The nippy air whipped around and we breathed little puffs of clouds. Snugly cocooned in coats, scarves, hats and gloves, my travel companions and I revelled in the cold after the tropical heat back home in Singapore. Our guide for the day, Ms Sake, was full of smiles as she greeted the group in melodiously accented English on the coach turning out of the New Miyako Hotel.

At 8.30am, the city seemed to be slowly awakening, relaxed and serene. Office workers moved leisurely along the sidewalks either on foot or on bicycle. Quaint old houses lined the streets, completing the nostalgic, dreamy feel of the place.

Kyoto features old-style architecture and structures left unmolested by air raids during World War II.

Though it has only 1.47 million inhabitants, slightly more than 1 per cent of Japan's total population, Kyoto is considered one of the most influential cities in the country.

There are 2,000 Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines in Kyoto, besides venerable palaces and lovely landscaped gardens. Among them, places like Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Nijo Castle and the magnificent Kinkaku-ji of Rokuon-ji Temple form part of the "historic monuments of ancient Kyoto", designated as a Unesco World Heritage site.

Kiyomizu Temple

Kiyomizu-dera Temple

The Otowasan Kiyomizu-dera (Clear Water Temple on Sound-of-Feathers Mountain) takes its name from a waterfall that springs from deep within Mt Otowa, part of the Higashiyama mountain range.

The temple was a humble thatched hut 1,200 years ago. Over the years, it has been rebuilt many times and the bulk of the present structures were erected in 1633.

The main hall of the Kiyomizu-dera juts out over the hillside and it is supported by a vast network of wooden pillars. Beneath the hall, the Sound-of-Feathers Waterfall, or Otowa-no-taki, flows out in three channels into a pond. Visitors can use the long-handled metal scoops available there to collect the clear, sweet water.

According to our guide, one gains good looks, love or wealth in drinking from the three streams. But, she says, the person who drinks from all three streams is just plain greedy!

There are many other shrines within the temple complex. Popular among the young girls is the Jishu-jinja, a shrine dedicated to love.

Within it is a pair of "love stones" placed 18 metres apart. Legend goes that if you manage to walk with your eyes closed from one stone to the other, you will succeed in finding love.

Nijo Castle

Built in 1603 as the official Kyoto residence of the first Tokugawa shogun, Ieyasu, the castle was completed in 1626 by the third Tokugawa shogun, Iemitsu. The castle is built in the style of the early Edo period, and features many elaborate screen paintings and intricate wooden carvings.

Top: Kinkakuji Temple. Bottom: Nijo Castle

When you visit the place and walk along the corridors of the Ninomaru Palace, listen out for light high-pitched squeaking. Called a Nightingale floor, the corridor was designed to alert palace guards of any intruders including ninjas, who are highly-skilled assassins or spies.

In 1867, the imperial family took over the premises when Yoshinobu, the 15th shogun, handed power to the emperor.

Kinkaku-ji

The Kinkaku-ji or golden pavilion is deservedly the main attraction of the Rokuon-ji Temple. The Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu started building it three years after his retirement in 1394 and it is dazzling. It sits grandly on a landscaped mirrorlike pond, and both the second and third floors are covered with pure gold leaves on expensive Japanese lacquer.

Heian Jingu Shrine

Kyoto was once called Heiankyo or Heian Capital, and the Heian Jingu Shrine is dedicated to the first and last emperors who ruled from Kyoto - Emperor Kammu and Emperor Komei.

The shrine was constructed in 1895 as a partial replica of the Chodo-in, the main administration building of Heian Capital.

Additional structures were added in 1940, and some restored after a fire in 1976.

Beautiful gardens surround the shrine on four sides and are often used as backdrops for wedding pictures. The Shinto priest also conducts traditional wedding ceremonies at the shrine, during which the couples are purified, drink sake and make symbolic offerings to the kami, the Shinto god of the shrine.

The southern garden is famous for its cherry trees which blossom in spring with pink flowers on overhanging branches, presenting a breathtaking sight to visitors the world over.

Going back in time Kyoto overflows with culture and history, which offer glimpses into the soul of a nation.

The trip was sponsored by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Japan, through its non-profit organisation established to promote international cooperation in the transport sector, Japan Transport Cooperation Association (www.jtca.or.jp)