After meeting up at our favourite bike rental shop it wasn't long before we hit the road and weaved through some local streets towards the Kamogawa river. We stopped briefly in the Gojo Rakuen neighbourhood which was a bit of a seedy past but is now a charming area with a growth in tourism too. After checking out some of the buildings of the area, including the bathhouse and the old Nintendo headquarters, we soon were crossing over to the East side of the city where we spent most of our day. 

We went North along the riverside and along the way I pointed out some of the geographical features of the city including the famous bridges along the way, we passed Gojo (5th Ave) Shijo (4th Ave) Sanjo (3rd Ave) and Nijo (2nd Ave) before popping back up to street level and heading East towards the mountains. Before too long we were at the Ginkakuji temple and ready to explore the gardens.

And what beautiful gardens they were. With a mixture of dry landscape, moss, trees and ponds this is a real beautiful gem of a temple. We saw the light filtering through the trees and I told you how there is a specific word for it in Japanese (komorebi). After climbing to the top to see the view, we came down the stairs and got some great photos along the way. Then it was time to venture out to the next place. We grabbed ourselves something to eat and then we were back on the bikes and following the Path of Philosophy. 

This nature filled path is one of the most beautiful bike rides in town. We enjoy a nice ride along here before heading downhill and on to the next stop, the Nanzen-ji zen temple. This is also one of the nicest temples in Kyoto and it has a special added feature. An aqueduct running through the grounds which was built in the 19th century. I hope you got some great photos here as it is a really special place.

After two temples, it was time to get our shinto shrine box checked, and the Heian Shirine is one that does not disappoint. This replica of the former Imperial Palace is huge, so it's hard to believe that it's actually a 4/5ths scale replica. I told you a bit about the fact that this was built as a way to revive the local economy after Kyoto lost it's role of capital city during the Meji Period, and we even saw an old streetcar in the garden showing the connection between the canals, streetcars and the shrine. We enjoyed wandering through the beautiful gardens and got some amazing pics of the ponds too. We may have even had time to feed some of the fish and turtles in the pond. 

Back on the bikes, and we were rolling towards the Gion and Miyagawacho geisha quarters. This is really one of the nicest areas of Kyoto and definitely worth a visit at night too. Depending on pace, we may have even had time to chat about the geisha and their unique lives while visiting their neighbourhood. Then it was a quick ride back across town to the rental shop! We hope you had as nice a day as we did discovering Kyoto!

It's always a pleasure to spend a day in nature and for many visitors to Japan, after having spent many days navigating cityscapes, it's lovely get some exercise and be recharged at this famous "power spot" in the mountains. 

Meeting at Demachiyanagi station we took the Eizan train to Kibuneguchi and it was a pleasant ride up. At Kibune we strolled upstream and enjoyed the beautiful nature of the area. We enjoyed the quaint little town  before arriving at the Kibune Shrine, a place to pray for water (more of it or less of it) and relationships. We did the custom of purification before going to the main alter to say a prayer. Then we filled our bottles with delicious water for the journey ahead. 

It was an uphill climb for the first 30mins or so but a could manage with a couple of breaks for that delicious water and I told you a bit of the story of Yoshitsune Minamoto the famous samurai of the 12th century and his training with the tengu of the Kurama mountians. 

At our first real stop, the Mao san shrine, we took a little breather. This was the shrine with the legend going back 6.5 millions years when a defender lord came from Venus to protect all living things. We then made our way to the summit and saw the place where Yoshitsune Minamoto used to practice his skills with the tengu on the exposed roots. After that it was a stroll down to the Kurama Temple. As we entered the grounds of the temple the view was spectacular and we could the "power spot" where we could power up and get some reiki energy in the meantime. 

Entering the temple we discover the beautiful features of the temple then I showed you my favourite place in the temple, the underground crypt. We could feel the mystic energy with the dim light. Then we saw the statues, replicas of national treasures, and I pointed out some features of the Kannon and Bishamon and the defender lord from Venus. This makes up the trinity which the later modern art sculpture represented. Kannon (Love), Bishamon (Light) and Defender Lord (Power) 

Then it was a pleasant walk downhill, stopping to see the Yuki Shrine with it's impressive 800 year old trees and pictures of the Fire Festival held every October. All along the way we talked about not just the history of the place but also about modern Japan and what it is like to live in the society here. 

