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CHAPTER 2

EXPLORING KYOTO & NARA

You could explore Japan’s two ancient capitals for years and still keep discovering new facets of the cities’ rich past and present with each visit. To encounter the most memorable and worthwhile of places and experiences in both, we’ve broken Kyoto, Nara and nearby areas into nine different (mostly) day-long excursions, starting with a day that takes in Ryoan-ji and Kinkaku-ji temples and finally a day trip or overnighter to Nara. In case you need a break from tradition, we’ve also included a whirlwind day trip to Japan’s second city, the always energetic Osaka.

1 Northwestern Kyoto 2 Southeastern Kyoto

3 Exploring Gion

4 Central Kyoto

5 Northeastern Kyoto

6 Arashiyama

7 Southern Kyoto

8 Exploring Nara

9 Day Trip to Osaka

Ginkaku-ji Temple

Arashiyama

Ryoan-ji Temple

Byodo-in Temple

Nishiki-koji food market

Kiyomizu Temple

Ryoan-ji Temple’s Zen rock garden

NORTHWESTERN KYOTO

World Heritage temples Ryoan-ji and Kinkaku-ji and traditional crafts

See pull-out map H7; P15

When Ryoan-ji temple in northwestern Kyoto opens its doors at 8 a.m., there’s a brief window of opportunity to have one of Kyoto’s most photographed sights almost to yourself. Before the bus tours descend, bringing groups of school children and tour parties following their flag-carrying guides, you can imagine what it would have been like centuries ago to sit on the wooden decking outside the temple’s small, main building and contemplate the meaning behind Ryoanji’s famed Zen rock garden. Theories abound about the placement of the rocks and the way the garden is raked (see page 10), but what is undisputed is how captivating the small (it’s only 30 by 10 meters/100 x 30 feet) patch of landscaping can be. If you get to Ryoan-ji early enough, just ten minutes of peace and quiet here is a great way to start a day exploring the main sights of north and northwest Kyoto.

You won’t need more than 30 to 45 minutes to check out the garden at Ryoanji and then stroll around its pond, so afterwards head on to Kinkaku-ji (page 9) and you might also miss the worst of the crowds there. To get there you can walk north-east for 20 minutes through fairly nondescript areas, hop into one of the taxis loitering outside of Ryoan-ji or catch buses #12 or #59 to Kinkaku-ji Michi bus stop. Even if you get there later in the day and end up sharing the gilded Kinkaku-ji with hundreds of others, it is still more than worth a visit. Built in the Muromachi Period (1337–1573—a halcyon age for garden design in Japan—this Zen temple is another attraction that, once there, doesn’t really need much more than 30 to 45 minutes, because the main event is simply to stand and stare at the magnificent gilded pavilion as it casts its shimmering reflection into the landscaped pond that stretches out before it. All year it is a stunning sight, whether dusted with snow or backed by lush summer greenery under blue skies.

Far less crowded is the Daitoku-ji temple complex (open dawn to dusk; free, but individual gardens charge a fee), which makes a good next stop on a day out in northwest Kyoto. Comprised of more than 20 temples, slowly strolling around Daitoku-ji offers a window into the calm world of Zen and in particular Zen landscaping and layout. The eponymous Daitoku-ji itself, which was founded in the 1300s (though the oldest buildings date to the 1500s) is a study of classic Zen planning, with a giant two-tier gateway (the Sanmon), a Buddha Hall (Butsuden), a sutra library (Kyozo), Abbot’s quarters (Hojo), and Dharma hall (Hatto). The gardens in some of the sub-temples, however, are the highlight of Daitoku-ji. Set in a bamboo grove, the mossy garden at Koto-in temple (¥400; at 9 a.m.–4.30 p.m.) is especially pretty when accented by autumn colors and it has a lovely tatami mat area that opens up to a wooden veranda from which to take it all in. Likewise the karesansui (dry landscaped garden) at Daisen-in (¥400; at least 9 a.m.–4.30 p.m) captivates with a cryptic raked layout like that at Ryoan-ji, while other sub-temples like Ryogen-in (¥350; 9 a.m.–4.30 p.m.) and Obai-in (open only in spring and fall; ¥600) manage to combine bamboo grove, ancient mossy paths and dry landscaping to striking effect. Time and admission fees make visiting all of them a no-no for most people, so if there is time for just one, I’d opt for Koto-in or Obai-in.

