Great photo op, but the highlight of our visit was the regal shibe hanging out on the steps.
Gorgeous, crowded, and a must-see. Wear good shoes here and while sightseeing in Kyoto in general. It's a hike.
Go if you have the chance, and don't shy away from the opportunity to try some unfamiliar dishes. You're allowed to keep the napkins!
Beautiful wabi-sabi aesthetic and mesmerizing sand art whose methods of construction are a total mystery to me. Pro tip: there is no silver in the Silver Pavilion!
Gorgeous underrated Zen monastery in an amazing setting. Fantastic example of a Japanese garden done right.
Location can't be beat and the multi-jet showers are the stuff of dreams. Amenities include toothbrush, hairbrush, pajamas & everything in between, so just bring a friend and some good walking shoes.
Not at all easy to get to -- take Dramamine for the winding trip up the mountain. The oldest Buddhist temple in the area by far, it was built about 1200 years ago to protect Kyoto from evil spirits.
The pictures don't do it justice. Zen out in the rock garden and don't be that guy loudly falling down the stairs taking pictures on his iPad while walking. (It looked pretty painful.)
The ceiling-dragon, whose scowl follows you, is worth seeing despite the fact that it's a recent addition. The optical illusion is based on one of his eyes being set in the dead-center of the room.
Beef fried in an iron pot atop rock sugar, doused in soy sauce and dipped in raw egg. Nice location on the river, with alfresco balcony dining in the summer.
Beautiful but best to build into a larger itinerary of the Arashiyama area. It's literally just a short, crowded path through a not-so-big grove so it's not a destination on its own.
