8-Hour Kyoto Zen and Tea Walk through Daitokuji and Kamigamo

The guide will meet you at the Daitokuji-mae bus stop at 8:00 am. "Mae" means "in front of," so it is easy to find, and you can start the tour immediately. In just a few minutes, you will be inside Daitokuji.

The guide's parents' house is only half a mile away, so he will walk from there to meet you. He grew up in this area and knows every path, even the tiniest ones.

You will have the opportunity to explore the Daitokuji Temple complex, which comprises nearly two dozen sub-temples and is one of the best places in Japan to observe a diverse range of Zen gardens and immerse yourself in Zen culture and architecture. The complex is always open to the public, and the guide who will accompany you used to walk through it almost every day during his childhood.

Daitokuji has a rich historical background that is closely linked to two prominent figures: Oda Nobunaga, a great unifier of Japan, and Ikkyu, an ancient tea master. Each sub-temple in the complex requires an entrance fee to view its garden. The guide will recommend two sub-temples for you to visit and will also take you to Jyuko-in if you book a tour on its open day, the 28th of each month.

You will spend about 1 hour touring inside two of its sub-temples.

In 1562, at the age of 28, Oda Nobunaga entered Kyoto and built Obai-in for his father, Nobuhide. One of the highlights of this place is Rikyu's garden, a dry landscape garden known as "Karesansui-tei." The pond in this garden is dry and shaped like a gourd, with a stone bridge in the center.

There is a large stone on the left side of the pond. The reception hall has a painting called "Tikurin sitikenzu" on a fusuma, or paper sliding door, and has been designated as an important cultural property.

To visit an ancient tea house near Imamiya Shrine, take the backside path and arrive right when they open. This way, even during peak season, you will beat the crowds. The tea house is owned by a family acquaintance of the guide, who also did translation work for the shop.

The staff knows the guide well from his childhood, and since they knew his grandfather, you will be treated well. On the stone path are two similar tea houses, but the one across the street seems more popular for reasons unknown to the guide. There is a strong rivalry between the two tea houses in real life.

The tea house you will visit has been featured in many period dramas and samurai movies. The guide will talk to the staff to ensure you get the best seats.

After exiting the west gate of Daitokuji Temple, you will reach Imamiya Shrine on foot in just a few minutes. This shrine, known for its longstanding history, was established in 1001 to shield townspeople from rampant epidemics.

Once you arrive, the guide will provide further information about this revered location.

To get to Kamigamo Shrine, it is best to take the No. 46 bus from Imamiya Shrine. The bus stop is only a minute's walk away. This is the most efficient way to save time and avoid tourist crowds.

This bus will give you a comfortable seat and a smooth ride. Choosing the right bus stop is important to reach your destination quickly and easily. It is the local way to get to a World Heritage site.

The journey takes only about 10 minutes.

As you arrive, you will stand before Kamigamo Shrine, the oldest Shinto shrine in the ancient city. The shrine has been preserving and transmitting legends related to the birth of the shrine deity since prehistoric times. It is one of the oldest Shinto shrines in Japan and one of the seventeen historical monuments of Ancient Kyoto, designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

The guide will accompany you to the forest and show you the hidden Inari shrine within Kamigamo Shrine's large precincts. From the uphill observation point, the guide will provide an area guide before you stroll around Kamigamo.

Lunch break at 12:20 pm at a casual Teishoku restaurant serving Japanese combination meals.

The guide will introduce you to Shake-machi, a picturesque neighbourhood near Kamigamo Shrine. To get there, simply follow the sacred stream that runs out from the shrine, and you will soon find yourself on the main street of Kamigamo, surrounded by a historic landscape.

Shake-machi is home to a collection of magnificent residences built next to each other along the stream. These ancient houses belonged to sacred families who served the shrine in old times, and you can even visit them with permission. Since the guide knows the Tsuda Clan, who live in one of the houses, he can obtain permission for you to visit that particular residence.

Make your way through the backstreets of Kamigamo, and you will come across an exclusive route that will take you to Ota Shrine, a secret bamboo forest, and the beautiful Azekura garden. This course cannot be found through ordinary information sources, and even the most determined tourists cannot discover it.

Ota Shrine is famous for its rare iris species that grow in a marsh where natural water flows. It has the impression of a floating isle and is mentioned in an ancient poem. The atmosphere of the shrine is very peaceful and provides a perfect place to make a deep wish.

You will walk along some of the most beautiful pathways to reach the best point of the Kamo River in the north. After enjoying the scenic walk, you will conveniently return to your accommodation from where the walk ends.