Advice for Arashiyama / Western Kyoto Day

Hi all! My boyfriend and I are heading to Japan in a few weeks, and I’m trying to \[roughly\] map out and group sights and activities in the areas I know we’ll be. We’re spending 4 nights in Kyoto, and I’m slightly struggling with how to most optimally approach what we’d like to do and see in/around Arashiyama. Right now this is what I’m thinking:

* Take taxi from hotel in Nijo Castle area to Kinkaku-ji to visit the temple right at 9am opening time
* Taxi (\~15-20 minute ride) from Kinkaku-ji to Otagi Nenbutsu-ji
* Walk (\~10 min) from Otagi Nenbutsu-ji to Adashino Nenbutsuji (and visiting the smaller, less crowded bamboo grove here)
* Walk south (\~30-45 min?) from Adashino Nenbutsuji through Saga Toriimoto Preserved Street to “central” Arashiyama
* Lunch in central Arashiyama OR somewhere along Saga Toriimoto Preserved Street
* OPTIONAL stops before or after lunch to visit Jojakko-ji/Gio-ji/Tenryuji depending on time/if we feel like seeing other temples
* Walk to Monkey Park
* Rest of late afternoon open to wander the Arashiyama area/shops or go back to hotel and rest

Does this plan sound efficient and make sense? Any suggestions to shift or modify anything? Some of the thoughts and questions I have are:

1. We’re largely trying to avoid the overcrowded tourist sights, or weave the ones we’d like to visit in in a way that avoids the worst of the crowds as much as possible to make it more pleasant / painless. The main goal here was to build in Kinkaku-ji on a day when we will be somewhat near it since its more out of the way, and to visit it right at opening or last admission / just before 5pm closing, when we understand crowds are likely to thin out. Based on so many trip reports here that talk about how unpleasantly crowded this site is, I think we would entirely skip it if we can’t work it in to our Arashiyama day right at 9am or just before 5pm. **Is there a better way to map out this day if Kinkaku-ji is done at the end, around closing time?**
2. Related to the above, we will be skipping the Sagano Bamboo Grove as a result (and visiting the alternative ones at Adashino Nenbutsuji and/or Kodai-ji \[on a different day of course\]), and aren’t firmly planning to visit Tenryu-ji, but **should we make it a point to visit Tenryu-ji**? I am assuming it would be very crowded before/after lunch, which is when it would make sense for us to visit based on this plan.
3. **Am I underestimating how long the first 4-5 bullets will take (meaning all of that wouldn’t fit neatly before a normal lunchtime)?** We are pretty fast movers (NYC walking pace…) and quick sightseers, for whatever that’s worth, but definitely want the ability to linger if we feel like it. Per Google maps it is under 40 minutes of walking from Otagi down to the Togetsu-kyo Bridge area but that doesn’t account for what the terrain is like, or for more leisurely strolling the preserved street.
4. One of the days we will be in Kyoto is October 25, so the flea market at Kitano Tenmagu Shrine, near Kinkaku-ji, will be on. Does anyone have feedback on whether this is worthwhile for first-time Japan visitors to prioritize visitng this? This would obviously require adapting the plan above.
5. Our time in Kyoto is from October 22-26. I believe this will be way too early, particularly given the late forecast, for any targeted fall foliage sightseeing, but would be grateful for any thoughts about that and if there are any spots in the area worth prioritizing for early fall foliage.
6. Any recommendations for lunch?