Osaka and Kyoto photos

Kyoto, Japan's most beautiful city, is known as "the city of a thousand temples,". It has 1,600 Buddhist temples, 400 Shinto shrines, a trio of palaces, and dozens of gardens and museums. Kyoto used to be the center of Japanese power, culture, tradition, and religion. During this time Kyoto accumulated an unparalleled collection of palaces, temples and shrines, built for emperors, shoguns, geishas and monks. It was one of the very few Japanese cities to escape Allied bombings during World War II. Osaka, on the other hand, just seven minutes away by bullet train, is widely decried as Japan’s uncouth relative. Down to earth, direct and in turns hilarious and offensive to Japanese sensibilities, Osakans spawn Japan’s comedians, maintian its economic engine, and feed you some of the best cooking around.