There are thousands of fascinating and comfortable tourist routes in different parts of the country. But! Experience the true flavor of Japanese history, the unique Japanese tradition, culture, art, religion, architecture, craft and better and best of all possible only in Kyoto.

Kyoto is the ancient capital of Japan (for over 1000 years). It simply is the city-museum under the open sky. It is amazing that 1,600 Buddhist temples and 600 shrines have survived in this land; 17 monuments of history and culture of Kyoto are on the list of World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO. As long as Kyoto was the country’s capital and seat of the Japanese Emperor, court aristocracy, the city has long been and is even now the focus of talents: famous artists, poets, writers, and people of other professions. Furthermore, this city is considered to be the epitome of Japanese culture.

Japanese people are probably very proud of having something like Ryoanji Temple, which is the breathtaking site of Japan’s most famous rock garden, which attracts hundreds of visitors every day. “Rock Garden”, “Philosopher’s Garden”, “Garden of Ryoanji”, it has been called dozens of other names during different periods of time.

However, the fact that this garden is probably of the biggest value in the Japanese city of Kyoto, is proved by the circumstance, that there still goes talks about the interpretation of it’s essence.The garden’s date of construction is unknown and there are a number of speculations regarding its design.[ADS]The garden consists of a rectangular plot of pebbles surrounded by low earthen walls, with 15 rocks laid out in small groups on patches of moss. An interesting feature of the garden’s design is that from any vantage point at least one of the rocks is always hidden from the viewer.In December 1994, this temple was designated as World Heritage by UNESCO.

Kinkakuji Temple or Golden Pavilion is the main calling card of Kyoto.

Covered in gold leaf and bright shining in the blue sky on a sunny day, it seems to admire everyone, looking at their own reflection in the mirrored surface of the lake, which is itself located in the middle. In autumn its golden glitter becomes almost red – because of the maple groves surrounding the pavilion. Kinkaku-ji was formally called Shariden. The elegant, harmonious building consists of three types of architecture. The 1st floor is Shinden-zukuri, the palace style. It is named Ho-sui-in.[ADS2]The 2nd floor is Buke-zukuri, the style of the samurai house and is called Cho-on-do. The 3rd floor is Karayo style or Zen temple style. It is called Kukkyo-cho.It should be mentioned that there are other points of interest in the surrounding places. The name of such the pond is Kyoko-chi (Mirror pond).

The pond contains many large and small islands. Climbing a few steps, you stand at the edge of another small pond, An-min-taku. The small stone pagoda on the island is called Hakuja-no-tsuka (the mound in memory of the white snake).

Gion is a district of Kyoto, Japan, originally developed in the Middle Ages, in front of Yasaka Shrine. It has marrow streets with darkened wooden walls of old houses, pierced by a delicate aroma of Japanese living past. It is especially nice to hear the sound of wooden sandals, on the stone floor, and suddenly see a glimpse of a figure in the distance, like a light cloud outline – it is a Maiko, a living work of art, a little picking with his left hand a long sleeve jacket with low-hanging belt and hiding the face heavily powdered a bamboo umbrella, a seed somewhere on business … Thus, saying short and sharp that was a district, built to accommodate the needs of travelers and visitors to the shrine. It eventually evolved to become one of the most exclusive and well-known geisha districts in all of Japan.

Eygamura (village cinema) is not just a village. This place has often become a film set for famous movies. Nowadays it became a recreational park for tourists. Here, one can find not only the recreated buildings and streets, but very fascinating interior of the houses. Go through the streets of actors: samurai swords suit street battles, shuffling girls in kimonos and parasols, walking around with a warrior stern faces. It is wonderful how one can buy absolutely exclusive items on the flea markets in Kyoto: ceramics, historical prints, interior, authentic kimonos, wicker, antiques, art and more.

Kyoto is Japan’s best place to admire the cherry blossoms (March-April) and autumn leaves (November).Plus It has a very convenient transportation scheme, which allows travelers for a stay in Kyoto with easy access to the most beautiful places in Japan (Lake Biwa, Ama-no Hasidate about. Miyajima, IseJingu, Osaka, Nara, Kobe, Mr. Nagoya, etc.).

The city was founded in the 17th century BC, by the mountain tribes of Oski, where it was built on frozen volcanic lava, completely unaware of any of the origin of such a foundation, nor the fertility of soil.From today’s perspective it seems quite unexplainable based on what advantages was the place selected. The reason of this could have been that, in those days, Vesuvius seemed quite harmless to the inhabitants of the area.

Pompeii was a city of approximately 20,000 residents. In many ways it was very progressive: Pompeii had indoor running water, a thriving marketplace, an amphitheater for entertainment and a structured government.
Pompeii also contained public baths, cobblestone streets, sidewalks and many private shops where its residents could purchase almost anything they wanted. Since Pompeii was a port city located on the blue waters of the Bay of Naples, the people who lived there could take advantage of the many ships that made port in Pompeii. They brought goods from many other locations to trade, and sell in Pompeii and other Roman cities.
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The people themselves were typical of the Roman Empire at that time. There were several classes in Roman society, starting with the very wealthy and ending with slaves. The slaves were usually people who had been captured and enslaved following a war. They served the wealthier Romans and were the lowest class of people in Roman society.

It was inevitable that Pompeii would fall under the domination of Rome at the beginning of the Samnite Wars. Thus, Pompeii became a Roman colony in 80 B.C., taking the name “Colonia Veneria Cornelia Pompeii” which refers to both her conquerer and to the goddess Venus.

