Leaving the vibrant, neon-lit streets of Osaka behind, we arrived in Kyoto by train, which transported us to a completely different world. While Osaka is all about the present and gastronomy, Kyoto is the untouched guardian of the Japanese soul and tradition.
Kyoto is not just another city among many, but the historical heart of Japan, which served as the capital of the empire for more than a millennium, from 794 to 1868. Originally founded as Heian-kyo, or the City of Peace and Tranquility, the settlement was built in a regular square grid pattern, modeled after the Chinese Chang’an.
The city’s golden age was the Heian period, when poetry, literature and art flourished in the imperial court. Later, with the rise of the shoguns, political power shifted to Kamakura or Edo (present-day Tokyo), but Kyoto remained the religious and cultural center, the residence of the emperor. The city has survived many wars and devastating fires, including the 15th-century Onin War, which almost completely destroyed the city. However, most of the temples and gardens were rebuilt in their original style in later periods.
The greatest miracle in Kyoto’s history occurred during World War II. Although it was on the Allies’ list of possible targets for nuclear attacks, it was removed from the list at the instigation of US Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson, who recognized the city’s irreplaceable cultural values. As a result, Kyoto is now one of the few major Japanese cities where its pre-war wooden buildings, machiya houses, and ancient shrines have remained intact.
Today, Kyoto is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, boasting over 1,600 Buddhist temples and 400 Shinto shrines. The city’s significance today lies not in its political power, but in its role as a living museum. Here, you can still encounter the world of geishas in the Gion district, participate in the centuries-old ritual of tea ceremonies, or get lost in the tranquility of the Arashiyama bamboo forest.
Kyoto is also a compass for modern Japan, as in addition to its universities and research institutes, it is also where one of the most important documents for environmental protection, the Kyoto Protocol, was born. The city represents both an unchanging past and a responsibility for a sustainable future.
