Location Facts

Kyoto, a city in the central part of the island of Honshu, Japan, is considered the intellectual center of Japan. It is an ideal location for learning about world religions. Because the city wasn’t firebombed during World War II, many of Kyoto’s Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines are still intact throughout the city.

• The historic monuments of ancient Kyoto are listed as a U.N. Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) world heritage site.
• Students will visit numerous ancient shrines and temples around the city, studying the architectural aspects, ritual activities, and cultural connections of the local religions.
• As a class, students will travel to the holy mountain, Koya-san, to observe the Shingon Buddhist sect and stay in a Buddhist temple there.
• Students will worship with the Japanese Christian community in Kansai, outside of Kyoto, a minority community in Japan.