IF want to see the actual center of Japanese culture, come to Kyoto. The city is full of dozens of beautiful temples and monuments of Japanese heritage.
Kyoto was always beautiful throughout the year, snow in winter, flowers blooming Sakura in spring, the hills are cool in summer, and views of colorful autumn leaves.
Kyoto City because of its rolling hills surrounded by mountains in the four corners of the wind. Kyoto more beautiful with the Kamo River in the east and the Katsura River snaking in the south.
As the area of cultural heritage and arts of Japan, when the country got into this cherry, I shall not be denied a visit to Kyoto. The city is located heading south of Tokyo.
Transportation that I chose to go to Kyoto is a sophisticated modern vehicles, super-fast Shinkansen train. Cost one-way trip from Tokyo to Kyoto of 15,000 yen. Mileage by using the Shinkansen is 2 hours 15 minutes.
The train is the shape and interior comfort as airplanes. During the trip, the speed is stable as if it never touched the railroad tracks underneath.
Exactly at 07.00 the morning I went to Kyoto from Tokyo Central Station in downtown. During the trip, just one stop at Osaka Station. Timeliness is characteristic of superfast transport ini.Di
Kyoto Train Station at precisely the time showed 9:20. Kyoto Train Station is a transportation hub for the entire city. The station is the second largest train station in Japan. The station is equipped with a shopping center (the largest amount of Isetan), hotels, cinemas, and some parts of local government offices. All located on one roof in a building as high as 15 floors.
I then took a taxi to the Mitsui Garden Hotel in the center of Kyoto City. After check in and leave luggage, I went out looking for a taxi to visit the temple in this city famous beautiful, spacious, and is famous for its history of empire in Japan.
The first temple I visited was the center of government and culture of Japan when the Shogun to-1 ruling, the Tokugawa, the Nijo Castle. Tokugawa power ended when entering the Meiji Restoration.
The price of admission to Nijo Castle is 600 yen. The palace was designated a national treasure. Therefore, for visitors, is emphasized to maintain order so as not to damage the Japanese cultural heritage that is considered sacred. Before entering the main door, I'll cross the bridge beneath which rivers have deliberately built a wall around the whole palace.
Size palace is very big because it is very much front page to reach the main palace building. Inside the main building the palace, the visitors were not allowed to take photos or pictures.
In the building is mostly made of wood, looks solid and show characteristics of power from the Shogun of Japan. The sculptures of the ruling shogun also stood upright with his greatness clothes in several rooms that show the emperor's activity at the time.
Visit to Nijo Castle which is so large would spend time till late afternoon where the visitors are not allowed again to enter.
The next day I visited the other unique temple in Kyoto which is famous for its golden temples. The temple was known as Kinkakuji. The temple is surrounded by such a beautiful lake and the park is very cool at all so impressed when visiting the shrine that supposedly does walls are made of gold.
Kinkakunji Temple is also called the Golden Pavilion Temple, built in 1397 as a villa for a shogun. The temple consists of three levels. There are islands and rocks on a small lake that surrounds it as a symbol of Buddhist history.
The uniqueness of this temple in the middle of the lake, each floor is built in different architectural styles. The ground floor is called Space TirtaDharma (The Chamber of Dharma Water) which is described as the Shinden style. The first floor in the Japanese language called Hosui-ins that are often used as meeting space, form a large room with a veranda all around.
Home is under the auspices of the second floor and the interior is separated by a closed vent called Shitomido. Shitomido was only reached half the ceiling so that light and air to freely exit into the building. The second floor is called the Wave Waves Tower (The Tower of Sound Waves) are commonly encountered in Samurai-style houses. The room is very thick with the atmosphere of the Buddhist, featuring Shoinzukuri style.
