8-Hour Toriimoto Walking Tour in Kyoto with Kuya Waterfall

• First, we'll meet at the north exit of JR Saga-Arashiyama Station. Please do not confuse it with the south gate. This is a very important point that I have to emphasize, so make sure you come out from the north gate on the side of Marutamachi Street.
• We'll meet here at 8:30 a.m. Later, we'll return to the same spot for your departure, as the course makes one big circle on foot.

• Before we get into the main part of the tour, we'll begin with an area guide to the Toriimoto district so you can get a grasp of its background and geographical setting. It is also nice to stroll around inside the temple before the tour begins. The main hall is impressive, and most parts can be visited free of charge.

• The first stop on the historical path is Adashino-Mayumura, a shop selling craft items made of cocoons. They offer these as souvenir items for visitors.
• There is another Mayumura located right next to Arashiyama Station, but this one in Toriimoto is the original. The staff you meet at the shop will be very friendly, and you can expect a warm welcome from them. You can relax, enjoy a little shopping on the way, and the items here are not heavy or bulky, so they can easily fit into a small bag.

• Soon, you will come to an old house with a thatched roof called the Saga Toriimoto Townscape Archive Hall. The role of this house is to support the preservation of the historical landscape of this area. It is open to the public, and you can look around inside this ancient house, which was constructed in the 1890s. Here, I would like to explain how things once were and how they have remained the way they are today. The structure of the house shows a well-preserved architectural style commonly seen in the early Meiji period in Japan. I hope my explanation will give you a new perspective on the landscape of this area.

• After visiting the Archive Hall, you will soon come to the first torii gate of Atago Shrine. This is a great spot for taking photos, so let's take a short break for some photography. You can also enjoy a tea break at a place that has been featured many times in Japanese movies. The best season for this spot is autumn, though it is also beautiful with the green leaves of the Momiji maple.

• The next stop is Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple. Just continue along the road up the hill and you will come to this temple. It displays a huge collection of stone statues, and every one of them has a different expression on its face. It is said that there are 1,200 of them gathered in this one place, which you will surely find fascinating. Most of the temple grounds are covered in thick moss because of the area's high humidity. The atmosphere here is unique, even though many other temples in the city may seem quite similar. There is an entrance fee of 300 yen per person. This is the only place on this course that requires an additional fee; all the rest are free of charge.

• Now, let's move west toward the tunnel. You will come to a road that splits in three directions just before the Kiyotaki Tunnel. This is the end of Atago Kaido, where it meets Kiyotaki-Michi, the road to Kiyotaki. Although the tunnel is said to be a scary ghostly spot, I do not think it is such a place. It may look creepy if you approach it with that idea in mind because of the lighting in the tunnel and its surroundings. After passing through, you will find the beautiful village of Kiyotaki. There is no need to worry, because people live in the village, and it is the only access route from the city to Mt. Atago. After strolling around the village, we'll have a lunch break here.
• If you wish to visit Atago Shrine by hiking, this is the main access route to the summit. It takes about 6 hours to go up and down. Another purpose of this tour is to show you how to get there.

• This waterfall is a training ground for monks, where you might encounter a rare practice scene called Takigyo. It is the biggest waterfall in Kyoto City. Takigyo is a form of meditation that involves standing under a waterfall. Here, let's light candles on all the altars surrounding this sacred ground and make a wish together. Before we continue on the hike, let's get a bottle of water in the village.

• Now, we are back on Kiyotaki-Michi Street, heading toward a hidden temple called Gohodo Benzaiten. It is tucked away in the woods behind a bus stop called "Gohodo Benzaiten," and you would miss it without a guide. The temple enshrines the goddess Benzaiten, who symbolizes eloquence, the art of speech used to influence people.
• Gohodo Benzaiten stands on the hill of Mt. Toriigata. This mountain holds one of the five symbols of our traditional summer event, in which huge bonfires are lit on five mountains in different directions around the city. The event is called "Gozan Okuribi," and it is held to send off the spirits of the deceased. The symbol on this mountain has the shape of a torii gate.
• The origin of the name of this area is Toriimoto. This place is scarcely known, visited mainly by some people who come here to make wishes to Benzaiten. She is enshrined here as the guardian of Mt. Toriigata. This is a real hidden treasure for viewing the autumn beauty of sacred Momiji.
• After this, we continue on our way up toward the ancient path of Atago Kaido Street.

• On our way back toward JR Saga-Arashiyama Station, we'll stop at Daikakuji Temple. This is one of the highlights of the Arashiyama area, but it is never crowded because it is quite far from the center of tourism in Arashiyama. It lies a little off the path of the majority of tourists, so it is always quiet and peaceful.

We return to JR Saga-Arashiyama Station (north gate) at 5:00 p.m.