Ōtsu (大津市, Ōtsu-shi) is the capital city of Shiga Prefecture, Japan. Ōtsu is known as the main port of Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan. It briefly served as the capital of Japan from 667 to 672 AD during the Asuka period (538 – 710). The city is home to numerous sites of historical importance, notably the temples of Mii-dera, Ishiyama-dera, and Enryaku-ji and the Hiyoshi Taisha shrine. Enryaku-ji is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities)".
Population: 298,164
Latitude: 35° 00' 0.00" N
Longitude: 135° 52' 0.01" E
Mount Kurama (鞍馬山, Kurama-yama) is a mountain to the north-west of the city of Kyoto. It is the birthplace of the Reiki practice, and is said to be the home of Sōjōbō, King of the Tengu, who taught swordsmanship to Minamoto no Yoshitsune. Kurama is …
Daigo-ji (醍醐寺, Daigo-ji) is a Shingon Buddhist temple in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Japan. Its main devotion (honzon) is Yakushi.
The Ōtsu incident (大津事件, Ōtsu Jiken) was a failed assassination attempt on Nicholas Alexandrovich, Tsesarevich of Russia (later Emperor Nicholas II of Russia) on 11 May [O.S.
The Kamo River (鴨川, Kamo-gawa, duck river – see onomastics) is located in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. The riverbanks are popular walking spots for residents and tourists. In summer, restaurants open balconies looking out to the river. There are pathway…
The Mimizuka (耳塚, literally "Ear Mound", often translated as "Ear Tomb"), an alteration of the original Hanazuka (鼻塚, literally "Nose Mound") is a monument in Kyoto, Japan, dedicated to the sliced noses of killed Korean soldiers and civilians as wel…
Ichiriki Chaya (一力茶屋?, Ichiriki Teahouse) (formally Ichiriki-tei (一力亭?, Ichiriki House)) is one of the most famous and historic ochaya (geisha "tea house") in Kyoto, Japan. It is located at the southeast corner of Shijō Street and Hanami Lane, with …
Fushimi Castle (伏見城, Fushimi-jō), also known as Momoyama Castle (桃山城, Momoyama-jō) or Fushimi-Momoyama Castle, is a castle in Kyoto's Fushimi Ward.
Kamigamo Shrine (上賀茂神社, Kamigamo Jinja) is an important Shinto sanctuary on the banks of the Kamo River in north Kyoto, first founded in 678. Its formal name is the Kamo-wakeikazuchi Shrine (賀茂別雷神社, Kamo-wakeikazuchi jinja).
Honnō-ji (本能寺, Honnō-ji) is a temple of the Nichiren branch of Buddhism located in Kyoto, Japan.
Higashiyama (東山区, Higashiyama-ku, meaning "east mountain") is one of the eleven wards in the city of Kyoto, in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. It was created in 1929 when it was split off from Shimogyō-ku.
Fushimi (伏見区, Fushimi-ku) is one of the eleven wards in the city of Kyoto, in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. Famous places in Fushimi include the Fushimi Inari Shrine, with thousands of torii lining the paths up and down a mountain; Fushimi Castle, origin…
Iwatayama Monkey Park (Japanese: 嵐山モンキーパーク, Arashiyama Monkī Pāku) is a commercial park located in Arashiyama in Kyoto, Japan. The park is on Mt Arashiyama, on the same side of the Oi River as the train station. It is inhabited by a troop of over 17…
Tōfuku-ji (東福寺) is a Buddhist temple in Higashiyama-ku in Kyoto, Japan. Tōfuku-ji takes its name from two temples in Nara, Tōdai-ji and Kōfuku-ji. It is one of the so-called Kyoto Gozan or "five great Zen temples of Kyoto".
Nagaoka-kyō (長岡京) was the capital of Japan from 784 to 794. Its location was reported as Otokuni District, Yamashiro Province, and Nagaokakyō, Kyoto, which took its name from the capital.
Hongan-ji (本願寺, Temple of the Primal Vow), also archaically romanized as Hongwanji, is the collective name of the largest school of Jōdo Shinshū Buddhism (which further sub-divides into the Nishi and Higashi branches).
Ponto-chō (先斗町) is a Hanamachi district in Kyoto, Japan, known for geisha and home to many geisha houses and traditional tea houses.
Nishi Hongan-ji (西本願寺, Nishi Hongan-ji) "Western Temple of the Original Vow" is one of two temple complexes of Jōdo Shinshū in Kyoto, Japan, the other being Higashi Honganji, or "Eastern Temple of the Original Vow". Jōdo Shinshū is a school of Pure …
Kyoto Tower (京都タワー, Kyōto-tawā) is an observation tower located in Kyoto, Japan. The steel tower is the tallest structure in Kyoto with its observation deck at 100 metres (328 ft) and its spire at 131 metres (430 ft). The 800-ton tower stands atop a…