To-ji Temple, the grand head temple of the Toji Shingon Buddhist sect, was built to the east of the Rajomon gate two years after the establishment of the Heian capital in Kyoto in 794. Its official name is Kyo-o-gokokuji. Thereafter, with the growth of faith in the monk Kukai (Kobo Daishi), it gained popularity for its connection to him. Today it is one of Kyoto's top tourist sites, with a five-storied pagoda that is Japan's highest wooden tower, designated as a National Treasure, known as a must-see spot and a symbol of Kyoto. Kobo-ichi markets such as the flea market held on the 21st of every month at To-ji Temple are also worth a visit.
To-ji Temple
Facing on to Horikawa-dori (Horikawa Street), this is the head temple of the Hongan-ji school of the Jodo Shinshu Buddhist sect. Take a step inside the gates and you will be overwhelmed by the magnificence of the Goei-do (Founder's Hall) and Amida-do (Main Hall of Amida Buddha) (both Important Cultural Properties), and on the spacious grounds (designated as a Historic Site), pigeons flock around and local people take relaxing breaks.
One of Kyoto's greatest temples, its spacious premises contain numerous National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties. A group of structures, all designated as National Treasures, embody the elegance of the Momoyama period (around 1600): the Kita-nobutai (Japan's oldest Noh stage), the Karamon gate, Shoin, Kuroshoin, and Hiunkaku. The Oshoin Garden is designated as a Special Place of Scenic Beauty and a Historic Site, and the Tekisuien Garden a Place of Scenic Beauty (Source: Kyoto Prefecture website). Definitely a must-see on your visit to Kyoto.
Located in Karasuma Shichijo, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto, Higashi Hongan-ji Temple is the common name of the mother temple of the Otani school of the Shinshu Buddhist sect. Its official name is Shinshu Honbyo.
The common name means "East Hongan-ji Temple," and derives from the fact that it is located to the east of Hongan-ji, which is commonly known as Nishi Hongan-ji ("West Hongan-ji") Temple (Source: Wikipedia entry on "Higashi Hongan-ji Temple").
Here and there on the grounds of Higashi Hongan-ji Temple (Shinshu Honbyo) are many historic structures including the Goei-do (Founder's Hall) and Amida-do (Amida Hall), each one an important landmark of Japanese modernist architecture in Kyoto.
Umekoji Park is an urban park with an area of about 13.7 hectares, which opened in 1995 as a space where people can relax amid greenery and flowers right near the city center (about 15 minutes west of Kyoto Station on foot). Inside the park are a spacious great lawn, a play area where you can enjoy getting close to water, and a plaza at the Shichijo entrance where lively events are held. There are also various facilities for which entry fees are charged: a traditional Japanese garden, Suzaku Garden, created in commemoration of the 1,200th anniversary of Kyoto's establishment as the capital; Inochi-no-Mori (Forest of Life), Kyoto's first restored biotope; an antique trolley car, the first introduced in Kyoto, that runs through the park; and Midori-no-yakata, containing a convenient restaurant and rooms for rental for various purposes (Japanese-style rooms, tea room, event hall).
Also in the park are the Kyoto Aquarium, Kyoto City's first full-scale aquarium, opened in March 2012, and one of Japan's largest railway museums, the Kyoto Railway Museum, opened in April 2016.
(Source: Kyoto City Greenery Association website)
Kyoto Tower stands watch at the entrance to Kyoto, warmly welcoming residents and tourists alike. Its slim white form symbolizes a lighthouse illuminating the landlocked city of Kyoto.
From the observation deck 100 meters above the ground, the highest point in the city, you can see a 360-degree panoramic view of the ancient capital Kyoto surrounded by the "thirty-six peaks of Higashiyama." Experience all of Kyoto as it changes over time and the four seasons.
In addition to the 360-degree vista of Kyoto, there are restaurants that satisfy your hunger and delight the heart, a diverse shopping arcade where you can find just the right gift or souvenir, and a large public bath in the tower! Just seeing it from the outside isn't enough. Venture inside and enjoy Kyoto Tower to the fullest! (Source: Kyoto Tower website)
Museum "EKi" KYOTO opened in September 1997, intended to serve as a base for dissemination of culture and information that can satisfy a broad audience in the cultured, internationalizing city of Kyoto foster further cultural creation and exchange. Located next to the JR Kyoto Isetan department store on the 7th floor, the museum is easily accessible, including from the station's huge staircase that widens towards the sky. Museum "EKi" KYOTO strives to be an art museum widely known and loved by the public, by organizing culturally sophisticated and relevant exhibitions of Japanese and non-Japanese arts in a wide range of genres, including painting, photography, picture books, crafts, animation and fashion.
(Source: Museum "EKi" KYOTO website)
