Kyoto is a former imperial seat and a city with an extremely rich history, considered the cultural capital of Japan. Here, for centuries, art and culture associated at the Imperial Court radiated throughout the country. Modern history handled the city extremely graciously, during the bombings during World War II, Kyoto was spared. It has also been removed from the list of US nuclear bombing targets, making it one of the best-preserved cities in Japan. The city has 1,600 Buddhist temples, 400 shinto shrines, palaces, gardens and original architecture. An evening walk through the beautifully preserved old districts is a real pleasure.

In Kyoto, the temples are on almost every corner so sightseeing is not a big chalange. Our bikes made it easier for us to move around the city, where cycling and infrastructure are doing very well.

Kyoto is very interesting to see after dark. The monuments are nicely highlighted substituted and the atmosphere is very picturesque and mysterious. Some temples offer night tours from time to time, which we eagerly took advantage of and were not disappointed. During our stay, the Buddhist temple Kodaiji, built at the beginning of the 17th century, offered night sightseeing. The attractions are stone gardens, temples and a bamboo forest, beautifully illuminated and exposed at night. An additional attraction is the 3D movie displayed in the stone garden, which together with ethnic music brings us closer to the beliefs of ancient Japanese.