Philosopher's Path & Ginkaku-ji

The Philosopher's Path, Tetsugaku-no-michi, follows a narrow canal for about two kilometers along the foot of the Higashiyama hills in northeastern Kyoto, from Ginkaku-ji in the north to the neighborhood of Nanzen-ji in the south. It takes its name from the philosopher Nishida Kitaro, who is said to have walked it daily in meditation, and it remains one of the most peaceful walks in the city: a stone path under hundreds of cherry trees, with small bridges, cafes, craft shops and temple gates opening off it, and in early April a tunnel of pale pink blossom whose petals drift down onto the water. At its northern end stands Ginkaku-ji, the Temple of the Silver Pavilion, officially Jisho-ji. It was built as a retirement villa by the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa in the fifteenth century, modeled on his grandfather's Golden Pavilion, but despite its name it was never covered in silver; its unpainted dark wood embodies the restrained aesthetic of wabi-sabi that Yoshimasa championed, and many visitors find it more moving than its golden cousin. Its garden is unforgettable: a sand garden raked into a "sea of silver sand" and a flat-topped two-meter sand cone, the Kogetsudai, said to reflect the moonlight, giving way to a moss garden, ponds and a hillside path with views back over the pavilion to the city. Yoshimasa practiced tea ceremony here, and the Togu-do hall contains a tea room considered a prototype for later ones. Ginkaku-ji charges a modest admission fee; the path itself is free.

The walk works best from north to south, starting at Ginkaku-ji at opening time before the tour groups arrive. Allow an hour for the temple, then follow the canal south. Detour along the way to Honen-in, a mossy, thatched-gate temple with sand mounds raked into seasonal designs that is free to enter for its grounds, and to Otoyo Shrine, whose guardians are mice instead of the usual lions or foxes. Near the southern end, Eikan-do is one of Kyoto's most celebrated autumn-foliage temples, with a hillside pagoda rising above a valley of maples, and from there it is a few minutes to Nanzen-ji, a great Zen temple with an enormous gate you can climb, beautiful sub-temple gardens and, unexpectedly, a red-brick Meiji-era aqueduct striding through the grounds. The whole route, with temple visits, makes a perfect half-day.

Seasons transform this walk. In cherry-blossom season, usually late March to early April, the path is gorgeous and very busy; go at dawn. In autumn, mid-November to early December, the maples of Eikan-do and Nanzen-ji are among the finest in Kyoto, and Eikan-do holds evening illuminations. In early summer, fireflies appear along the canal at dusk. In winter, the path is quiet and contemplative, and a dusting of snow on the Ginkaku-ji garden is exquisite. Ginkaku-ji itself is open daily, with slightly shorter hours in winter, and holds occasional evening illuminations; check the official site for times.

This corner of Kyoto is also the city's museum quarter. Just south of Nanzen-ji, Okazaki is home to Heian Shrine, with its giant vermilion torii and spectacular garden (some buildings are under staged renovation through 2031, but the shrine and garden stay open), the Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art and the National Museum of Modern Art. Getting here: buses run from Kyoto Station to Ginkakuji-michi, though they are crowded; a taxi from the nearest subway station, or the walk from Demachiyanagi Station on the Keihan line, are alternatives. Yudofu, simmered tofu, is the classic lunch around Nanzen-ji, served in temple gardens.