If you are short of time: do... and other Kyoto, Japan General Tips

Favorite Thing: If you are short of time: do the East side of Kyoto one day and the West the other day.

East tour:Kyomizu temple, the Kyomizu temple shop area, Maruyama Park, Philosophers walk, Heian shrine, Ginkaku-ji.

West tour: Kinkaku-ji, Nijo castle, Imperial Palace.

Then spend your evenings wandering around the center eg. Gion or Ponotcho. One of the best things - Kyoto is a very safe city!

You can easily do that in 2 days! But 3 would be better.


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Favorite Thing: This little lane leads to "Tatsumi-bashi" (bridge) which leads to "Shira-kawa" (river) - the most beautiful (and crowded :P) spot in Kyoto come April and "Hana-mi" (cherry blossom viewing) season! Here it is all tranquil in the middle of winter....


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Favorite Thing: the least favorite thing, but unavoidable and will strike you the moment you arrive:
"The preservational efforts Kyoto has made till now are limited to a few narrow streets whose typical hurdle facades have be sensibly protected. But the readily available permissions to build higher buildings in clashing styles very close to them thwart the sense and purpose of these very rare examples of preservation. To achieve the intended effect would require the widening of protected zones from single streets to larger urban units. To reach this aim, however, would also require a revision of national law. There are, in fact, a variety of different official impediments to even the partial conservation of Kyoto's traditional aspects. One of the most serious obstacles is the present law determining inheritance taxes. These burdensome levies (often 40 - 50% of inherited assets) are the primary reason for the alienation and destruction of traditional buildings in the city. Particularly since the rapid inflation of assessed land values in the city center, few workers, employees or even small scale employers are able to pay these enormous taxes without selling off most if not all of their property. Private citizens are thus obliged to sell their homes, land, etc. most often to the big corporations who are the only ones always ready to buy. Since these vast enterprises rarely die they are immune to inheritance taxation themselves and can go on acquiring parcels until they have enough to construct some vast office building or apartment complex. Another impediment to conservation is the current fire-prevention law, which now prohibits any urban exteriors made inflammable materials like wood, further obstructing the restoration and the rebuilding of traditional homes."

http://www.mitate.org/enews2.htm

Fondest Memory: "It would therefore be necessary to modify a variety of current laws to make the legal code serve the needs of a different vision, agenda and cultural reality. Now, only works of art and buildings declared to be "national treasures" or "important cultural properties" enjoy a real measure of protection in Japan. However they are only a small fraction of the country's cultural and artistic wealth. Particularly in cities dense with artistic-cultural heritage like Kyoto, Nara and Kamakura, it would be necessary to create legislation qualifying or designating entire urban sectors for preservation and restoration measures. For example, in the traditional textile center called Nishijin, there are still some zones that maintain many of the traditional wood and hurdle-facade residences. If just these areas were adequately preserved or restored, Kyoto could still conserve some of the loveliest aspects of ordinary life in the ancient capital."
THE IMAGE OF KYOTO
BETWEEN PAST AND PRESENT

by Giovanni Peternolli
Professor of Italian, Kyoto University
President of the ISSK (Kyoto Mitate) 1994-1995

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Favorite Thing: http://www.mitate.org/beautiful/kyomap.html

Fondest Memory: "In search of the truth, Kyoto Mitate International decided to make an objective investigation. We used an on-line computer program to choose 50 locations around Kyoto, completely at random, and then sent our member photographers to take photos of each location. The idea was to create an accurate snapshot Ñ literally, in this case Ñ of the cityscape of Kyoto. Our results are keyed to a map of the city. "

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