It is famous for its numerous classical Buddhist temples, gardens, imperial palaces, Shinto shrines, traditional wooden houses, kaiseki meals, which consist of several dishes of different preparations, and geishas, female performers commonly found in the Gion district. Its historical importance is due to the fact that between 794 and 1868 it was the capital of the country, hosting the headquarters of the Imperial Court and other institutions. In 1868, Emperor Meiji moved the headquarters of the court to Tokyo, leaving the city definitively in the background. During World War II, it was the only major Japanese city not to be bombed by the American air force. It is one of the important Japanese cities, with abundant historical, artistic and architectural heritage. The Kyoto protocol was signed here, an international agreement that pursues the objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming. Its university, founded in 1897, is considered one of the best universities in the country.Complete your visit to Kyoto with these places:- Imperial Palace of Kyoto: It is located in Kyoto Gyoen, a rectangular wall measuring 1.3 by 0.7 kilometers that also contains the gardens of the Sento Imperial Palace. It lost many of its functions during the Meiji Restoration, when the capital was changed to Tokyo in 1869. The coronation of Emperors Taisho and Showa took place in this palace. It has been destroyed and rebuilt eight times, six during the 250 years of peace in the Edo period. The current version was completed in 1855, in an attempt to reproduce the style and architecture of the Haien period. Its grounds include other buildings in addition to the Imperial Residence such as the residence of the retired Emperor, Doshisha University, other halls, the hall for State Ceremonies, a “refreshing” hall, the Court, the Imperial Study or Library, and a number of residences for the Empress, high-ranking aristocrats and government officials.- Nijö Castle: It is a Japanese castle with a total area of 275,000 square meters, of which 8,000 are occupied by various buildings. The central castle (Donjon) was struck by lightning and destroyed in 1750. In 1788, the inner palace was destroyed by a fire that spread through the city, leaving it practically abandoned until 1893. In 1939 the palace was donated to the city of Kyoto and was opened to the public in 1940. It had two defenses in the form of concentric rings, which consisted of walls and a wide moat. It also had a much simpler wall surrounding Ninomaru's Palace. The outer wall has three doors, while the inner one has two. At the southwest corner of the inner wall is the base of a five-story high tower, which was destroyed in 1750. The inner wall protects the Honmaru Palace and its garden. Between the two rings are the Ninomaru Palace, kitchens, the guard and various gardens. It is part of the set of Historical Monuments of ancient Kyoto declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1994.- Kinkaku-ji: It was originally built in 1397 as a rest villa for the shögun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, called Kitayama. After his death his son transformed the building into a Zen temple of the Rinzai sect. The temple burned several times during the Onin War (15th century) and in 1950, when novice Hayashi Yoken set fire to the building. The current building is a reconstruction and is part of the set of Historical Monuments of ancient Kyoto declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1994.- Ginkaku-ji: It is a Buddhist temple and one of the iconic constructions of the Higashiyama Culture of the Muromachi period. It was initially planned as a place of retreat around 1460 by the shögun Ashikaga Yoshimasa, leaving it agreed upon his death to serve as a Buddhist temple. The main structure (Kannon-den) began construction in 1482 and sought to emulate the Kinkaku-ji or “Golden Pavilion” built by his grandfather. Due to the Onin Rebellion, construction of the temple was halted and Yoshimasa's plans to cover the structure with silver sheets were never completed. This gives the temple an unfinished appearance that has been expressly respected in the extensive restoration carried out in 2008. In addition to the building, the temple has moss-covered gardens and a Japanese garden supposedly designed by the landscape architect Söami. It is part of the set of Historical Monuments of ancient Kyoto declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1994. - Heian Sanctuary: It is a Shinto shrine with one of the largest traditional Japanese arches (Torii) in Japan. Its main building was designed to imitate the Kyoto Imperial Palace. It was built in 1895 to mark the 1,100th anniversary of the founding of Heian-kyo (former name of Kyoto). It is dedicated to the emperors Kanmu and Kömei; The first was the founder and the one who moved the Japanese capital to Kyoto, and the second was the last emperor to reside in Kyoto, before Emperor Meiji (who moved the capital to Tokyo in 1868). Between 1871 and 1946, he was officially designated as one of the Kanpei-taisha, which meant that he was under the support and protection of the Japanese government. In 1976 it caught fire and the 9 buildings that make it up, including the main sanctuary, burned. Three years later, they were rebuilt with money from a citizen collection.

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