Finally we made it to Kurama village where we stopped for a local lunch of bamboo shoots and rice. It was very yummy along with the green tea. We then made our way back to the onsen where we took a soak in rejuvenating waters of the bath. Then it was back to the city feeling recharged and refreshed. We hope you had a fantastic time. 

Thanks again for joining us on a stroll of the Gion & Higashiyama districts learning about the world of the Geisha (or "Geiko-san" as they are known in Kyoto) and the apprentice Maiko-san. We also hope you enjoyed the chance to see the beautiful streets, temple grounds and shrine in the relative calm of the evening. Here is a little recap on what we usually cover on the Gion Night Walk. Note that due to time constraints we may not cover all the below on every tour. 

After meeting up and then crossing the bridge into Gion, we start at one of the quietest districts of the area, the beautiful Miyagawa-cho where the geisha live and work. Here is a great place to talk a bit about the origin of the geisha and their unique world that has developed over the centuries but is still steeped in tradition. 

After walking through here and taking in the charming glow of the beautiful lantern lit alleys we went to the grounds of the oldest Zen temple in Kyoto, Kennin-ji. This is a really cool place to discover as the nightfall begins with the huge "hondo" hall which houses a painting of twin dragons on the ceiling. The oldest zen temple in Kyoto built in 1202. Here was a good place to  chat a bit about Zen Buddhism and about the hard life of meditation and solving funny "koan" riddles too. 

After feeling all zen, we then walked up the hill and visited a Shinto shrine. Here I told you more about the native beliefs of the Japanese and how each shrine has a different specialty. And at this shrine, Yasui Kompira Gu, the ladies of the old days used to visit here to try and break off relationships with their lovers. In fact, now people partake in a little ritual where they climb through a large monolith stone to break off bad relationships, not only human ones but also unhealthy habits or disease too. 

After the shrine, we strolled further East to the Higashiyama area and saw the beautiful area of Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka. Here we also got that postcard view of the Yasaka Pagoda. I told you a bit about the unique structure and we then walked along chatting more about the history and culture of Japan.

We made our way towards the famous Yasaka Shrine and this was beautiful to see with all the lanterns lit up. I showed you how to do a Shinto prayer at this one which promises business success. Then we walked back to the other side of town. On the way back to where we had met we passed by some of the places where the "contemporary geisha" work, the many hostess bars and lounges. The well-heeled crowd of Kyoto likes to come here to play at night. 

Finally we (time permitting) took a stroll up to the Shirakawa dori area which runs along a small stream and has a beautiful night atmosphere. We hope you enjoyed discovering this beautiful part of Kyoto at the best time of day to discover it!

Thanks again for joining us on the West Side bike Tour of Kyoto. I am sure that you will agree that Kyoto is an absolute delight to visit the sites by bicycle and with it being fairly flat, you may have found that your legs were not as tired after the tour as they would be if walking. The West side tour also visits some of the true gems of the city. Here is a recap for you to look back on and recall them for years to come. Note that depending on the pace of your tour and the interests of the group you are with that day, there may have been slight variations but either way this can serve as a little memory for you of the day you had with Kyoto Fun Tours.

​Thanks again for sharing some of your precious time in Kyoto with us. We really hope you enjoyed the day and please do remember to write us a review either on facebook or tripadvisor! It means a lot for a little company like ours. http://www.kyotofun.com/thanks-for-the-review.html 

And if you got some great photos, please be sure to tag us on Instagram or Facebook with the hashtag #kyotofunphoto to enter a chance to win a prize as we pick a winner every year for best photo. Hope to see you in Kyoto again soon!

Nothing beats the Early Bird Tour when it comes to getting great photos and especially those of the Fushimi Inari shrine. And taking in the top two sights before most people finish breakfast is very satisfying too. We get to have the places to ourselves and get a lot more done in a short amount of time too. I hope that you really enjoyed this tour. Here is a little recap of the places we went. Note that depending on the pace of your tour and the interests of the group you are with that day, there may be slight variations but either way this can serve as a little memory for you of the day you had with Kyoto Fun Tours.