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      Geishas in the Gion district

      MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR STAY

      Part of the enduring charm of Kyoto and Nara is that no matter how long you stay or how often you return, Japan’s former capitals always manage to keep providing something new to discover. One day it could be a temple garden you’ve previously missed, the next a new taste of Japan’s culinary heritage or a snaking side street that leads into the past. Of course, most people don’t have the luxury of spending a month or even a fortnight immersing themselves in the two cities, so what to do and see if (like most visitors) your time in Kyoto and Nara is short?

      Your first day could start with two of Kyoto’s star attractions, beginning with Ryoan-ji temple’s cryptic Zen garden (page 10 for details of Ryoan-ji; Chapter 2, page 22 for the full day trip around Northwestern Kyoto) and then taking in the magnificent gilded temple of Kinkaku-ji (page 9) before heading to the gardens at the Daitoku-ji temple complex and finishing among the local crafts of the Nishijin Textile Center (page 24).

      On your second day, you could wander from Kiyomizu Temple (page 11) through some of Kyoto’s most atmospheric (and shop-filled) backstreets to Chion-in Temple (Chapter 1, page 26 for this day out). Another day could start at Nijo Castle (Chapter 2, page 33 for this day out), stop by Kyoto Imperial Palace (page 33) and then go shopping mad with a look around Nishiki-koji food market (page 34) to take in the city’s culinary sights and smells and then more retail therapy in the Teramachi arcade, along Shijo-dori and in the Kawaramachi area.

      Alternatively, you could opt for a visit to Kinkaku-ji’s understated cousin, the sublime Ginkaku-ji (page 16) in northeastern Kyoto and then stroll the historic Philosopher’s Path south toward the imposing Heian Jingu (with a possible detour to the Nanzen-ji Temple complex on route) before ending the day at the museums and galleries around Okazaki-koen (page 36 for this day out).

      If you have time, you could also have a day trip south of Kyoto (Chapter 2, page 44) to visit the gardens of Tofuku-ji Temple, the sprawling Fushimi Inari Shrine and the town of Uji, known for its green tea and the site of the historic Byodo-in Temple (the temple on the back of the ¥10 coin). Or you could head west to the Arashiyama area (Chapter 2, page 40), which is most famous for its bamboo groves but also has some spectacular temples and shrines.

      Then there is Nara (Chapter 2, page 48), Japan’s capital before Kyoto in the 8th century and home to several World Heritage-designated temples. Whether you opt to visit as a day trip from Kyoto, as most people do, or take your time with an overnight stay, the city that is often called the “birthplace of Japanese civilization” adds a calming contrast to Kyoto. And for anyone who needs a break from tradition, Japan’s second city, Osaka (page 52), can also be visited in a whirlwind day trip from Kyoto. Whichever options you choose, Kyoto and Nara won’t disappoint.

      1 Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion

      The defining image of Kyoto, now a World Heritage Site

      Whether it’s accented by a light coating of snow in winter or basking in the clear blue skies of summer, the gilded temple of Kinkaku-ji remains a captivating sight year round. Nothing, save perhaps the sight of a geisha shuffling between teahouses in Gion, says “Kyoto” quite like it.

      Originally built in 1397 as a villa for shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, before being repurposed as a Zen temple after Yoshimitsu’s death, what might come as a surprise is that the current incarnation of Kinkaku-ji only actually dates to the mid-1950s, the original having been burned down by a young monk in 1950—an event which sent Japan almost into national mourning. Once the shock waves had passed, however, it didn’t take long for the temple to rise again. By 1955 it had been rebuilt to original specifications with the exception of the gilding that now covers the top two stories—that had to wait until 1987, when Japan’s post-war economic miracle was in full swing.

      While that gilding and the shimmering reflection it casts over the pond in front of Kinkaku-ji are undoubtedly the most striking features (and the main reason Kinkaku-ji is one of Kyoto’s most-visited sights), the structure itself is also a fascinating blend of styles. The third story is in the traditional Chinese cha’an style, the second in the buke-zukuri (a style common with warrior aristocrat residences) and the first floor the 11th-century shinden-zukuri style. With all those components combining with such effect, it’s not hard to see why, despite its age, Kinkaku-ji was one of the 17 sites in Kyoto that received joint World Heritage status in 1994.

      Opening Times Daily from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Getting There You can take bus #101 or #205 to the Kinkaku-ji Michi bus stop or #59 and #12 to the Kinkaku-ji Mae bus stop. It’s a short, well-marked route to the temple from either bus stop.Contact www.shokoku-ji.jp Admission Fee ¥400. While in the area Combine a trip to Kinkaku-ji with a day out in northwestern Kyoto (page 22) that also takes in the Zen rock garden at Ryoan-ji, the gardens of Daitoku-ji, and the Nishijin Textile Center.

      2 Ryoan-ji’s Zen Rock Garden

      Japan’s most enigmatic sight

      Before the tour buses begin their daily procession to Ryoan-ji, the fleeting calm before the storm at the temple offers early birds a moment of Zen contemplation in the peace and quiet the designer of Ryoan-ji’s garden likely intended. And there’s plenty to contemplate from the wooden steps beside the garden at this UNESCO World Heritage site. Despite years of study and argument, nobody knows for sure when the garden was made or who made it, nor can anybody agree on what the designer was trying to express.

      The karesansui (dry landscape) garden only measures 30 by 10 meters (100 x 30 feet), but the cryptic manner in which its 15 rocks are arranged on a bed of off-white sand within that rectangle have been argued to represent all sorts of things—from small islands on an ocean to a tiger carrying a cub across a river and even a map of Chinese Zen monasteries. As for the who and when of the garden’s creation, the garden was most likely created just after the bloody Onin War of 1467–77, after which much of Kyoto had to be rebuilt, and judging by the style and historical records the man behind it is most likely an artist and landscape gardener called Soami, even though the names of other landscapers are carved into some of the garden’s rocks.

      Whoever

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