Kyoto and the Golden Pavilion
By Gerardine McCrohan
1 Kyoto is one of the oldest and most beautiful cities in Japan. Today the capital of Japan is Tokyo, but from 794 to 1868 Kyoto was the capital city. The word "kyoto" even means "capital city" in Japanese.
2 Kyoto is in the western part of Japan. There are beautiful mountains all around Kyoto. The mountains are covered with trees, and in autumn when the leaves change to red, orange, and yellow, the mountains are very beautiful.
3 During World War II, most cities in Japan were damaged, but Kyoto was not. Now Kyoto has some of the oldest and most famous temples, shrines, palaces, and gardens in Japan and is a popular place for school excursions. Perhaps the most famous temple in all Japan is "The Golden Pavilion," and it is in Kyoto.
