For Heian aristocrats some 1,200 years ago, Kyoto life was the world of officialdom. Uji, located southeast of the capital, was the retreat where they let their bodies and minds run free. It represented the transience of the material world as depicted in the classic novel, The Tale of Genji. The nobles embraced Uji-grown tea, which sustained the tea ceremony, and the pastime of cormorant fishing, and gave them form. Byodo-in was later built by the Jodo Sect to represent the Pure Land of Buddha.

Kyoto cuisine evolved in the old capital to please aristocratic eyes and palates. The local soft underground water inspired a cuisine that draws out flavors using dashi stock. Seafood was geographically hard to get, so locals refined techniques and contrivances, and the use of seasonings and utensils, for making tasty dishes with the available produce. Artisans provide quality products to maintain this food culture. Discover how the chefs' attention to detail brings out the ultimate in flavors.

Over its 1,000 year history as capital, Kyoto attracted craftsmen with outstanding artistry from around Japan. They made quality implements and furnishings, and the craft developed a distinct Kyoto refinement that became renowned. The craftsmen's knowledge of wood they work and their command of the delicate processes convey the traditions that survive to this today. Discover how various Kyoto woodcraft traditions evolved by watching the turners, joiners, coopers and other craftsmen at work.