Kyoto is Japan's old soul: 1,600 temples, geisha districts and gardens raked into stillness. See these five early in the day, before the crowds, and a few Japanese phrases will smooth every step.
- Fushimi Inari Taisha — thousands of vermilion torii gates snaking up a mountainside. Go at dawn or dusk and climb past the crowds to have the higher gates almost to yourself.
- Kinkaku-ji — the Golden Pavilion, a temple sheathed in gold leaf mirrored in its pond. Small but unforgettable; catch it in morning light.
- Arashiyama Bamboo Grove — a green cathedral of towering bamboo. Arrive by 8 a.m.; by mid-morning it's shoulder to shoulder.
- Gion at dusk — the geisha district of wooden teahouses and lantern light. Walk Hanamikoji quietly and respectfully; you may glimpse a geiko hurrying to work.
- Kiyomizu-dera — a wooden temple on stilts over the hillside, with the whole city spread below and cherry or maple leaves framing the view in season.
A soft "sumimasen" (excuse me) and "arigatō gozaimasu" carry you gracefully through Kyoto. Practise with a Japanese speaker below and arrive with more than a phrasebook.
