Iconic monuments of Kyoto

Kodai-ji Temple

In Kyoto, there are several awe-inspiring monuments. One of them is Kodai-ji Temple. It is located in the Hiashiyama-ku area of the city. The temple is a branch of the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism.

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Another renowned landmark is the Kiyomizu-dera temple. This is one of the 17 World Cultural Heritage sites in Kyoto. It is known as the deity of love and marriage.

There are five monzeki temples in Kyoto. During the Edo period, these temples maintained a close relationship with members of the imperial family. A few of these temples are Yasaka-jinja, Kiyomizu-dera, Sanusangendo, and Shogoin.

Iwakura, which means a place where God descends, is a northern part of Kyoto. It was a sacred place for many centuries. Today, the area is a popular tourist spot. If you visit in the autumn, you will be able to enjoy the beautiful colors of the maple leaves. You will also be able to view the seasonal flowers in the pond.

Several types of gardens are found at Kodai-ji. Some of them are stroll gardens. Other famous ones include the dry rock garden, the stone garden, and the pond.

Yasaka-jinja Shrine

There are two iconic monuments in Kyoto that are regarded as being culturally important. The first is the Shinsen-gumi monument which is located on the premises of Kongoji Temple in the Tama district. It was constructed to commemorate two leaders of the Shinsen-gumi. They are also referred to as "Two Heroes Who Sacrificed Their Lives for Justice".

The second is the Mogusa Hachiman Shrine. This temple is dedicated to a statue of Mogusa Hachiman. In September, the shrine is open to the public.

Another interesting monument is the Imado Shrine, which is situated close to Asakusa Station in central Kyoto. This shrine is famous for the money beckoning cat and is said to be a good place to pray for love.

The Tokoji-Ohashi bridge was built over an irrigation canal. Originally, it was constructed in the Edo period. However, villagers worked together to make the bridge more stable. Later, a high quality stone from Izu district was used to reconstruct the monument.

Kyoto Protocol for cutting carbon emissions expires in 2012

The Kyoto Protocol for cutting carbon emissions is set to expire next year. It's been an international treaty that required industrialized nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a certain percentage from 1990 levels. But some nations aren't living up to their promises.

The United Nations climate talks have failed to create a post-Kyoto agreement. Negotiators are hoping to start a new process that includes the US, China and other nations. They'll need to change the focus from mitigation to adaptation. This means shifting the emphasis away from a legal commitment to a global carbon trading market.

For the new pact to be a success, it must include binding targets and goals that are verifiable. These will also need to be economically beneficial to developing countries. In other words, the world's three largest polluters -- the US, China and India -- will have to move toward new legal commitments.

Although the UN hopes to push for a global deal this week, diplomats face an immovable obstacle. That's the fact that the US and China haven't taken the lead.