Higashiyama – Kyoto’s Most Picturesque District

Higashiyama is a district in the east of Kyoto’s city center. Sitting between the Kamo River and the Higashiyama Mountain Range, the narrow streets between Yasaka Shrine and Kiyomizu-dera are lined with traditional merchant houses selling crafts, sweets and local specialties.

In Higashiyama, the feeling of old Kyoto has been preserved, with shops offering

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Nara’s Yakushiji Temple

Yakushiji Temple in Nara is one of Japan’s oldest Buddhist temples, dating back to the 7th century. Located west of the city center, it features a pagoda from the 8th century (currently undergoing renovation works scheduled to end in 2019).

The main hall is a reproduction, after the original burned down in a

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