It is very interesting to observe what level of cultural and social life the city had itself. As long as this is a very objective way to discover development rate of the society living there, I would like to refer your attention to the archeological findings. Pompeii seems to be quite flourishing by that time. Public buildings and temples, Large Theatre in the south, and the Amphitheatre located in the east, are pure evidence of this statement.
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However, peace and harmony didn’t last long for the civic part of the city as in the early afternoon hours of August 24, 79 A.D. the summit of Mount Vesuvius exploded without warning. A black river of ash and lapilli ran from the crater of the volcano down through the city of Pompeii leaving death and destruction in its wake. The magnificent ancient city of Pompeii was left buried under about 20 feet of earth and ash.

Unrestrained interest towards the site can be proved by the sole fact that, archeologists all over the world still visit and try to explore the place. Up to now, about 80% of the ruins at Pompeii have been excavated and studied, giving us a picture of how the city was built and organized. Pompeii was surrounded by a three-kilometer wall containing eight gates. Apparently, about two-thirds of the walled city was occupied by private buildings including shops, offices, inns and houses. The area outside the city gates was the Necropolis or cemetery for the spiritual beliefs of the resident citizens.

Overall, it can be said that Pompeii still renders thousands of people’s attention all over the world. Its name has never been forgotten, and its great past still delights dozens of foreign visitors.

It’s impressive to observe that after so many years, the pyramid still stands carefully guarded and treasured. In the middle ages, pyramids were even hidden from the Spaniards that the invaders didn’t tear down buildings and carried off the treasures stored inside. Enigmatic Mayan history is full of unsolved mysteries. It is obvious that thousands of tourists each year travel to the jungle to see the mysterious abandoned cities. Unfortunately, little is left out of the most ancient cities, but the pyramids, being built a little later, survived surprisingly well.

The main attraction of the visitors is the 25-meter pyramid (or palace) Kukulkan.Pyramid of Kukulkan (El Castillo) consists of 9 platforms. The entire perimeter is surrounded by stairs. The numbers of the stages from each side are 91 – a total of 364, their number equals the number of days per year. Extensive steep stairs are divided into 18 bays, each of which corresponds to month of the year – in the Mayan calendar was exactly 18 months. Now the stairs are not in very good condition, and climbing on them is quite dangerous.The pyramid is located geographically very precisely 4 side looking due south, north, east and west. On the sides of the pyramid – 9 terraces, one for each region of the kingdom of the dead.

Thus, you are allowed to broaden your imagination and think of the Maya underworld – the place where they would go after death. On the north side of the pyramid, at the base of the stairs, are two snake heads, there are two columns in the form of huge reptiles. Snakes are not in vain: the pyramid was built in honor of a deity or Kulkana Mayan feathered serpent.

In the city there is a pyramid, behind the temple of warriors. It consists of four levels, and the base has a size of 40 to 40 meters. Not far from the pyramid is a unique natural well. Being almost round, it reaches 60 meters in diameter and 20 deep. It can be said that the Maya revered as a sacred place. Its blue-green waters were thrown by Mayan priests victims to appease the gods. So that is why it is called the Well of Death.
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The second most popular Mayan pyramid is in Guatemala. Its peculiarity is that it is all painted with a huge number of kanji and mysterious figures. More than two hundred years, scientists needed to decipher, but the writing is still not solved. Someone sees them as a description of historical and political events in the city, but others interpret them as the dire predictions. For example, one of the characters means: “And there will be piles of skulls and rivers of blood” – According to first version, it depicts a long war, which involved the Maya, but according to opinion of others – it is nothing but a warning of the coming Armageddon.
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Palenque is an ancient Mayan city, which is also called the capital of the ancient culture. The pyramid of inscriptions islocated there. This is the only pyramid of the Maya, on top of which was found something like a sarcophagus, and in it – the remains of men, apparently of noble birth. Prior to that, it was thought that the Mayan pyramids were used exclusively for the sacrifice. In 1949, the restorers discovered the secret hatch in the floor through which one could penetrate deep into the pyramid. At the bottom was found a burial chamber, where the remains of people who once sacrificed, and the stone sarcophagus, covered with a five-ton cap. Erich von Daniken, who devoted his life to search for traces of ancient human contact with aliens, said that the ancient Indians depicted on it, no more, no less – the person controlling the spacecraft.

On the Yucatan Peninsula, one can find the remains of the city -Uxmal. This settlement has about 600 – 100 years of our era. Around 1400, it was abandoned and neglected. Uxmal is famous for two temples, pyramids. The most famous – Pyramid of the Sorcerer. The second pyramid of the city, in fact, consists of two, which are combined with each other.

Unfortunately, the exact date of construction of the pyramids is not known. It is believed that they were about 3000 years. Pyramids were built a long time. All of them have stepped slopes. In turn erected a platform, and eventually the pyramid grew.

The construction of the pyramids is associated with ancient legends. Thus, according to one of these stories, the pyramid at Uxmal, erected in one night with magical powers dwarf sorcerer, who then also appointed himself ruler of the city. That is the reason why this building was named Magician Pyramid.

It still stays mysterious how this pyramids emerged during that ancient period without proper level of civilization. It is believed that Mayans lived thousands of years ago but had modern standards, primitive and superficial knowledge of the invention. So or not, we all see the perfect example of it in reality.