Someday if you are standing beneath the Kyoto Tower for the first time, then you probably just arrived by train to this city of 1.5 million people in the heart of Japan on Honshu Island. The name means “capital city.” It was the seat of the country’s imperial government from 794 until 1869. Consider this tower as the epicenter for 17 UNESCO World Heritage Site Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto. Some are within walking distance and can be seen from this 328 foot observation deck. The two most famous temples – Golden Pavilion and Fushimi Inari Taisha – are reachable by bus, train or an expensive taxi ride. Others are in the adjoining cities of Uji and Otsu.
