Cycling at Kyoto Higashiyama (Shimogamo jinja Ginkakuji temple Gion etc)

Cycling at Kyoto Higashiyama (Shimogamo jinja Ginkakuji temple Gion etc)

Let’s ride on a bike to explore Higashiyama, the most popular area among Kyoto, where many famous temples and shrines concentrated in.

This area is well-known about its jam-up, since thousands of tourists visit at all times of the year. Resulted in overcrowded buses and even if you are luckily get in, the bus may not move forward.

There are so many bus services provided by several companies which makes you confused. Yet people surround you maybe also tourists like you who know little about the area.

Let’s not waste your time reading maps, waiting for buses, and traffic jams.

After we leave Kyoto station, we will guide you several places: Kyoto Gyoen National Garden, Shimogamo jinja, Ginkakuji temple, Tetsugaku-no-michi Street (the philosophers' path), Eikando, and Nanzenji temple. We continue pedaling to Gion area then the most busiest area of Kyoto, Sanjyo and Shijyo-kawaramachi.

You can either drop the bike at the place where the tour ends or keep pedaling until Kyoto station.

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Shimogamo Jinja, 59 Shimogamo Izumigawa-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-0807 Kyoto Prefecture

The Shimogamo jinja, formal name is the Kamomioya jinja, one of the most oldest shrines in Kyoto, registered in the world heritage out of 17 Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto.

The history of the shrine can go back to B.C. 90 as a legend tells that ritual events has taken place before the introduction of Buddhism into Japan.

It is the one of the few prestigious shrines which allow to practice Shikinen Sengu, the system of reconstruction, all shrines in the Shimogamo complex are meant to be rebuilt every 21 years. However, the building is no longer able to be destroyed once registered in the world heritage, but able to be renovated partially every 21 years. The present buildings was renovated in 2015; for such occasions, we can see it in good condition.

The temple surrounded by huge primordial woods where is believed longmai running (feng shui) and it illuminates the spot as the power spot (places with full of spiritual energy).

Also the temple is known as the gods of the beauty that calls for female visitors. The source comes from Tamayorihime-no-mikoto, a woman of great beauty, is enshrined in the main sanctuary of the shrine.

You can recharge by visiting the temple, the leading spiritual temple with full of spiritual energy. 

Duration: 1 hour 10 minutes

Stop At: Ginkakuji Temple, 2 Ginkakujicho, Sakyo, Kyoto 606-8402 Kyoto Prefecture

A formal name of the Ginkakuji temple is Jihoji temple and one of the historic monuments registered in the world heritage.

The temple is often considered as a counterpart of Kinkakuji temple, formal name is Rokuonji temple, located in the western area of Kyoto.

Both of the Kinkakuji and the Ginkakuji are constructed in 15th century by shoguns’ orders on the purpose of their second houses. 

As contrasted with the Kinkakuji covered by kinpaku (gold  leaf) as its name indicated, Ginkakuji has calm atmosphere that reminds Wabisabi (Japanese traditional kind of beauty, leaving space intentionally for interpretation by a viewer).

The Kinkakuji rebuilt recently as it is burnt out in 1950 due to a fire-setting whereas the Ginkakuji retains the atmosphere of the era when it was built and surrounded by beautiful garden on a slope which harmonized well with the dark wooden walls.

You will get into the sprit of the landscape that heals the Shoguns’ anxiety.

Duration: 50 minutes

Stop At: Philosopher's Walk, between Ginkakuji and Nyakuoji-jinja, Sakyo, Kyoto Kyoto Prefecture

From the Ginkakuji temple access lane to the Kumano-Nyakuouji-jinja shrine located just before the Eikando temple, you will find a path along the river that rises at Lake Biwa, a walk of about 1.5 km that we call the Tetsugaku-no-michi Street. The name comes from Kitaro Nishida and Hajime Tanabe who are representative philosophers of Japan used to walk the path for meditation in addition to the path is close to Kyoto University where both of them graduated.

The path is selected 100 the most beautiful walking path in Japan since this walk shows us seasonally changing charms: cherry blossoms in spring, the greenery at the beginning of summer, and colour leaves in autumn. 

We will have lunch in a 50-year-old restaurant at the entrance of the Tetsugaku-no-michi Street. Hope you enjoy a dish of Udon (Japanese thick noodle) with seasonal ingredients in the good old Japanese style.

Duration: 1 hour 40 minutes

Stop At: Nanzen-ji Temple, 86 Nanzenji Fukuchicho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8435 Kyoto Prefecture

Nanzenji is a temple that was founded in the 13th century ranked supremacy among other zen temples like the 5 big temples of Kamakura and Kyoto.

Its main portal is two layer structure called "San mon", one of Kyoto's three main portals, with a height of 22 meters, the view from its highest level is spectacular. The Hojo (the abbot's quarters) is a national treasure and has been transferred from the former royal palace.

You will find a breathtaking beauty in a so-called Karesansui garden (a type of dry garden often made of simple stones) view from the edge of the eaves between the fusuma (sliding opaque screen with a handle used to redefine the space of a door in the traditional Japanese home).

Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Stop At: Gionmachi, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto 605-0001 Kyoto Prefecture

Nowadays, the area from Yasaka Shrine to the Kamogawa River is called Gion; however, there is no precise definition.

Above all, the area of the northern part of Shirakawa, where the Biwa Lake canal sector and the Kamogawa River crossed is classified as  the Preservation District for Groups of Historic Buildings. There are many Ochaya established in the Edo period, literally cafeteria but actually the place where one dines in the presence of Maiko and Geiko, in the district.


Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes