Kyoto is a beautiful city with an abundance of prewar buildings, such as the traditional townhouses known as machiya, nestled in the heart of it. It is located in the central part of the island of Honshu with a population close to 1.5 million.

It was once well-known as the imperial capital of Japan until the move of the government to Edo (later renamed to Tokyo) during the Imperial Restoration. In case you wonder if there is any link between Tokyo and Kyoto since the pronunciation of one is the vice versa of the other, reassure that there is no link between them. It is just so happened that Tokyo carries the meaning of Eastern Capital while Kyoto was once known for a short time as Saikyo which means Western Capital.

Though it is no longer the capital of the archipelago, it is still the capital for the major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area and Kyoto Prefecture itself. Due to its historic value, you are not experiencing the true Japan before you step into this city full of cultural heritage.

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Tokyo (officially Tokyo Metropolis) is one of the most desirable cities to live and the name is often linked to the magic moment in most people’s lives – dream comes true. But what is the real meaning of the name?

Tokyo (Tōkyō: tō (east) + kyō (capital))

Geographically, Tokyo is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan located on the eastern side of the main island Honshu, Kanto region. It’s also the capital and the largest city in the archipelago. However it’s more often than not called a metropolis(to) rather than a prefecture(ken). Tokyo Metropolis encompasses the 23 special wards(tokubetsu-ku; Shibuya and Shinjuku are among the more famous wards), 26 cities, 5 towns and 8 villages, including the Izu and Ogasawara Islands, several small Pacific Islands in the south of the main island Honshu.

Wake up! I know human’s brain recoils geographical facts but going through them will help you gain your composure while travel in the busy city full of tall futuristic buildings. Traveling without knowledge is like sailing without a compass, and a compass is all that you can rely on here.

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Japan (Nihon or Nippon) is an archipelago consists of more than 3000 islands. Both Nippon and Nihon literally mean “the sun’s origin” thus making Japan well-known as the Land of the Rising Sun. Travelling or living in Japan has been the dreams of gazillion of people from around the world. It’s because of the enthralling natural wonders and cultural treasures that win over the hearts of travelers.

Other than that, the gracious hospitality of Japanese as well as the kaleidoscope of delicious foods (super tasty ramen and favorite sushi) also help build the reputation of Japan as one of the most desirable places to stay. Of course you might claim that a small percentage of people are simply attracted by the AV industry *thumb down*, but we should embrace the fact that everyone has his own way of getting pleasure of life right?*thumb up*

Whatever it is, Japan is really a beautiful country which encompasses the tranquility of outskirts and the hustle and bustle of the busy metropolitan areas.

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