Top 5 Attractions in Kansai

Let's take in a little bit of history. Back in 794 A.D. Kyoto stood as Japan's capital. It served as such until 1867 when the capital was moved to Tokyo. As a commemoration of Kyoto's glory days and to celebrate the 1100th anniversary of Kyoto's establishment, the people built the Heian Shrine in 1895. It features a 2/3 scale recreation of the Imperial Palace of the State Hall (Daigoku-den-den) and was dedicated to Emperor Kanmu and Emperor Komei, the first and last emperors to rule while Kyoto was the country's capital ...

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Kiyomizudera (Kiyomizu-dera) in eastern Kyoto, Japan, is a place for romantics – lovers, poets – and those who believe in wishes coming true. Its trees not only bloom with cherry blossoms but also of paper wishes hung there by the hopefuls who come to the temple to pray for love, prosperity, long life, and success. Millions visit this beloved temple compound every year to find peace and an answer to their heart's desire.Kiyomizudera ('Pure Water Temple') is named after the three streams that flow into Otowa-no-taki (Sound of Feathers), a waterfall inside the temple compound ...

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Experience history as you walk along Nijo Castle's nightingale floors. With every few steps, the floors squeak, announcing to everyone that someone is on the prowl. The nightingale floors also tell a story – about power and history – that revolves around the castle and those that built it. Nijo Castle is a magnificent landmark of the Tokugawa Shogunate's rise to ascendancy. It is designed to awe and impress, and it continues to do so, even up to now ...

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Here's one perk of being a shogun: When you retire, you get to do it in style. Take, for example, the retirement villa that Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu built. Kinkakuji (or Kinkaku-ji), Yoshimitsu's famous Golden Pavilion, literally shimmers and shines. Lavishly coated in gold leaf and set amidst lush gardens and a tranquil pond, the image it presents is simply breathtaking. 'Wow' doesn't quite say it.

Located in Kyoto, Japan, Kinkaku-ji is more formally known as Rokuon-ji (the Deer Garden Temple) ...

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What do seafaring, song, and peace have in common? Well, if you go and visit one of Osaka's famous shrines, you will see that these three qualities are encapsulated in the Sumiyoshi Taishi Shrine, which is dedicated to the patrons of the sea. Fishers, sailors, and travelers venerate this shrine and fervently pray for safe travel and protection for their vessels. Legend has it that the empress Jingo had the shrine built in 211 as an expression of thanksgiving for a safe journey to Korea.

This Shinto shrine is one of Japan's most popular, so much so that there are 2,000 so named shrines all over Japan. As with the original, these shrines are invariably built close to the docks so that sailors and travelers can readily visit and pay their respects to the gods guarding their vessels ...

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