Day 10: Travel to Kyoto on the Thunderbird Express
This morning we’ll travel to Kyoto.
After lunch, we’ll visit the Golden Pavilion (or Kinkaku-ji, as it is known in Japanese). After some time here, we’ll visit Ryoanji Temple (the dry raked gravel of the Zen Garden here is a collection of 15 rocks, only 14 of which are visible at any one time.
From Ryoanji, we’ll head to nearby Ninnaji Temple, home to one of Kyoto's most beautiful gardens.
Day 11: Tea ceremony and tour (temples, geisha and backstreets of Kyoto)
This morning we’ll be picked up from our ryokan and taken to a house in Kyoto for a private green tea ceremony. Dressed in traditional kimono, we’ll learn the subtle but symbolic art of the Sadou (tea ceremony), and understand the revered position it holds for the Japanese.
The afternoon will be ours to relax and explore (maybe go back to any sites we missed the day before).
In the evening, we’ll enjoy a private guided Geisha Walk. Our guide will escort us to the district of Gion, where the Geisha live and work. We may have the chance to see apprentice Geisha, known as 'Maiko', performing traditional ceremonial dance, and our guide will explain all about the secretive 'floating world' of a Geisha.
Day 12: Free time to explore Kyoto
Today we have a day to relax and get to know Kyoto.
We’ll visit some of Kyoto's temples and shrines, located in the Higashiyama district. Or return to the Gion, the Geisha district, and walk through the traditional tea house-lined narrow streets towards the hills. We may also visit the Rengeo-in, or as it is more popularly known Sanjusangendo, meaning '33 intervals' thanks to the 33 supporting pillars that make it the longest wooden structure in Japan. Inside is the awe-inspiring sight of the 1000-armed Kannon (Senju Kannon) flanked on each side by 500 statues of human sized 1000-armed Kannon standing in ten rows.
Day 13: Fushimi-inari Shrine and Nara
This morning we’ll head out of Kyoto to visit the iconic Fushimi-inari Shrine. Here, we’ll find vermillion 'torii' gates winding their way up the mountain and we can receive our own English 'omikuji' (fortune). Hopefully we’ll try some Japanese street food before we continue South to nearby Nara, famed for it's wild deer who roam the streets and parks.
Day 14: Lesser known sites of Kyoto
This morning we’ll visit Nanzenji Temple and Gardens and then to walk along the Philosopher's Walk, which runs along the Higashiyama Canal in eastern Kyoto. The walk runs from Eikan-do Temple, with its famous statue of a Buddha glancing over his shoulder, and passes by several smaller temples before ending up at the Silver Pavilion (Ginkakuji), which, incidentally, isn’t silver.
Day 15: Sagano Arashiyama
Today we’ll take a day trip to Arashiyama, through which runs the meandering Hozu River. Apparently it’s beautiful during cherry blossom season. The town has numerous temples of interest, including Tenryuji, one of Kyoto's 'Big Five' temples, as well as a wild monkey park. We might even take a leisurely boat ride between the towns of Kameoka and Arashiyama.