Kyoto - The thousand year old city

Just took advantage of the Taiwan National Day long weekend to take a short trip to Kyoto, a place that the Japanophile in me has long since yearned to visit. Although pretty much a modern city by any standards, Kyoto still adamantly clings to its royal past as being the capital city for a millenium, before the throne of power was shifted to Edo, or modern day Tokyo.


Kyoto station, a dazzling web of postmodern architecture

Though it wasn't really that far into autumn for watching the autumn leaves, the cool and often damp weather lent enough bleak and grey to paint the old city and its buildings in a sometimes poetic light.


Suit and kimono - Sanjusankendo

Having been to Tokyo numerous times, Kyoto is really something special. In terms of size, it's just the right size - small enough to travel around in a short amount of time, yet large enough to ensure the visitor does not run of places to go. If Tokyo is the brain of Japan, then Kyoto must be its soul.


Chawanzaka, on the road to Kiyomizudera

More photos on my Flickr site here.