Kyoto, situated roughly at the center of the Japanese Archipelago, stretches long from north to south, with the southern part mostly plains and the northern end facing the Japan Sea. The central part is mountainous, dividing the prefecture into two climatic zones: moderate in the south and heavy rain and snowfalls from autumn to winter in the north.

Kyoto was Japan’s capital for more than one thousand years since the national capital was erected there in the late 8th century. The court culture of the nobles depicted in Japan’s oldest novel Tale of Genji (1008) established the foundation of Japanese sense of beauty. The noble beauty perfected during this period has strongly influenced temples, shrines and many other historic structures, gardens, paintings, traditional festivals and ceremonies, or the Japanese culture at large.

High-standard traditional industrial arts, such as Nishijin textile, Yuzen textile dying, Kyo and Kiyomizu pottery, are still highly visible and active. At the same time, high-tech industries characteristic of today’s Japan, are also active, including transportation machinery, electric machinery, precision equipment and electronic components. Kyoto also supplies various indigenous agricultural products such as rice, vegetables and Uji tea.

As 17 temples, shrines and cultural assets are designated UNESCO World Cultural Heritage sites as Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto, Kyoto boasts numerous temples, shrines and other historic buildings created in the course of the city’s long history. Many tourists visit Kyoto to admire these sites and to enjoy cherry blossoms in spring and colorful leaves in autumn.