Kyoto’s temples are at their best at 6am. By ten, the paths are full and the light has gone flat. Set an alarm, buy a convenience-store coffee and have the city to yourself for a few hours.
An early-morning itinerary
- Fushimi Inari at first light — climb past the first viewpoint
- Breakfast near Gojo station
- Kiyomizu-dera and the lanes of Higashiyama before the buses
- Nap. Seriously.
Afternoons by the water
Spend the afternoon in the quieter north, on the Philosopher’s Path or along the Shirakawa canal, where the cherry trees keep things calm even in high season.
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