Filled with the highest concentration of temples, shrines and gardens of any part of the city, Higashiyama has been charming visitors for centuries. If you only have one day to explore Kyoto, this guided walk comes highly recommended.

We begin the day by exploring Sanjusangendo, one of Kyoto’s most fascinating temples, to learn about its unique relationship with both Hinduism and Buddhism while marvelling at the 1,001 Kannon statues housed in Japan’s longest wooden building – a truly impressive sight!

From there we make our way through the beautiful cobbled streets of Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka, home to Kyoto’s best preserved neighbourhood, to learn about its captivating history while taking time to appreciate Yasaka pagoda, the surrounding artisans shops and also sample some of Kyoto’s tastiest street food. We then take the quiet backstreets to Maruyama park, particularly pretty in cherry blossom season, before calling in to Chion-in to discover its imposing gates and exquisite inner temples. 

After taking lunch, we head to Heian shrine to experience the special connection this area has with the city then make our way to Nanzen-ji temple complex to explore its incredible architecture and beautiful zen gardens. The views of the nearby sub-temples and lush Higashiyama mountains from the top of Nanzen-ji’s 17th century gate are always a highlight, particularly in spring and autumn! We also take in Kyoto’s most famous aqueduct, a true engineering phenomenon, before finishing with a stroll along the picturesque Philosopher’s Path to discover the area’s traditional craft shops and meet the friendly store owners.