Located in the Kansai area of Honshu, the largest and most populated island in Japan, Kyoto serves as the capital of Kyoto Prefecture. As of 2020, the city had a population of 1.46 million, making it the ninth-most populous city in Japan. The city is home to more over half (56.8%) of the people in Kyoto Prefecture. With a population estimated at 3.8 million according to the census, the city serves as the cultural hub of the much larger Greater Kyoto metropolitan statistical region (MSA). Together with Osaka and Kobe, it is a component of the even larger Keihanshin metropolitan area. Emperor Kanmu selected Kyoto as the new location of Japan's imperial court in 794, making it one of the country's oldest cities. Heian-kyō, the original city, was laid out according to traditional Chinese feng shui, taking inspiration from the ancient Chinese cities of Chang'an and Luoyang. Up until 1869, Japan's emperors governed from Kyoto for the next eleven centuries. Following the Meiji Restoration, Tokyo replaced Kyoto as the capital. In 1889, the present-day city of Kyoto was created. The city's prewar cultural legacy has mostly survived because it was spared from widespread destruction during World War II. Kyoto is a popular tourist destination and is regarded as Japan's cultural center. The city is home to the national government's agency for cultural affairs. Many Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines, palaces, and gardens may be found there; some of these have been named UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Kyoto is a popular tourist destination because of its traditional festivals, which have been celebrated for more than a millennium.The Aoi Matsuri on May 15 is the first. The Gion Matsuri, one of Japan's three main festivals, takes place two months later in July and ends with a huge procession on July 17. In order to guide the spirits home, Kyoto celebrates the Bon Festival with the Gozan no Okuribi, which involves setting fires on mountains (August 16). The Festival of the Ages, or Jidai Matsuri, is held on October 22 to honor Kyoto's rich history.

Maasai Mara, frequently spelled Masai Mara, and referred to locals as just "The Mara," is a sizable national game reserve in Kenya's Narok County that borders Tanzania's Serengeti National Park. The Maasai people, the region's original occupants who came from the Nile Basin, are honored by the name. From a distance, their description of the region is as follows: "Mara" means "spotted" in the Maa language due to the short, bushy trees that are scattered throughout the terrain. With its populations of lions, leopards, cheetahs, and African bush elephants, the Maasai Mara is one of Africa's wilderness and wildlife protection areas. In addition, it is home to the Great Migration, which has earned it a spot among the ten Wonders of the World and the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa. Depending on the weather, the Great Migration often takes place in July when a huge number of wildebeest migrate from Tanzania across the Mara River. The Maasai Mara National Reserve, the Mara Triangle, a number of Maasai group ranches, and Maasai Mara conservancies are all included in the Greater Mara ecosystem. The Masai Mara, sometimes referred to as "the world's eight world wonders" or one of the most well-known wildlife places in the world, is home to an abundance of species, breathtaking views, and unending plains.The Masai Mara National Reserve, an unfenced reserve with unrestricted wildlife movement, and a number of conservancies comprise the Greater Masai Mara area. Maasai families privately own these parcels of land. The Maasai families who lease their property to safari lodges have the opportunity to use the money they make from the conservancies to fund development or education projects in their communities. The Masai Mara was called in honour of the Maasai people, the traditional residents of the area. 'Mara' means'spotted' in Maasai (Maa) dialect. It won't be difficult to comprehend how the Masai Mara gained its name after visiting. The terrain does appear somewhat'spotted' due to the small, bushy trees that dot it. The environment of the Greater Masai Mara is enormous. It is almost 1510 square kilometers in size. The Serengeti National Park in Tanzania is adjacent to the Maasai Mara, a sizable game reserve in Narok County, Kenya. It is named after the Maasai people, who were the original occupants of the region, and how they described it from a distance: "Mara" means "spotted" in the Maasai language, referring to the numerous trees, plants, cloud shadows, and animals that dotted the terrain.