Central Kyoto, Takagamine, Murasakino [Kyoto]

Q. What are tourist spots in Central Kyoto?

A. Kyoto Gosho and Nijo Castle , are located right in the heart of the city.

Q. How can I get to those areas from Kyoto Station?

A. Central Kyoto is easily accessed by train or bus from Kyoto Station.

Most of Central Kyoto is accessed conveniently by the Kyoto Municipal Subway Karasuma Line or the private railway Keihan Line from Kyoto Station.

Q.Who are the fames artists who worked on impressive screen paintings?

A. Kano Tanyu and Naonobu.

Q. What is special about Shimogamo-jinja Shrine?

A. Dating back to the sixth century, Shimogamo-jinja Shrine is one of Japan's oldest and most important shrines and is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site.

Many events are held at Shimogawa-jinja, most importantly the Aoi Matsuri held in May, one of Kyoto's three great festivals.

It is one-half of the pair of Kamo Shrines built to protect Kyoto from evil.

Q. Please explain Nishijin Textile District.

A. The traditional textile district of Kyoto, Nishijin, is in the northwest of central Kyoto. Come here to learn about the history of Japanese textiles and to wander the historic streets lined with old wooden houses, or machiya, and dotted with small temples.

The Nishijin Textile District is best accessed by bus. From Kyoto Station, take the number 9 bus to Horikawa-Imadegawa bus stop.

Q. Please explain Kyoto Gosho. 

A. Kyoto Gosho, or the Imperial Palace, is the former residence of the Japanese imperial family. It has been vacant since 1868 when the capital moved from Kyoto to Tokyo.

Q. What does “Takagamine” mean?

A. Takagamine means "Peak of the Kite," and got its name because this area once served as the Imperial hunting grounds when falconry was a popular sport among the nobility.

Q. How about “Murasaki”?

A. The name of the neighboring district, Murasakino, has a similar genesis. Murasaki in Japanese means “purple,” and Murasaki Shikibu, author of The Tale of Genji—the world's oldest extant novel—is buried in the district. 

Q. What  is the temple which is the birthplace of warrior Zen?

A. Daitokuji is the largest of Murasakino's many temples, with two dozen sub-temples within its vast grounds. As the center of the tea ceremony, the temple has a wealth of teahouses, Japanese gardens, graves of former warlords, famous fusuma (sliding door) paintings, and other historical sites and cultural assets.

Word Focus:

Hues 色

Elaborate 細かい

Intricate 入り組んだ複雑な模様

Extravagantly 贅沢な

Municipal Subway 市営地下鉄