Until Japan’s capital was moved to Tokyo in 1869, the country’s emperors ruled from Kyoto’s Imperial Palace for 11 centuries. During that millennium, the city flowered with dozens of shrines, temples and castles built in a rhapsodic variety of East Asian vernaculars: some meditative and simple, some with towering Chinese-style pagodas, others wrapped in gold.
No wonder so many travelers flock to Kyoto. It may be a modern metropolis (population1.4 million), but it guards the last remnants of old Japan — from temples (like Kiyomizu-dera, Kinkaku-ji and its silver sister, Ginkaku-ji) to narrow alleyways of the uniquely preserved hanamachi, or “geisha districts.”
“Kyoto has been insanely popular since Japan reopened from the pandemic, and it’s just not slowing down,” says Stephanie Conchuratt, the Virtuoso-affiliated luxury travel agent behind Vibe Travel Co. “But, overall, it’s such a great destination and most people who go consider it one of their all-time favorite trips.”
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