Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto

Welcome to the 'Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto,' a UNESCO World Heritage site that encompasses seventeen distinct locations across Kyoto, Uji, and Otsu. For over a thousand years, from 794 to 1868, Kyoto served as the…

We begin our exploration at To-ji, or the 'East Temple.' Founded in 794, it is one of the oldest temples in the city and was one of only two temples originally allowed inside the capital's limits to protect the state. In 823, it…

We move to the north of the city to visit Kinkaku-ji, the famous 'Golden Pavilion.' Originally built as a retirement villa for Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu in the 14th century, it was later converted into a Zen temple. The…

Just a short distance from the Golden Pavilion lies Ryoan-ji, the 'Temple of the Dragon at Peace.' Here, we encounter the ultimate expression of Zen minimalism: the karesansui or dry landscape rock garden. Fifteen large stones…

We now head to Arashiyama to visit Tenryu-ji, the 'Temple of the Heavenly Dragon.' Founded in 1339, it is the head temple of the Tenryu branch of Rinzai Zen. The highlight here is the Sogenchi Garden, which has miraculously…

Descending back to the east of the city, we climb the slope to Kiyomizu-dera, the 'Temple of the Pure Water.' Founded in 778, it is famous for its massive wooden stage that juts out over a hillside of maple trees. The stage is…

Our final stop takes us to the Gion district and Yasaka Shrine. Gion is famous worldwide as the geisha district, but in a scholarly context, it is a preserved precinct of 'machiya' or traditional wooden townhouses. …

As we conclude our tour of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto, I hope you have gained a scholarly appreciation for the city's role as the cultural guardian of Japan. We have moved from the towering engineering of To-ji to…