Steep alley in Higashiyama, Kyoto

For a city concerned about preserving its tradition (see the Kyoto Tower controversy), Kyoto has actually only a few well preserved traditional areas. Much of Kyoto's charm comes from its huge number of old temples and shrines, but these are private, enclosed areas. There are not many public streets with really old buildings, preserving the traditional feeling.

From this point of view, the most valuable streets are those from Gion, with buildings from the end of the Edo Period and the ones from Higashiyama, with buildings preserved from the Taisho period (1912-1926).

In today's photo is my favorite place from Higashiyama, one of the steep alleys located between the Kyomizu-dera and the Yasaka pagoda, filled with traditional restaurants and shops with traditional merchandise... probably the best area in Kyoto for souvenir shopping.