Lonely Planet

Kiyomizu-dera’s pagoda TOP PICKSblending with autumn redsCOMPILED BY RORY GOULDING, WITH CONTRIBUTIONS FROM CHRIS ROWTHORN. PHOTOGRAPHS: GAVIN HELLIER/AWL IMAGES, FRANK CARTER/GETTYOctober 2017 Lonely Planet Traveller 127``````Japan’s love of passing seasons is most strikingin its former capital: while many visitors wantto see cherry blossoms here, autumn leaves lastlonger and bring deeper colour to Kyoto’s hillsDQGWHPSOHJDUGHQV,QWKLVJXLGH\RX·OOÀQGtraditional activities and places to eat, to roundout a tour of the city’s best spots for leaf peeping.``````One of Kyoto’s big threefestivals features more than2,000 people dressed incostumes ranging from the8th to the 19th centuriesparading from the KyotoImperial Palace to Heian-jinguon 22 October. Jidai Matsuri(Festival of the Ages) is ofcomparatively recent origin,only dating back to 1895.Taking place on the same dayis the Kurama Fire Festival –perhaps Kyoto’s mostdramatic celebration. Menin loincloths carry hugeflaming torches throughthe streets of Kurama,in the northern hills.Note that trains toand from Kuramawill be completelypacked withpassengers on theevening of thefestival (wesuggestgoing earlyand returning late).Autumnin KyotoS I G H T SEikan-do ££(eikando.or.jp)Perhaps Kyoto’s most famous(and most crowded) autumnfoliage destination, Eikan-do is asuperb temple made interestingby its varied architecture, itsgardens and its works of art.``````Kiyomizu-dera £(kiyomizudera.or.jp)A hive of activity perched on ahill, this is one of Kyoto’s mostpopular and enjoyable temples,with a legendary terrace on stiltsoverlooking the city. Note thatthe Main Hall is currently beingrestored, though is still accessible.Check the website for the sched-uling of special night-timeilluminations of the temple heldin the autumn and the spring.``````Koto-in £(73-1 Daitokuji-cho)On the far western edge of theDaitoku-ji temple complex, thesublime garden of this subtempleis one of the best in Kyoto and it’sworth a special trip. It’s locatedwithin a bamboo grove that youtraverse via a moss-lined path.Once inside there is a small gar-den that leads to the centrepiece:a rectangle of moss and mapletrees, backed by bamboo. Rest onthe veranda here to soak it all up.``````Path of Philosophy(Tetsugaku-no-Michi)The Tetsugaku-no-Michi is one ofthe most pleasant walks in all ofKyoto. Lined with a great varietyRIÁRZHULQJSODQWVDQGWUHHVLWLVa corridor of colour throughoutmost of the year. Though it’s most``````famous for its spring-bloomingcherry trees, the path is also lovelyin autumn. It only takes 30minutes to do the walk, fromNyakuoji-bashi, above Eikan-do,to Ginkaku-ji. The path takes itsname from one of its most famousstrollers: the 20th-century philos-opher Nishida Kitaro.``````AC T I V I T I E SCamellia Tea Experience £££(tea-kyoto.com; 349 Masuya-cho)Camellia is a superb place to trya simple Japanese tea ceremony.It’s located in a beautiful oldKRXVHMXVWRՖ1LQHQ]DND7KHKRVWVSHDNVÁXHQW(QJOLVKDQGexplains the ceremony simplyand clearly, while managing toperform an elegant ceremony.The price includes a bowl ofmatcha and a sweet.``````Funaoka Onsen £(funaokaonsen.info; 82-1 Minami-Funaoka-cho-Murasakino)This old bath is Kyoto’s best.It has an outdoor bath, a sauna,a cypress-wood tub, an electricbath and a herbal bath. To gethere, head west about 400mon Kuramaguchi-dori from theKuramaguchi and Horiikawaintersection. It’s on the left, notfar past Lawson conveniencestore. Look for the large rocks.``````Hozu-gawa River Trip £££(hozugawakudari.jp)7KH+R]XJDZDULYHUWULSLVDgreat way to enjoy the beauty ofKyoto’s western mountains. Boat-PHQVWHHUÁDWERWWRPERDWVGRZQWKH+R]XJDZDULYHUIURP.DPHR-ka, 12 miles west of Kyoto Station,through mountain canyons, be-fore arriving at Arashiyama. Theride lasts two hours through occa-sional sections of choppy water.The scenery is especially attrac-tive during maple-foliage seasonin autumn.``````E AT I N GHonke Owariya SOBA £(honke-owariya.co.jp; 322Kurumaya-cho)Set in an old sweet shop in a tra-ditional Japanese building on aquiet downtown street, this iswhere locals come for excellentsoba (buckwheat noodle) dishes.The highly recommended housespeciality, hourai soba, comesZLWKDVWDFNRIÀYHVPDOOSODWHVRI``````soba with a selection of toppings,including shiitake mushrooms,shrimp tempura, thin slices ofomelette and sesame seeds.``````Shigetsu VEGETARIAN ££(tenryuji.com; 68 Susukinobaba-cho, Saga Tenryu-ji)To sample shojin-ryori (Buddhistvegetarian cuisine), try Shigetsuin the precincts of Tenryu-ji.This healthy fare has beensustaining monks for more thana thousand years in Japan, so itwill probably get you through anafternoon of sightseeing, thoughcarnivores may be left cravingsomething. Shigetsu has beauti-ful garden views.``````Yoshikawa TEMPURA £££(kyoto-yoshikawa.co.jp;135 Matsushita-cho)This is the place for tempura.Attached to Yoshikawa ryokan, itRՖHUVWDEOHVHDWLQJEXWLW·VPRUHinteresting to eat around thecounter and observe the chefs atZRUN,W·VQHDU2LNHGRULLQDÀQHtraditional Japanese-style build-ing. Reservation is required fortatami-mat room.Local knowledge