Kyoto

The thousand-year capital of Japan is small, walkable, and dense with temples — over a thousand of them, plus a handful of geisha districts that still function as such. The famous photographic stops are Fushimi Inari (the orange torii gates up the mountain), Kinkaku-ji (the gold pavilion), and the bamboo grove at Arashiyama. The less photographed pleasures are better: a tea house in Gion at dusk, a kaiseki dinner at a ryokan, and a pre-dawn walk through Kiyomizu before the tour buses. Two days is too few; four is right.

Thousands of vermillion torii gates winding up a wooded mountainside at sunrise at Fushimi Inari shrine, soft morning mist — Fushimi Inari at sunrise.

The gilded Kinkaku-ji pavilion reflecting perfectly in a still mirror pond, surrounded by manicured pines and maples under a blue autumn sky — Kinkaku-ji golden pavilion.

Towering green bamboo stalks creating a vertical tunnel in Arashiyama bamboo grove early morning, soft diffused light filtering down — Arashiyama bamboo grove.

Traditional wooden machiya buildings lining a stone-paved street in Gion district at dusk, paper lanterns glowing warmly, a geisha walking in the distance — Gion district at dusk.

Wooden veranda of Kiyomizu-dera temple projecting over a forested hillside before dawn, lanterns still lit, mist rising from the trees — Kiyomizu-dera before dawn.

Narrow stone walkway alongside a small canal on the Philosopher's Path in spring, cherry blossoms in full bloom arching overhead, fallen petals on the water — Philosopher’s Path in spring.

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