{"id":121726,"date":"2023-11-26T22:49:05","date_gmt":"2023-11-26T22:49:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cottontailsonline.com\/?p=121726"},"modified":"2023-11-26T22:49:05","modified_gmt":"2023-11-26T22:49:05","slug":"the-beautiful-city-which-was-once-a-capital-and-is-lesser-known-to-tourists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cottontailsonline.com\/travel\/the-beautiful-city-which-was-once-a-capital-and-is-lesser-known-to-tourists\/","title":{"rendered":"The beautiful city which was once a capital and is lesser known to tourists"},"content":{"rendered":"

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For many first-time visitors to Japan, Tokyo is the obvious first port of call –\u00a0 but those looking for a taste of the country’s more traditional side should try out its former capital.<\/p>\n

Kyoto in Japan’s Kansai region was the country’s capital for more than 1,000 years until Tokyo took over after the Onin War, which saw it totally flattened.<\/p>\n

The city is considered the country’s cultural capital, where the dazzling lights and bustling streets most would associate with modern Japan meet its rich tradition of temples and shrines.<\/p>\n

In the city’s Higashiyama district, the Yasaka Pagoda and the quaint traditional streets surrounding it are among the most photographed scenes in Japan with plenty of places to stop for a traditional drink or meal.<\/p>\n

But just a 15-minute walk away is the city’s more modern centre, packed with noisy pachinko parlours and a plethora of brightly lit shops.<\/p>\n

READ MORE <\/strong> The massive city of 4m people that\u2019s the biggest in the world without an airport<\/strong><\/p>\n

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In Kyoto’s downtown area, markets and shopping arcades dominate, with Nisiki Market offering a range of Japanese delicacies from Kobe beef to fried shrimp and takoyaki.<\/p>\n

Its historic Teramachi Street offers a wide array of independent stalls, shops and cafes including the Mipig micropig cafe which allows visitors to watch a pig roaming its floor while enjoying a coffee.<\/p>\n

Those wishing to learn a bit more about Japan’s history can visit Kyoto Samurai and Ninja Museum, a very small museum with a good tour which culminates in a lesson on how to throw ninja stars.<\/p>\n

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