As the ancient capital of Japan from 794 until the late-1600s, Kyoto is a city that prides itself on its historic past. Yet, it is the juxtaposition of modern and ancient Japan that makes Kyoto a truly splendid place.

Japan is no longer as expensive as it used to be for travelers compared to even a decade ago. The unfortunate slowdown in the Japanese economy since the early 1990s has even been helpful to travelers from the United States of the Falling Dollar who can now enjoy its offerings without holding back too much.

As a prime city for tourists even among the Japanese, Kyoto supports what seems like an infinite number of places to stay, eat and shop. The main destinations for most visitors are the famous temples and shrines. However, with more than two thousand of them in town, it can be a tiring process to simply hop from one temple to the next. Keep in mind that Kyoto is a city surrounded by mountains and rivers, providing plenty of nature for those needing a break from or daunted by the urban setting. Kyoto’s seasons are well pronounced; summer is hot and humid while winter is frigidly cold due to those surrounding mountains and bodies of water. It is no wonder then, that spring and fall are the favorite times of the year for many visitors as well as the locals.

Unlike Tokyo, infamous for its mostly non-existent street names and incomprehensible addresses, Kyoto is an extremely map-friendly city; all its streets are named and most of them are laid out in a grid. In addition, the streets that run east to west are numbered; you might start your journey at Kyoto Station between Hachi-jo (Eighth) and Nana-jo (Seventh) and up to the castle at Ni-jo (Second). If you looked at the language part of your guide book during the 13+ hours en route, you should be able to recognize numbers from one to ten in Japanese: Ichi, Ni, San, Shi, Go, Roku, Nana/Shichi, Hachi, Kyu, Ju. They come in handy not only while shopping, but also in figuring out street addresses in Kyoto. The main modes of transportation are the bus and the subway. If you have the means to take the taxi (which usually costs about twice as much as a New York City cab fare), by all means, don’t hesitate. It is much more comfortable than the packed buses, although it won’t necessarily get you to your destination faster. The subway is the fastest ride, but its rails are limited to two lines, one running north-south and the other east-west.

Ancient Kyoto

With more than 1500 temples and 400 shrines (Kyoto prefecture guide mentiones 3000 temples, and over 2000 shrines), you will not run out of historic places to see.

Because tourism is an extremely important economic factor for the city, its sites are run and maintained splendidly. Unfortunately, the crowds of people can make it difficult to enjoy such sites. One way to avoid this is to take advantage of your jetlag and get up early to visit the most famous sites, particularly Kiyomizu Temple, Yasaka Shrine, Kinkaku-ji and Ginkaku-ji. For example, Kiyomizu Temple opens at 6am; skip the hotel breakfast, go see the temple and then eat at one of the numerous restaurants and cafes in the area.

With an overwhelming number of historic sites, it can be difficult to choose which ones to go to. One way of solving the dilemma is to follow the seasonal offerings of nature. The most famous places to see cherry blossoms include Maruyama Park, Yasaka Shrine, Chion-In, Kiyomizu Temple, Heian Jingu, Tetsugaku No Michi (Philosopher’s Walk), Ni-jo Castle, and Gosho. For autumn foliage some of the best-known places are Sekisanzen-in, Jakko-in, Daitoku-ji, Tofuku-ji, Kiyomizu Temple, Kodai-ji, Chion-in, Nanzen-ji, Ginkaku-ji and Gosho.

Of course, the places famous for their seasonal spectacle will undoubtedly be crowded. For example, Maruyama Park in springtime turns into one gigantic all-day and all-night party for several weeks (late March and throughout April) with street vendors selling everything from grilled squid to french fries; herds of blossom-viewers walk through the park with food in hand, while many others secure their seats on the ground beneath the trees to eat and drink merrily. It can be a fun scene for those seeking festivity, but if you want to avoid crowds, it is better to go to well-known places during their off-peak season. Go to Tofuku-ji in spring, for example; it gets packed during the fall leaf-turning time but is visited by only a handful of people in spring, since the Zen sect temple has but a single cherry blossom tree. You will not be disappointed by the landscape of its garden even without the blossoms.

Modern Kyoto

Despite countless historic sites, Kyoto today is a fully modern 21^st century city. You will find it difficult to ignore its urbanity from the moment you arrive at Kyoto Station. In contrast to the ancient temples the city is known for, the station stands as a magnificent piece of modern architecture with an open-air design and a sense of liberation. The train station is a hub not only for transportation but also for shopping, dining and entertainment; it is attached to a 500+-room hotel (Granvia), two theaters, a mall, the Isetan department store, and more than 20 restaurants.

Across from the station is the retro-chic Kyoto Tower; its observation deck is the highest place in Kyoto. Go up to Shi-jo Karasuma (between Shijo and Kawaramachi) the biggest shopping area in town, where crowds of people browse through countless stores and fuel up at a variety of restaurants. Don’t miss Nishiki Ichiba (market); it’s called “Kyoto’s Kitchen,” where you will find just about every type of food, ranging from traditional dried bonito and kelp to fluffy soymilk donuts.

Modern Japanese efficiency is around every corner; there are hundreds of Lawson, Seven Eleven, Mini Stop and other convenience stores, vending machines for sodas, beers and cigarettes, and bus stops with schedules you can scan with your cell phone.