4 days of temples, tea and quiet corners in Kyoto

Start at first light under the red gates of Fushimi Inari, then cross town to the long hall of Sanjusangen-do and the wooden stage of Kiyomizu-dera. Finish in the old lanes of Gion as the lanterns come on.

1. 1
   MorningWorth the time, go early

   Fushimi Inari Taisha

   The shrine of thousands of bright red gates that climb the forested hill behind it. Go at first light, when the path is quiet and the light comes through the gates in stripes. You can turn back at any point, so walk as far as feels right.

   Go when First light, or the late afternoon, when the crowds thin and the lanterns start to glow. The lower gates are busy all day.

   Local tip The full climb to the summit takes a couple of hours. Most people turn back at the first big viewpoint, and that is a fine plan. Wear shoes you can walk in.

   

2. Treat

   Inari sushi

   The shrine is the home of the fox spirits, and its food is inari sushi: sweet, soft pockets of fried tofu, filled with rice. The lane outside the gates has small stalls selling it and grilled snacks.

   Local tip Buy a few and eat them on the steps in the shade, then keep going up the hill.

   

   About 9 min by car or transit2.3 km
3. 2
   MiddayWorth the time

   Sanjusangen-do

   A very long wooden hall holding one thousand and one standing figures of the goddess Kannon, in rows that seem to go on forever. Quiet, cool inside and easy to see in an hour, a good place to be out of the weather. Check ahead for visiting times.

   Go when Late morning, when the light falls along the hall and the rows of golden figures glow.

   Local tip Walk the whole length slowly and look at the faces, one by one. Check ahead about photos inside, and for visiting times.

   

4. Lunch

   A teishoku set lunch

   A teishoku is the Japanese set meal: grilled fish or a cutlet, rice, miso soup and small side dishes with pickles. It is good, filling and quick, and an easy choice for a first day.

   Local tip Look for the small family places with plastic food in the window, a few streets from the main sights.

   

   About 18 min walk1.4 km
5. 3
   AfternoonWorth the time

   Kiyomizu-dera

   The hillside temple with a great wooden stage that juts out over the trees, with the city spread out below. The walk up the old lanes of Higashiyama is half the pleasure. Check ahead for evening openings in spring and autumn.

   Go when Late afternoon, with the sun lower and the city turning gold below the stage.

   Local tip Follow the main path through the whole grounds rather than just the stage, and walk down to the waterfall below it. Check ahead for evening openings.

   

   About 17 min walk1.4 km
6. 4
   EveningWorth the time

   Gion and Hanamikoji Street

   The old teahouse district, where wooden fronts and paper lanterns line Hanamikoji Street. Geiko and maiko still live and work here. Walk the public streets, give them room, and never block their path for a photo.

   Go when Early evening, when the lanterns come on and the streets are soft and quiet.

   Local tip These streets are people’s homes and workplaces. Keep your voice low, do not follow or photograph geiko without asking, and stay out of the private lanes.

   

7. Dinner

   Obanzai, Kyoto home cooking

   Obanzai is Kyoto’s everyday home cooking: small plates of simmered vegetables, tofu, pickles and fish, made with the season in mind. It is gentle, savory and shared.

   Local tip Sit at the counter if you can, and order a few small plates to share. Book ahead for a table in the evening.

   

A day in the west: the bamboo grove and the Zen garden of Tenryu-ji in Arashiyama, then the little tram to the stone garden of Ryoan-ji and the Golden Pavilion of Kinkaku-ji, last in the low afternoon light.

1. Travel from Gion and Hanamikoji StreetAbout 23 min by car or transit9.5 km

   Where Day 1 ended.
2. 1
   MorningWorth a short stop

   Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

   A short path through towering green bamboo that creaks and sways overhead. It is small, so go early, before the tour groups, and walk through slowly. Then go on to the garden next door.

   Go when The first hour of the day. After mid-morning it fills up and the walk becomes a slow shuffle.

   Local tip The path is short, so it is as much about the sound as the sight. Keep going past the grove to the quiet streets and the river beyond, where the crowds thin.

   

3. Treat

   Matcha and sweets

   Arashiyama is full of small tea shops serving thick green matcha ice cream, soft rice dumplings and warm tea. A sweet, quiet pause after the bamboo path.

   Local tip Take your tea sitting down, away from the busiest street, and let the morning slow.

