Kyoto is a beautiful old city, where many go to visit the temples and shrines there.

The first time I went to Kyoto was after an exchange program in Tokyo. I took the shinkansen from Tokyo to Hiroshima to meet up with my friend. First I stopped in Osaka and stayed overnight at a friend’s and caught up over dinner.

In Kyoto, I walked along the canal – the Philosopher’s Path – to the Silver and Golden Pavilions. This tree-lined stone walk goes through the northern part of Kyoto’s Higashiyama district. Called Tetsugaku no Michi, it is named after Kitaro Nishida and Hajime Tanabe, Kyoto University professors who once walked this path in daily meditation.

Golden Pavilion – Kinkaku-ji

Kinkaku-ji is a zen Buddhist temple, the original site dating back to the 14th century and rebuilt in 1955. The Temple of the Golden Pavilion glitters, because of the pure gold leaf that covers the exterior of the upper two floors of its three-story structure. A beautiful site on the water, the Golden Pavilion always comes up when searching online about visiting Kyoto. The first time I went, I only made it to this beautiful temple.

It was the second time walking the path that I also visited the Silver Pavilion, which seems lesser known.

The Philosopher’s Path is a 2-kilometer walk along the Biwako-sosui canal and I remember it fondly, along with the coffee places and small shops. On my last trip, I purchased a few small hand towels – so cute, it’s hard to resist buying souvenirs in Japan.

Fushimi Inari-Taisha Shrine 伏見稲荷大社

On this trip with my family, we did not go to either of these temples. Instead, we headed to Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine. It’s probably most well-known for the 5,000+ torii gates, each a donation. The donor’s name is inscribed in black ink. A scene of winding orange through the hills behind the shrine, into the sacred forest of Mount Inari.

After breakfast, four of us took the train to the Shrine. My dad wanted to relax in the hotel, and to try some of the ramen houses nearby. My mom was eager to go and say prayers for the three of us.

This shrine in southern Kyoto is dedicated to the Shinto god of rice, Inari. The fox statues represent Inari’s messengers. Walking from the station, we just followed the crowds headed to the shrine, stopping at the stalls outside the grounds. As we approached the shrine, delicious smells met us and we grabbed some quick snacks. We also lingered at a stall selling wooden spoons. There’s just something about the feel of handmade wooden spoons. So we left with several.

After some prayers, donations, and Omamori お守り or lucky charms, we walked on the trail through the torii gates. The hike that continues onto the summit takes another couple of hours which sounded great for another time. My mom wanted to go shopping, my brother had plans to go on his own temple and shrine visit, as well as Arashiyama Bamboo Grove 嵐山竹林. Located in the west side of Kyoto, the 30-minute or so trip is well worth it. While you’re in the area, maybe drop by the Tenzan-no-yu Onsen for their natural hot spring and a meal.

Having visited the bamboo grove years ago, I remember it to be beautiful, with the dappled light. I happened to be there when it was surprisingly quiet and empty, which adds to its otherworldliness. The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is certainly an iconic Kyoto sight. It is just a short walk from Saga-Arashiyama Station (JR Sagano Line). You can also start at Tenryuji Temple 天龍寺, which is close to Arashiyama Station on the Keifuku Line. Visit this temple, built in 1339, for its traditional Japanese garden.

Yasaka Shrine 八坂神社

Also known as Gion Shrine, Yasaka Jinja is a must-see in Kyoto. In the evenings, hundreds of lanterns get lit, each with the name of a local business who’s donated. These stand on a dance stage in front of the main hall.

Gion Shrine is also famous for the Gion Matsuri, a festival that goes for the entire month of July and dates back thousand plus years. It started as an appeasement of the gods during an epidemic. During this festival there is a float procession (Yamaboko Junko) with large traditional floats decorated for different themes. Some of them are so big that street lights, made specifically to accommodate the festival, are folded up.

I went with my brother and sister one night to visit this shrine and visited the Gion district. This is the most famous Geisha district in the city and is bordered by Yasaka Shrine and Kamo River on Shijo Avenue.

We saw geiko and maiko on their way to work. Seeing them in their beautiful kimonos against the backdrop of the historic architecture is quite a photo op that many can’t resist which has led to problems with tourists.

However, from April 2024, access to the alleys where the geisha houses are located, is restricted to residents, geishas, and clients. Due to disrespectful behaviour, foreigners are now banned. It’s unbelievable what people were fined for – entering private homes and even physical harassment.

The public can still visit the centre of the geisha district, Hanami-koji Street, and some of the streets from there. Many streets are lined by machiya, or wooden townhouses. These days, while many remain homes, many are shops and art galleries. As a visitor you can still book reservations in restaurants on the small streets off of Hanami-koji. On-the-spot fines, however, will be given if these new rules are broken. As a reminder there are already existing laws to protect the geisha, maiko, and the environment. There is no touching, following, or taking photos without permission from the geisha and no littering. It would seem simple.  

As a travel photographer, respect for locals gets learned, if it is not ingrained. With language barriers, it’s not always easy to ask for permission. When someone waves you off or yells at you, it’s clear they don’t want to be photographed. People are not for entertainment or for our amusement. And not for growing your social media. Unpaid work that creatives have always railed against, for good reasons.

At the Gion Shrine, even though it was night, many people were there. The lit lanterns was quite a sight. The energy however felt dense and I was chanting the whole time. After walking through the grounds and taking some photos, it was time to meet our mom at the department shop to head back to the hotel.

Kyoto is a beautiful historic city in Japan. It’s one of my favourites to visit and over the years, I’ve been there a few times and each time I got to explore a different part of the city, seeing different temples. Kyoto has a very different energy than other cities, especially Tokyo.

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