Kinkaku-ji

Ryogen-in Temple

The entrance to Koto-in

After Ryoan-ji, Kinkaku-ji and Daitokuji (if you do them all), you could be forgiven for being “templed out”. Nearby Nishijin, Kyoto’s historic textile center, is a nice change of scene. About one kilometer south of Daitoku-ji, a good place to start exploring Nishijin is at the Nishijin Textile Center (www.nishijin.or.jp), which as well as having fabrics on display and hosting weaving demonstrations, has almost hourly kimono shows and (at a cost) the opportunity to have a go at weaving and try on kimono. Yes, it is touristy, but it is still a fun introduction to Nishijin’s 1,000-year fabric history, and they also have quite a lot of kimono and other fabrics on sale. Away from the textile center the Nishijin district itself is a pleasant place to walk around, with the area’s old machiya houses often providing an atmospheric old location to stop for something to eat or drink—places like the former bathhouse turned cafe Sarasa Nishijin (sarasan2.exblog.jp; noon–11 p.m.; closed Wed; about 500m/1,640 ft south of Daitokuji).

Matcha green tea served with a sweet

There are also places to get a less touristy look at Nishijin’s textiles. Orinasukan (Tues to Sun, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; ¥500) is a lovely little museum focused on Nishijin textiles that is housed in an old textile workshop, and across the road there is a small gallery (Susamei-sha) that exhibits a beautiful collection of kimono. Also in the area is the Urasenke Chado Research Center (www.urasenke.or.jp), the nation’s largest tea ceremony school, which has good exhibitions on the tea ceremony and such things as tea ceremony utensils.

Just be noted that it’s not the kind of place you can pop into for a one-off tea ceremony experience in English; for that, have a look at page 78 (Best Cultural Experiences) in Chapter 3, where we’ve listed a few of the best teahouses that offer easily accessible tea ceremony classes and experiences.

Main sights The Zen garden at Ryoan-ji, the gilded Kinkaku-ji, the gardens at the Daitoku-ji temple complex, and the Nishijin Textile Center. Time Required At least half a day and it is best to start early to avoid the crowds. Getting There Start at Ryoan-ji, which is served by bus #59 (Ryoan-ji mae bus stop) and #55 or #50 (both Ritsumeikan Daigaku-mae bus stop; 7-minute walk). Where to Eat Wait until you are in the Daitoku-ji and Nishijin areas, as there are quite a few nice cafes and restaurants there that are housed in traditional buildings. Insider Tip For a bit of variety, this part of Kyoto is also home to the kitschy Eigamura (page 75), the theme park run by the TOEI movie studios. Some 200 films and TV shows are shot each year in the Edo era-themed sets here, so you might see some movie action while strolling around (in Edo-era costumes if the urge takes you). Whether there is filming going on or not, the daily ninja shows are very over-the-top and well worth watching.

Kimono fashion at the Nishijin Textile Center

SOUTHEASTERN KYOTO

Exploring Kyoto’s atmospheric backstreets from Kiyomizu to Chion-in

See pull-out map L10–L9; Q16

The southern Higashiyama area of Kyoto, located east of central Kyoto over the Kamogawa River and with wooded hills lining its eastern side, is packed with attractions all within easy walking distance of each other, from the World Heritage-designated Kiyomizu Temple and the lanes full of old stores that lead off it, to the historic Yasaka Shrine, Maruyama Park and Chion-in Temple.