   

   About 3 min walk0.3 km
4. 2
   MiddayWorth the time

   Tenryu-ji

   A Zen temple with a large pond garden, with the hills of Arashiyama as its backdrop. Sit on the veranda for a while, and leave by the back gate, which opens straight into the bamboo grove.

   Go when Late morning, when the pond garden is bright and the hills behind it are clear.

   Local tip Sit on the veranda facing the pond for a few minutes before you walk the garden path. Check ahead if you want to see inside the main halls.

   

5. Lunch

   A temple vegetarian meal

   Kyoto’s temples have a long tradition of vegetarian cooking called shojin ryori: tofu, seasonal vegetables and sesame in small, beautiful dishes. A calm, light lunch after the garden.

   Local tip Book ahead if you can, as places are few, and expect to sit for a while. Many shops near the temple serve a simpler tofu set.

   About 10 min by car6.7 km
6. 3
   AfternoonPick a quiet hour

   Ryoan-ji

   A Zen temple famous for its rock garden: fifteen stones in a sea of raked gravel, with nothing explained. Sit on the wooden porch and let your eyes settle. It rewards slowness, and a quiet hour.

   Go when Early in the day or a weekday afternoon, when you can have a place on the porch to yourself.

   Local tip There are fifteen stones, but it is said you can only see fourteen from any one seat. Sit, look, and let the garden do the rest. The grounds around the pond are lovely too.

   

   About 14 min walk1.1 km
7. 4
   EveningWorth the time

   Kinkaku-ji

   The Golden Pavilion, a temple covered in gold leaf, standing over a still pond. Go in the last open hours, when the low sun sets the gold glowing. Check ahead for closing times, which change with the season.

   Go when The last open hour or two of the day, when the low sun lights the gold and the pond is still.

   Local tip It is a set route of about half an hour, and it gets crowded. Take your photo from the pond’s edge, then walk on to see the tea garden at the end of the path.

   

8. Dinner

   A bowl of ramen

   Kyoto’s ramen is rich and savory, with a deep broth and thin noodles. A hot, simple supper after a day of walking.

   Local tip Go a little early, since the best shops have a line, and eat the noodles quickly while they are hot.

   

The middle of the city, on foot and by subway: the shoguns’ castle and its creaking floors, the emperors’ old palace and park, the covered food street of Nishiki Market, and the riverbank at dusk.

1. Travel from Kinkaku-jiAbout 11 min by car or transit3.3 km

   Where Day 2 ended.
2. 1
   MorningWorth the time

   Nijo Castle

   The shoguns’ Kyoto castle, built in the early 1600s, with painted sliding doors, golden screens and the “nightingale” floors that sing underfoot. The palace rooms are the heart of the visit, and the garden is lovely too. Go early.

   Go when The first slot of the day, before the tour groups arrive.

   Local tip Listen for the floors: they chirp like birds as you walk, made that way to warn of intruders. Check ahead about photos inside the palace, and for closing days.

   

   About 23 min walk1.8 km
3. 2
   MiddayCheck ahead for entry

   Kyoto Imperial Palace

   The old home of Japan’s emperors, in a wide, shady park in the middle of the city. Check ahead how visits to the palace itself are arranged, as they may need an application. The park is a quiet place to walk and rest in any case.

   Go when Late morning, when the gravel paths in the park are quiet and the light is clear.

   Local tip Check ahead how visits to the palace are arranged, as it may need an application. If it is not open to you, the park around it is free to walk and well worth the stroll.

   

4. Lunch

   Udon or soba noodles

   Thick wheat udon or thin buckwheat soba, served hot in a clear savory broth or cold with a dipping sauce. A quick and comforting lunch.

   Local tip Slurping is polite, and quick. Add a little seven-spice from the table for warmth.

   

   About 9 min by car or transit2.3 km
5. 3
   AfternoonWorth a short stop

   Nishiki Market

   A narrow covered street about four blocks long, called the kitchen of Kyoto, lined with stalls of pickles, tofu, seafood, sweets and knives. Look, taste a little and move along. It is crowded at midday, so go early or late in the afternoon.

   Go when Early afternoon, or just after it opens in the morning. It is busiest at midday.

   Local tip It is a place for tasting, not a meal. Take small bites, eat them beside the stall rather than as you walk, and keep your bag close in the crowds.

