#Eda85daysinJapan | Chapter 3 (Kyoto Part 2)
🗓️ 5 May 2026
We decided to skip the buses and trains entirely and do everything on foot. Starting from our studio apartment in Kamigyo, we mapped out a loop heading west and north, connecting a few quiet neighborhood temples with some of Kyoto's more famous northwestern spots.
Our first stop was Ryūhon-ji Temple (立本寺), a peaceful, unassuming Nichiren temple tucked right into the quiet residential grid of Kamigyo. From there, we walked over to Daishōgun Hachi-jinja Shrine (大將軍八神社), known for its history as a sanctuary protecting the city against negative directional energies.
Continuing west, we made our way to Tōji-in Temple (等持院). Tōji-in instantly became one of my favorite spots in Kyoto—a quiet Zen temple with beautiful pond gardens that barely sees any crowds compared to the major tourist hubs.
On the way toward Ryōan-ji, we dropped by Rokusho Shrine (六請神社), a small, serene neighborhood shrine nestled along the quiet streets.
Next was Ryōan-ji (竜安寺) to see its world-famous dry landscape rock garden. Sitting on the open wooden porch and staring out at the 15 stones scattered across the raked white gravel was a great pause in the middle of the day. To make it even better, we had my best ever tofu lunch right here at Ryōan-ji—enjoying extraordinarily fresh, delicate Kyoto tofu in that tranquil setting made the entire meal unforgettable.
To complete the loop, we turned back toward home. We passed through Hirano Shrine (平野神社), famous for its deep cherry blossom heritage, before heading right next door to Kitano Tenman-gu Shrine (北野天満宮) to admire its grand architecture and bronze cow statues before making the final walk back to Kamigyo.
Surprisingly, our legs felt totally fine throughout the walk—all that recent hiking on the Kumano Kodo kept us in solid shape. Putting our daily supermarket goal into action, we swung by our local grocery store on the way back to load up on fresh meat and produce. Back at the apartment, my dear chef took over the kitchen and whipped up an amazing Yakiniku and salad dinner, which we paired with the bottle of sake I brought back from Kumano Kodo.
