Hello! Going to Japan in October and have an extra day in Kyoto. Tossing between the following options and would love some recommendations for northern Kyoto.
Option 1: Kurama to Kifune walk & Sanzen-in
Option 2: Ruriko-in & Enryaku-ji
Option 3: Manshu-in, Enko-ji and Shisendo Jozan-ji
Would love to hear if you’ve been to any of the above and which ones you’d recommend (esp going for early autumn in October).
Thanks in advance!
2 comments
If your date aligns with a temple market I would definitely do that: https://howtojapan.net/2022/08/24/treasure-hunting-at-flea-markets-in-kyoto/
Option1 is great but it wont fill the entire day. also, with the lack of the kurama onsen, it is less awesome than it used to be
option2 is… I would LOVE to say good. but ruriko-in is, if it is open and you get to go in, expensive af for one view, which is not good as the picture on google promises. and enryakuji was very confusing to the point where I actually left angry. also, the garden museum on top of hiezan is the good view point from the top there, and costs money, even though in october the plants may look sad and not great. in november they will certainly not look happy.
option3 I dont know. gonna go there next time to see
I would actually suggest option 2 but change it.
go up to hiezan. the area there and to go up was awesome. enjoy the view of lake biwake. you could go down on the otsu side and explore sakamoto, theres a few nice spots there including a very old shrine – or go back down on kyoto side, then head to ohara. very beautiful area/temples there.
of course you also could explore arashiyama more. most people never make it beyond tenryuji/bamboo/monkeys . there is a lot more going up (jojakkoji, gioji,nenbutsiju,daikakuji…) as well as south of the river (saihoji (reservation needed, jizoin,…)
and if you have not seen ryoanji, ninnaji, kitano tenmangu – that would be another good day. you could even see yokai street 🙂