Traversing Kyoto's Scenic West - Arashiyama to Kinkakuji

Our journey begins at 09:00 at JR Kyoto Station. The first destination is Tenryuji. It is the most significant temple in the Arashiyama area of western Kyoto. It is currently registered as a World Heritage Site. Tenryuji is the head temple of the Rinzai sect.

After spending some time at the temple, we will head through the bamboo grove to Togetsukyo Bridge. Togetsukyo Bridge has been a landmark in the Arashiyama area for over 400 years. A wooden bridge spanning the Katsuragawa River in front of Arashiyama offers a wonderful view.

It is your lunch time! There are many restaurants and food stalls along the river. You can either sit in a restaurant or try different types of street food. If you finish lunch before the meeting time, you can buy souvenirs at the lively shopping street.

Once you have had your fill of delicious food, our afternoon begins with a traditional Japanese art experience – koboshi. They are traditional Japanese dolls dating back to the 14th century. They are generally considered good luck charms that symbolise resilience.

Our next destination after Koboshi making is Ryoanji Temple. It is the most famous rock garden location in Japan. It was originally a villa for aristocrats during the Heian period, but was renovated as a Zen temple in 1450. You can sit for a while in front of the rock garden and calm your mind. After spending some quiet time, we will head to our final destination, Kinkakuji Temple. It is a complex consisting of gardens and buildings centred around the central Golden Pavilion, and is said to be reminiscent of an earthly paradise.

We will return to JR Kyoto Station together to say goodbye. However, if you would like to spend the rest of your day in the city centre, you are more than welcome. We will do our best to help you have a wonderful time in Kyoto.