KYÖTO — According to the website of the U.S. magazine, Travel + Leisure, readers ranked Kyöto first in a 2014 poll of the world’s best cities. An ancient Japanese capital, Kyöto is known for its centuries-old temples and shrines. It ranked ninth in 2012, becoming the first Japanese city to break into the top 10.
In the latest poll, Kyöto scored 90.21 points, followed by Charleston, South Carolina (90.18); Florence, Italy (89.99); and Siem Reap, Cambodia (89.82).
In 2013, Kyöto received a record 51.62 million tourists, according to the city. Kyöto hotels and inns accommodated 1.13 million foreign travelers, topping the 1 million mark for the first time.
A Kyöto city official credited its promotion of washoku, or Japanese cuisine, and cultural traditions for the large number of tourists.
