If there is one place where history resides more than anywhere else in Japan, it is in Kyoto (pop. 1,387,000). Capital of Japan from 794 to 1867, Kyoto totalize no less than 17 sites listed on the UNESCO World Heritage list, 24 museums and 37 universities and has hundreds more of temples and shrines.
Kyoto is one of the rare cities (with Nara) which was spared the US carpet bombing during WWII in order to preserve the cultural heritage. But as visitors first set eyes on the city, the impression is one of chaotic concrete ugliness, even worse than other major Japanese cities. Indeed, Japanese officials were not as well disposed towards their own culture and history as American planners during the war. They shamelessly tore down most of the traditional wooden houses in most of the city center, leaving only temples and a some parts of Gion (the famous geisha district) standing.
As a result, touristic attractions are almost all confined to the outskirt of Kyoto, in areas like the Higashiyama to the East, Arashiyama to the West, as well as most of the North and a few sites on the JR Nara line South.
Orientation
Kyoto was laid out following a grid plan copied on the Chinese Tang capital of Chang'an (Xi'an). It is fairly easy to navigate between the perpendicular streets, as main avenues running from East to West are number from 1 to 10, the main being : Sanjo-dori (3rf Ave), Shijo-dori (4th Ave), Gojo-dori (6th Ave) and Shichijo-dori (7th Ave).
The main avenues from North to South are (from West to East) : Omiya-dori, Horikawa-dori, Karasuma-dori, Kawaramachi-dori and Higashiyama-dori. Remember them as bus stops and train stations names are usually avenues or junctions names.
Shopping streets with izakaya restaurants and departments stores are concentrated along the Sanjo-dori, Shijo-dori, Karasuma-dori and Kawaramachi-dori.
Kyoto is on the main shinkansen (bullet train) line, which makes it easily reachable from Tokyo (2h30min to 3h, ￥13,720). Kyoto is just a short train ride away from Osaka (15min by shinkansen or 30min by regular train, respectively ￥3,130 and ￥540), Nara (40min, ￥610) or Nagoya (35min by shinkansen, ￥5,840).
The nearest airports are Osaka Itami (55min by bus, ￥1,280) and Kansai International Airport (1h15min, ￥1,830). Both have flights to the major destinations within Japan and overseas.
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