Kyoto Central Inn, Kyoto

Advantages: great history
Disadvantages: can get crowded

...Kyoto is a must for anyone visiting japan, along with Tokyo. Whereas Tokyo is the modern, vibrant japan, Kyoto is the old Japan. Kyoto is easy to find your way around, as all the underground stations have the signs written in English. The main attractions are the gold and silver temples. The gold temple is stunning - a two story building completley covered in gold leaf. The nice thing about the temples is that they are all set in their own tranquil gardens, where you can easily pass the time watching the world go by. Be warned, however, that the tourist sites in Kyoto can get very crowded, especially with partied of school children. Be prepared also for them to want to take your photo! As with all of Japan, accommodation in Kyoto is expensive. Eating out is OK, but make sure you try the Japanese food and don't just stick... Read review

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Advantages: Location
Disadvantages: Slightly higher air ticket costs

...of years ago. From Kyoto it is easy to branch out to the various other historic and interesting centres. A 40 minute train ride to the South is Nara, containing the largest wooden building in the world and also one of the largest Bhuddist statues. Just half an hour on another train is Osaka. If you want to taste the busy, bustling side of Japan, Osaka is probably a better place to do this in than Tokyo. There are just as many garish electronics stores and an equal amount of nightlife. Furthermore, a trip to Japan really has to include a stopover in Hiroshima (reviewed elsewhere) and this is a mere 2 hours from Kyoto on the bullet train. In summary, while travel companies may steer you towards starting and finishing your journey in the East of Japan, the Kansai region in the West has more to offer, is more centrally located and will give you... Read review

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Advantages: Enormous temples, exciting centre & good wooded walks.
Disadvantages: Disappointment if you let the guidebooks build it up too much & expensive.

..., without losing the flaming effect of the pavilion’s gold smothered flanks. Opens at 9pm, the Y400 is good value, reach it on the 59 bus that stops right outside. Heian Jingu While most of Kyoto’s shrines and temples are a rich brown, this exubarent place of worship is painted orange and red with green frames. Reasonably central it is easily recognised for the enormous, red steel torii (shrine gate) 500m to its south. This is in fact the entrance to the shrine itself, which is, as you might have guessed from the wild colours, a pretty recent affair dating back to only 1895. Entrance to the main concourse is free, as are the toilets. The shrine has two real claims to fame – the first its expensive (Y600) Chinese style gardens, the second an enormous parade that takes place here every 22nd October... Read review

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