"Kyoto: If You Go To One Place in Japan,... " a Kyoto Travel Page by AKtravelers

Without a doubt, Kyoto is one of the most intriguing cities in the world. This is true even though Kyoto disappoints at first glance. Most people don't realize that it is a city of over a million people, so that it's ancient charms require a little work to uncover. But that effort is rewarded and the more time you spend in Kyoto the more you come to love the city and start thinking about coming back.

Of course, the main reason to visit Kyoto is to see its temples, shrines and palaces from its years as the imperial capital of Japan. Since the emporers lived here from the late 700's until the Meiji restorationin 1867, Kyoto is blessed with the best collection of Japanese architecture in the country. While the emporers may not have always wielded political power (Shoguns in Edo and Kamakura occassionally held sway), the emporer and his court always had money to spend. Many of the splendid structures they built have survived through the centuries, despite Japan's propensity for earthquakes and thte violence of World War II. Unlike other Japanese cities such as Tokyo, Kyoto was never bombed. This was in part because the American leadership recognized Kyoto's cultural treasures -- apparently the city was on the list of targets for the first atomic bomb, but President Harry Truman scratched it.

Of course, Kyoto is not just an outdoor museum -- it is a vibrant modern Japanese city. This adds to its charms, as there are few better places in the world to be a tourist in Japan. The people are friendly, polite and very helpful. There are virtually no criminal threats to a tourist's safety or property. And, of course, it contains all of the things that make Japan so interesting to outsiders -- vending machines everywhere, high-tech toilets, plastic food, over-the-top cuteness and excellent sushi.