Kyoto was the capital of Japan from 794 AD until 1868.  It was the site of the Imperial Japanese Court, and for more than one thousand years it was the center of Japan’s aristorcratic society.  Today, the city of Kyoto offers the finest examples of Japan’s traditional arts and culture as well as the modern cutting-edge technologies of the future.  

Although ravaged by wars, fires, and earthquakes during its eleven centuries as the imperial capital, Kyoto was spared from the firebombing of World War II , and unlike many modern Japanese cities it retains much of its pre-war layout and historic monuments. With its 2000 Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, as well as palaces, gardens and architecture intact, it is one of the best preserved cities in Japan. 17 of Kyoto’s ancient structures and garden have actually been declared UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. In 1956, Japan’s first public orchestra was created in Kyoto

Kyoto is a very touristic region due to its incomparable heritage. Kyoto's only sizable heavy industry is electronics: the city is home to the headquarters of Nintendo, OMRON, Kyocera, and Murata Machinery.