Kyoto's Classics in One Day

We meet in the morning right outside JR Inari Station, right by the entrance to Fushimi Inari, staying one step ahead of the big tour bus crowds.

We wander through the famous Senbon Torii – thousands of vermilion gates winding tightly up sacred Mount Inari. Along the trail, I'll share stories about the fox statues, Shinto rituals, and the shrine's 1,300-plus years of history.

Kyoto's most celebrated temple, featuring a massive wooden stage resting on 139 pillars built entirely without nails, 40 feet above the hillside. We'll take in sweeping views across Kyoto and view the sacred Otowa Waterfall below the main hall.

We stroll down Kyoto's best-preserved stepped stone lanes, lined with low wooden townhouses, tea shops, and pottery studios, with the five-story Yasaka Pagoda soaring over the tiled rooftops.

We stop for lunch at a local spot in the historic quarter – such as handmade soba, tempura, or classic Kyoto small dishes (obanzai).

We visit Kyoto's most photographed treasure: the three-story Zen pavilion covered in genuine gold leaf, reflected in the Kyoko-chi mirror pond. It was originally built in the 14th century as a retirement villa for shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu.

As the late-afternoon light softens, we walk through lantern-lit Yasaka Shrine straight into Gion's flagstone lanes (Hanami-koji and Shirakawa). Here, I'll introduce you to the world of maiko and geiko as paper lanterns flicker to life outside traditional teahouses (ochaya).

Our full day in Kyoto wraps up by the Kamo River and the atmospheric dining alley of Pontocho – the ideal place to stay for dinner or catch a direct train back to Kyoto Station.