Kyoto has an abundance of old temples and shrines, tiny historic streets and restaurants with an ancient Japanese flavour. However the completion of the new Kyoto Station marked the beginning of a new era of high-rise developments in the city and has been instrumental in modernising attitudes. The Kyoto Station, realised by Hiroshi Hara, is the major transportation hub in western Japan. The station's structure, a stunning combination of glass and steel and with colossal public space, is a great piece of architecture even if it is not very famous.
