JAPAN 2013 | Kyoto’s Philosopher’s Path and Anraku-ji Temple

October 2021. In our Grand Scheme of Travels, Danny and I had planned to be in Japan with Michel. Quod non. So let’s go back to March and April 2013, when my sister Florence, her husband Kenneth, my nephew Leo and my niece Isaline travelled to Tokyo, Hakone and Kyoto. The classic intro to Nippon and a golden opportunity. I grew up with anime such as ‘Dragon Ball‘ and ‘Saint Seiya‘ on television and Japan had been on my wish list since I was little. There’s a lot I don’t remember. But thanks to photos on Facebook, my guidebook and check-ins on Swarm (Foursquare), I can reconstruct parts of that trip.

Kyoto is Japan’s historic and cultural capital. It is home to numerous Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines, palaces and gardens.

Some are listed collectively by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Prominent landmarks include the Kyoto Imperial Palace, Kiyomizu-dera, Kinkaku-ji, Ginkaku-ji and the Katsura Imperial Villa. Kyoto is also a center of higher learning, with Kyoto University being an institution of international renown.

After arriving at Kyoto Station from Tokyo and Hakone, we checked in at a ryokan, the Golden Pavilion House. It seems it does not exist anymore. A ryokan is a type of traditional Japanese inn that typically features tatami-matted rooms, communal baths, and other public areas where visitors may wear yukata and talk with the owner.

It didn’t have communal bath or real public areas. It was more a modern b&b. But there was a sento nearby.

Philosopher’s Path

We started our day at the Philosopher’s Path. The Philosopher’s Walk (Tetsugaku-no-michi, literally Path of Philosophy) is a pedestrian path that follows a cherry-tree-lined canal in Kyoto, between Ginkaku-ji and Nanzen-ji.

The route got its name from the influential 20th-century Japanese philosopher and Kyoto University professor Nishida Kitaro is thought to have used it for daily meditation. It passes a number of temples and shrines such as Hōnen-in, Ōtoyo Shrine, and Eikan-dō Zenrin-ji.

It is some 2 kilometers long and takes about 30 minutes to complete the walk, although many people spend more time visiting the sights along the way. On the northern part of the walk, there are good views of the nearby Daimonji. The walk is a popular destination for tourists and locals, especially during hanami, cherry blossom time.

Anraku-ji Temple

One of the stops we made was Anraku-ji Temple. A Buddhist temple renown for its zen garden an the image of Amida Buddha.

“The only problem with Anraku-ji is the convoluted opening hours (you kind of get the impression that they don’t want you to visit)”, Inside Kyoto writes. Well, we did get inside. Hurray!