Ginkaku-ji, Philosopher's Path & Nanzen-ji Walk
Spots on This Course
Course Guide
Start by walking along the Philosopher's Path from Ginkaku-ji-michi.
The path got its name because Kyoto School philosophers like Nishida Kitaro and Tanabe Hajime used to stroll along here, lost in conversation. Ever wonder what their philosophy was actually about? Check out the Kyoto books page.
These days it's packed with tourists, but if you wander even slightly away from Ginkaku-ji or Nanzen-ji, you can still feel that old contemplative atmosphere. Cherry blossom season is obviously gorgeous, but you can also see fireflies in early summer, and there are flowers blooming in every season — it's a really unique area.
After visiting Ginkaku-ji, make a short detour south to Honen-in. The gardens and halls aren't usually open to the public and there's nothing flashy going on, but the moss-covered thatched gate, the stone steps, and the dense, shady grove where Tanizaki Jun'ichiro, Naito Konan, and Kuki Shuzo are buried — the atmosphere there is really something. I'd recommend it.
From Anraku-ji and Eikan-do, it's about 3 km to Nanzen-ji. In cherry blossom season, don't forget to stop by the Incline south of Nanzen-ji. The old unused rail tracks form a tunnel of cherry blossoms — it's lovely.
Detour: You could call it a day at Nanzen-ji, but if you have the time and energy, I'd suggest heading from Nanzen-ji through Murin-an to Heian Jingu, Konkai Komyo-ji, and Shinyo-do.
Murin-an is the villa of Yamagata Aritomo, and the garden designed by Ogawa Jihei (Ueji) with its beautiful water features and lawn is really worth seeing.
The Okazaki area around Heian Jingu was developed during the Meiji era, and when the cherry trees along the canal are in full bloom, combined with the giant torii gate of Heian Jingu and the Higashiyama mountains in the background, it feels quintessentially Kyoto.
Konkai Komyo-ji connects to Shinyo-do through a graveyard. In cherry blossom season, the combination of the blossoms and the hillside cemetery has a unique rhythm to it. In autumn, the contrast between Shinyo-do's three-story pagoda and the red maples is also stunning.
You can also follow the waterway from Nanzen-ji to Himukai Daijingu shrine.
Himukai Daijingu is a bit out of the way and in a somewhat lonely spot, which means hardly anyone goes there even in peak season — it's a real hidden gem. Honestly, it's a little creepy going alone because there's just nobody around, but I'd still recommend it.
The path got its name because Kyoto School philosophers like Nishida Kitaro and Tanabe Hajime used to stroll along here, lost in conversation. Ever wonder what their philosophy was actually about? Check out the Kyoto books page.
These days it's packed with tourists, but if you wander even slightly away from Ginkaku-ji or Nanzen-ji, you can still feel that old contemplative atmosphere. Cherry blossom season is obviously gorgeous, but you can also see fireflies in early summer, and there are flowers blooming in every season — it's a really unique area.
After visiting Ginkaku-ji, make a short detour south to Honen-in. The gardens and halls aren't usually open to the public and there's nothing flashy going on, but the moss-covered thatched gate, the stone steps, and the dense, shady grove where Tanizaki Jun'ichiro, Naito Konan, and Kuki Shuzo are buried — the atmosphere there is really something. I'd recommend it.
From Anraku-ji and Eikan-do, it's about 3 km to Nanzen-ji. In cherry blossom season, don't forget to stop by the Incline south of Nanzen-ji. The old unused rail tracks form a tunnel of cherry blossoms — it's lovely.
Detour: You could call it a day at Nanzen-ji, but if you have the time and energy, I'd suggest heading from Nanzen-ji through Murin-an to Heian Jingu, Konkai Komyo-ji, and Shinyo-do.
Murin-an is the villa of Yamagata Aritomo, and the garden designed by Ogawa Jihei (Ueji) with its beautiful water features and lawn is really worth seeing.
The Okazaki area around Heian Jingu was developed during the Meiji era, and when the cherry trees along the canal are in full bloom, combined with the giant torii gate of Heian Jingu and the Higashiyama mountains in the background, it feels quintessentially Kyoto.
Konkai Komyo-ji connects to Shinyo-do through a graveyard. In cherry blossom season, the combination of the blossoms and the hillside cemetery has a unique rhythm to it. In autumn, the contrast between Shinyo-do's three-story pagoda and the red maples is also stunning.
You can also follow the waterway from Nanzen-ji to Himukai Daijingu shrine.
Himukai Daijingu is a bit out of the way and in a somewhat lonely spot, which means hardly anyone goes there even in peak season — it's a real hidden gem. Honestly, it's a little creepy going alone because there's just nobody around, but I'd still recommend it.