Following its first successful tourism campaign, the city of Kyoto, Japan, has announced its newest campaign, the Kyoto Winter Special 2009. Effective between Dec. 1 and March 31, 2009, the winter deal includes special exhibitions, limited-time offers, culturally focused activities, Japanese culinary programs and events that highlight the city’s natural beauty.
During Hanatoro, an event that occurs between Dec. 12-21 and from March 13-22, majestic lanterns will border paths and twinkling lights will perch upon historic landmarks for more than three miles, transforming the city of Kyoto into an ideal sightseeing locale for visitors.
Nara, which is only a 30-minute bus ride from Kyoto, is also an ideal tourist stop for sightseeing as well as cultural activities. During the Winter Special, international visitors will be granted free admission to several museums in the ancient city of Nara, which will be celebrating its 1,300th anniversary as Japan’s original capital in 2010.
Nara’s museums include the Nara Museum of Art, which carries 4,200 works of art and an Ukiyo-e woodblock print collection from the 17th century. The Nara Complex of Manyo Culture in Asuka Village specializes in Japan’s oldest existing poetry collection, Manyoshu, which is believed to have shaped the modern Japanese language. The Nara Museum of Folklore showcases Nara’s wildlife and is home to Machiya-style houses and approximately 42,000 tools on display. The Archaeological Institute of Kashihara, also in Nara, prides itself as the largest and oldest archaeological institute in the country, specializing in items from the 1938 excavation of the Fujinoki Burial Mound.
Kyoto Winter Special 2009
www.kyotowinterspecial.com
For more information on winter deals and specials in Japan, click
here to read our recent Japan Guide Winter '08-'09
