June 2, 2002: Kyoto, with Arashiyama and Tenryu-ji.
On the second day of the Keihanshin independent trip, the route no longer felt like the first day, when we were still arriving and figuring out the city. This time we gave the day to Arashiyama. We were staying at Toyoko Inn Shijo Karasuma, and there was a bus right downstairs that could take us directly to the Arashiyama area. For two people arranging transport in Japan on their own for the first time, being able to look it up, get on the right bus, and have it arrive pretty much on time felt very reassuring.
Kyoto's public transportation system was already very convenient in 2002. Before leaving Taiwan, I could look up whether we should take a bus, subway, or private railway from the hotel to each stop. There was even a city bus timetable, and it was quite punctual ^.^
Togetsukyo Bridge: Meeting Summer Arashiyama First
After arriving in Arashiyama, the first place that made us stop was the head of Togetsukyo Bridge. The boarding area for boat rides through Hozukyo Gorge was nearby, which sounded very travel-like. But one round trip would take three or four hours, and if you cannot understand Japanese, most of that time would probably be pretty boring~.~'"
There was a shop near the bridge, and with the mountains, water, and street scene all together, the view was really not bad. This was summer Arashiyama, so there were no cherry blossoms, no autumn leaves, and no snow yet. The photos are mostly clear green and afternoon light.
Arashiyama is supposed to be best for cherry blossoms in spring, maple leaves in autumn, and snow in winter... so what were we doing there in summer??
Uh... well... let's call it scouting for next time... heh.. heh... For the autumn foliage version, see the Kyoto autumn family trip.
Renting Bicycles and Slipping Into the Small Roads
What made this day memorable was not simply taking photos near the bridge and leaving. My wife and I rented bicycles and moved through country lanes and bamboo paths. Without waiting for public transportation, and without feeling the distance between one stop and the next, cycling slowly through the area was quite relaxing....
Of course, relaxing only meant the flat parts. A few slopes were too steep for us, so we had to get off and push the bikes. Elegant Kyoto strolling instantly turned into a leg-strength test @.@'"
This summer scouting route felt very different from the crowded Arashiyama I visited again in autumn later. There were no red leaves to chase, but that made it easier to remember the roadside greenery, stone walls, bamboo paths, and the small pauses while the two of us figured out where to ride next.
Jojakko-ji: Quiet When It Is Not Foliage Season
Jojakko-ji sits against Mount Ogura and is an important temple of the Nichiren school. It is also one of Kyoto's famous autumn foliage spots. This visit was not during its most famous season, so there were no blazing red leaves and no immediately dramatic view.
Too bad... we really did not come at the right time...
But when I later returned in autumn, whether it was a weekend or weekday, the place was full of people. It did not feel leisurely at all, and I was actually a little disappointed. Looking back this way, summer Jojakko-ji may not have been spectacular, but at least it still had space for slow walking.
Rakushisha: A Small House That Slows the Day Down
After Jojakko-ji, we continued to Rakushisha. It is the former residence site of an Edo-period haiku poet. The house and garden are both small, simple, and plain. It does not feel like a place trying hard to be a tourist landmark, and that plainness is what makes it calming...
The garden paths, bamboo fences, tree shadows, and thatched roof are all understated. In the rhythm of the day, this part felt like moving from the open water near Togetsukyo Bridge into a quieter, more detailed corner of Kyoto.
Tenryu-ji: Returning to Kyoto's Sense of History
Tenryu-ji is the head temple of the Tenryu-ji branch of the Rinzai school. Its scale is large, and it ranks first among the Kyoto Gozan temples. It is also designated as a special place of scenic beauty and historic site in Japan, and in December 1994 it was included as part of the UNESCO World Heritage listing for the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto.
After cycling, small houses, and narrow paths, Tenryu-ji suddenly brought the scenery back into a larger temple space. Wide tatami rooms, wooden buildings, garden water, and mountain views all came together, making it easy to understand why this is such an important stop in Arashiyama.
The pond, rocks, and greenery of Sogenchi Garden were the most "Kyoto postcard" part of the day. But for us, it was not just a must-see item on an itinerary. After riding and walking for a while, it was a place where we could finally slow down and look at the scenery in front of us.
Evening Back to Kyoto: A Modern Station in the Old Capital
In the evening, we took the Keifuku train back toward Kyoto. After Arashiyama's temples, gardens, and bamboo paths, a modern station building suddenly appeared inside old Kyoto. The contrast was pretty strong... but somehow it did not feel strange ^.^
This day did not try to pack in many distant sights. It simply moved slowly through the Arashiyama area, partly on foot and partly by bicycle. As I rewrite it now, what I most want to keep is not the completeness of the sightseeing information, but the rhythm of that summer scouting day: some places were not in their prettiest season, some slopes really could not be cycled up, but the two of us still made our way from the bridge, through small roads and temples, to the station at dusk. That feels very much like independent travel itself.
Related Posts:
Keihanshin Independent Trip, Day 1 Kyoto: Nishiki Market, Kiyomizu-dera, and Kinkaku-ji
Keihanshin Independent Trip, Day 2: Kyoto's Arashiyama and Tenryu-ji
Keihanshin Independent Trip, Day 3 Nara: Deer Park, Todai-ji, Nigatsu-do, and Kasuga Taisha
Keihanshin Independent Trip, Day 4 Osaka: Universal Studios Japan
Keihanshin Independent Trip, Day 5 Kobe: Nunobiki Herb Garden and Kitano Ijinkan
Keihanshin Independent Trip, Day 6 Himeji: Koko-en and Himeji Castle
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Originally published: 2010-08-22 Revised: 2026-07-18 View the original Blogger post
