Most Kyoto tours rush you from temple to temple. This one doesn’t.
We start at Shirakawa — a narrow canal where the water moves quietly, willows trail their branches into the current, and the area around it hasn’t changed much in a hundred years. En route, we ride past the great torii gate of Heian Shrine — its vermillion glowing through the trees, one of Kyoto’s most recognisable landmarks. From there, we ride towards Nanzen-ji, one of Kyoto’s greatest Zen temples, where you’ll climb the towering Sanmon gate and look out over a sea of treetops — then discover a 19th-century brick aqueduct hidden inside the grounds that stops everyone in their tracks.
The afternoon ends at the Kamo River. You’ll cross on the famous stepping stones, then settle in for a proper break — Japanese sweets, the sound of the river, and a lounger that inflates with nothing but the breeze.
The route changes with the seasons — but the pace never does.
2:30 PM — Shirakawa Canal
The water moves quietly below. A heron stands perfectly still in the shallows. Willow branches trail into the current. Nobody here is in a hurry — and neither are we. This is one of Kyoto’s oldest canal districts, and it still looks the part.
Heian Shrine
We ride past the great torii gate of Heian Shrine — one of the largest in Japan, its vermillion almost too vivid against the trees. A quick stop for photos, then we continue.
Nanzen-ji Temple (~40 min)
Before we enter, we stop at a boulder carved with a haiku: “Step through this gate — and the cool breeze comes of itself.” Nanzen-ji doesn’t ask you to believe anything. It just asks you to slow down — and somehow, you do. We climb the Sanmon gate for a panoramic view over the treetops, then find the brick aqueduct — built in the Meiji era to carry water from Lake Biwa through the grounds — one of those things you don’t expect to find inside a Zen temple.
Kamo River (~45 min)
The tobi-ishi stepping stones are simpler than you’d expect — and more fun. After crossing, we find a spot on the riverbank. The loungers go up in seconds. Japanese sweets appear. The river keeps moving. You don’t have to.
5:30 PM — End of tour
We ride back along the river as the light softens. Tour ends near the starting point.
