Itinerary

1. Meeting point JR Saga / Arashiyama Station (8:30 am)

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

2. Area Guide inside Seiryoji Temple (9:00 a.m)

   • Before we get into the main part of the tour, we'll offer an area guide of the district of Toriimoto to get a grasp of the background and geographical image. It is nice to stroll around inside the temple before the tour. The main hall of the temple is impressive, and most parts are free of entrance charge.

3. Adashino-Mayumura (9:30 am)

   • The first stop we will make on the historical path is Adashino-Mayumura. This is a shop selling craft items made of cocoons. They are selling them 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 will meet at the shop will be very friendly. You can expect a warm welcome from those people. You can relax and have a little shopping on your way. The items here are not heavy or bulky. You can just pack in your tiny bag to carry around.

4. Saga Toriimoto Town-scape Archive Hall (10:00 am)

   • Soon, you will come to an old house with a thatched roof called Saga Toriimoto Townscape Archive Hall. The function of this house is to work on the project of preserving the historical landscape of this area. This place is open to the public to visit and look around inside the ancient house constructed in the 1890s. In this place, I would like to explain how things were and how they stayed the way they are today. The structure of this house displays a well-preserved architectural style commonly seen from the early Meiji Period in Japan. I hope my explanation will give you a new perspective on the landscape of this area. 

5. First torii gate of Atago Shrine (10:20 am)

   • After visiting the Archive Hall, you will soon come to the 1st gate of Atago Shrine. Here is a great spot for taking photos. Let's take some beaks for some photoshooting. You can enjoy a tea break at a spot that has been shot many times in Japanese movies. The best time for this spot is autumn. It is also great with the green leaves of Momiji maple.

6. Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple (10:40 am)

   • The next stop is Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple. Just go along the way up the hill. You will come to this temple. The temple displays a huge collection of stone statues. Every one of them has a different impression on their face. It is said there are 1200 of them in this one place. You will surely find this fascinating. The entire ground of this temple is mostly covered in thick moss due to the area's high humidity. The atmosphere of this temple is unique, even though many other temples you see in the city are quite similar. It requires an entrance charge of 300 yen per person. This is the only place in this course which requires an additional fee. All the rest are free of charge.

7. Village of Kiyotaki (11:20 am)

   • Now, let's move on toward west to the tunnel. Now you came to a road splitting in three ways right before the Kiyotaki tunnel. This is the end of Atago Kaido, where it meets Kiyotaki-michi, " the road to Kiyotaki ". Even though it is said that this tunnel is a scary ghostly spot, I don't think it is such a place. It might look creepy when you look at it with such an idea because of the lights in the tunnel and its surroundings. There is a beautiful village called Kiyotaki after passing this tunnel. You don't have to worry because people are living in that village, and it is the only way to access Mt. Otago from the city. 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 to the top. It takes about 6 hours to go up and down. Another purpose of this tour is to show you how to get there.

8. Waterfall of Kuya (1:40 pm)

   • This waterfall is a training ground for monks, where you might encounter a rare training scene called Takigyo. It is the biggest waterfall in Kyoto city. Takigyo is a practice of meditation that involves standing under a waterfall. Let's light candles on all the alters surrounding this sacred ground. We'll make a wish together. Let's get a bottle of water inside the village before we go on a hike. 

9. Gohodo Benzaiten ( 2 : 40 p.m )

   • Now, we are back on Kiyotaki-Michi Street toward a hidden temple called Gohodo Benzaiten. It is hidden in the woods behind a bus stop called " Gohodo Benzaiten ". You would miss it without a guide. The temple enshrines a goddess called Benzaiten. Benzaiten symbolises eloquence (the art of speech to influence people ). 
   • Gohodo Benzaiten is a temple on the hill of Mt. Toriigata. The mountain holds one of five symbols of our traditional summer event: building a huge formation of bonfires among five mountains located in different directions surrounding the city. This event is called " Gozan Okuribi," which is held to send off the spirits of the deceased. This one has the shape of a torii gate. 
   • The name of the origin of this area is Toriimoto. The place is scarcely known by some people who come here to make wishes to its Benzaiten. This Benzaiten is enshrined here as a guardian of Mt. Toriigata. This place is a real hidden treasure for viewing the autumn beauty of sacred Momiji. 
   • After this, go on our way up toward anciet path of Atago Kaido Street.

10. Daikakuji Temple (3:20 pm)

    • On our way 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 pretty far from the center of tourism in Arashiyama. This one is a little off the path of the majority of tourists, and it is always quiet and peaceful. 

    JR. Saga-Arashiyama Station ( north gate ) ( 5:00 p.m.)