on the observation deck.

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<The Nearest Station>

JR Kyoto station

<Admission>

770 yen

9:00 - 21:00

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Kyoto Imperial Palace

Kyoto Imperial Palace was the residence of the Emperor until 1869 when the capital of Japan was moved from Kyoto to Tokyo during the Meiji Restoration.

The capital was moved from Heijo-kyo (Nara) to Nagaoka-kyo in 784 and moved to Heian-kyo (Kyoto) in 794.

Current Kyoto Imperial Palace is surrounded by walls which make a 450 m x 250 m rectangle. It's in huge Kyoto Gyoen National Garden.

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<The Nearest Bus Stop>

Karasuma - OImadegawa

<Admission>

Free of Charge         Closed on Mondays, Dec. 28 through Jan. 4

9:00 - 16:30 : Sep. and Mar.
9:00 - 16:00 : Oct. through Feb.
9:00 - 17:00 : Apr. through Aug.

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Nishi Honganji Temple

Nishi Honganji Temple started from the mausoleum of the Great Priest Shinran.
Shinran started Jodoshinshu Sect of Buddhism and passed away in 1263.

A mausoleum was built in 1272 by his disciples.
Temple became big but was transferred several time for some reasons.

It comes to Kyoto again around year of 1600.

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<The Nearest Bus Stop>

Nishi Honganji Mae

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Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine

Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine is famous for orange Torii Gates.
There're more than 10,000 Torii Gates lined up to the top of the mountain.
There are a lot of people walking under the Torii Gates at the bottom of the mountain. The higher you go, the fewer people go.

This shrine started in 711.

We have about 30,000 Inari Shrines in Japan.
This Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine is the Head Shrine of these 30,000 Inari Shrines.

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<The Nearest Bus Stop>

Inari Taisha Mae

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Sanjusangendo

Sanjusando is a long hall of Rengeoin Temple.
Sanjusan means 33. Gen means space between pillars.

This hall is 120 m long from North to South.
There're 1000 standing statues of Buddha lined up in the hall.

These are called Senju Kannon, and each one has 1000 hands.
Actually a statue has 42 hands and 2 hands joined together in prayer each one of other 40 hands saves one world. So one statue saves 1000 worlds.

Also, it has 11 faces on the head.

It looks like forest of Buddha.
In the middle of the forest, there's a large sitting statues of Buddha.
All other 1000 statues size is human size.

Archery contest was held on the outside hallway.
They competed how many arrows went all way through the hallway (120 m !!) in 24 hours. Record is more than 8000 successes out of more than 10000 trials.

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<The Nearest Bus Stop>

Hakubutsukan / Sanjusangendo - Mae

<Admission>

600 yen

8:00 - 17:00
9:00 - 16:00 (Nov. 16 through Mar. 31)

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Toji Temple

Toji Temple was established when the Capital was transferred from Nara to Kyoto in 794.

The Great Priest Kukai came back from his study trip from China and started esoteric Buddhism.

Kodo Hall is the core architectural structure of Toji Temple.
It has 3D Mandala in the Hall.
Mandala is Buddhist visual schema of the enlightened mind and it's usually expressed as a picture or tapestry.

Many statues of Buddha shows it in here.

Five story pagoda is the tallest tower made of wood in Japan.
This is the one you can see from the window of Shinkansen (bullet train).

This temple was designated as UNESCO World Heritage in 1994.

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<The Nearest Bus Stop>

Toji Higashimon Mae
Toji Minamimon Mae

<Admission>

500 yen : Kodo Hall and Kondo Hall
800 yen : Kodo Hall, Kondo Hall and 5 story pagoda (Limited season)

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