   

6. Treat

   Market tastings

   Nishiki is a street for small tastings: pickles, a sweet rolled omelet on a stick, tiny fish, soy milk doughnuts and skewers. Taste a few things instead of sitting down to a meal.

   Local tip Eat beside the stall you bought from, rather than walking as you eat, which is the polite way in the market.

   About 5 min walk0.4 km
7. 4
   EveningWorth the time

   Kamo River banks

   The wide, low river that runs through the east of the city, with stone steps and paths where people sit with a drink and watch the water. In the early evening it is the calmest place in town. Walk upstream a little for the quiet.

   Go when Early evening, before sunset (about 4:51 PM), when the light is low and the lanterns come on along the banks.

   Local tip Pick up something to eat and sit on the stone steps with the locals. The walk upstream from the main bridges is quieter and good for a long stroll.

   

8. Dinner

   Yakitori and izakaya plates

   An izakaya is a casual Japanese pub: grilled chicken skewers, fried things, salads and a cold drink, shared in the evening. A lively, easy dinner.

   Local tip Order a few plates at a time and add more as you go. Many places near the river have a short wait, so go early.

   

A slow day in the northern hills of Higashiyama: the Silver Pavilion, the canal path under its trees, the great gate of Nanzen-ji, and the shrine with the giant red gate, near the end of the day.

1. Travel from Kamo River banksAbout 12 min by car or transit3.5 km

   Where Day 3 ended.
2. 1
   MorningWorth the time

   Ginkaku-ji

   The Silver Pavilion, a small, plain wooden temple with a garden of raked white sand and moss, at the top of the canal path. It never was silver, and the quiet beauty is the point. Go early, since the paths are narrow.

   Go when First thing in the morning, when the sand garden is empty and the moss is green.

   Local tip The route is one way and takes about half an hour. Climb the short path to the hilltop viewpoint at the end for a look back over the temple and the city.

   

   About 3 min walk0.3 km
3. 2
   MiddayWorth the time

   Philosopher’s Path

   A stone path along a narrow canal under cherry and maple trees, about two kilometers long, named for a philosopher who walked it to think. Stroll south from the Silver Pavilion with small shrines and cafes along the way.

   Go when Late morning, once the first rush has passed and the dappled light falls on the canal.

   Local tip Do not rush the whole length. Stop at the small shrines and cafes, and cross a bridge or two to see the lanes beside the path.

   

4. Lunch

   Yudofu, simmered tofu

   Yudofu is tofu simmered in a hot pot with a dipping sauce, a Kyoto speciality that comes from its temple cooking and good water. Warm and gentle, especially near Nanzen-ji.

   Local tip Sit for the full set and take your time. It is a quiet, slow lunch in a tatami room.

   

   About 18 min walk1.5 km
5. 3
   AfternoonWorth the time

   Nanzen-ji

   A great Zen temple at the foot of the hills, with a huge wooden gate, quiet halls and gardens, and a brick aqueduct that curves through the grounds. Take your time and sit in the hall gardens. Check ahead for closing time.

   Go when Mid afternoon, when the big gate and the aqueduct sit in soft light and the halls are quiet.

   Local tip Climb the great gate if it is open for a view across the hills, and walk under the brick aqueduct, a surprise in an old temple. Check ahead for closing time.

   

6. Treat

   Wagashi and tea

   Wagashi are delicate Japanese sweets made of bean paste and rice, shaped to match the season. Eaten with a bowl of green tea, they are the taste of Kyoto in a small bite.

   Local tip Choose the seasonal sweet, and take the tea slowly. A tea house near the temples is the place.

   

   About 15 min walk1.2 km
7. 4
   EveningWorth a short stop

   Heian Shrine

   A grand shrine of vermilion halls, a wide gravel courtyard and a huge red gate that is one of the sights of Kyoto. The garden behind it is calm. If the grounds have closed, the great gate and the canal beside it are still good to see at dusk.

   Go when Late afternoon, with the low light on the vermilion halls. Check ahead for closing time.

   Local tip The huge red gate stands outside the grounds, on a wide avenue, and is best seen from a distance. The garden behind the shrine is quieter than the courtyard.

   

8. Dinner

   Kaiseki, a multi-course dinner

   Kaiseki is Kyoto’s fine dining: a long series of small, careful dishes, each one built around the season. A special last evening, and a treat for the end of the trip.

   Local tip Book well ahead, and tell the restaurant about any allergies when you reserve. Lunch is a gentler way to try it.