Arrive into the Kansai Airport, Osaka. You will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel in Kyoto, about 1.5-2 hour drive.

Today visit temples, gardens and artists. Begin the day with visits to Ryoanji Temple and Kinkakuji Temple. Ryoanji Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is prominent for its mysterious Zen stone garden. Kinkakuji Temple is a World Cultural Heritage site with a sparkling golden pavilion and a pond-centred garden. In the afternoon learn from artists how washi, a traditional paper, is made and how the colour “Japan Blue” or indigo is produced. B

At the superb Kurodani Konkai Komyoji temple complex, rarely visited by tourists, listen to an expert on Japanese garden design and maintenance. 

Enter the temple, Honen-in, through a moss-covered gate and pass between two sand mounds that are said to purify the visitor into this tranquil garden.  

The Philosopher’s Path follows a canal lined with hundreds of cherry trees which are an explosion of colour in April. Several temples line this walk including Ginkakuji or the Silver Pavilion.  

Subject to permission, we visit Saiho-ji Temple, a must-see. The grounds of the temple complex form a lush carpet of about 120 varieties of moss. To enter the garden visitors must participate in the Buddhist practice of copying sutras called shakyo. This isn’t as difficult as it sounds! B

This morning our destination is the large Zen temple complex, Daitokuji consisting of 22 subtemples. Ryogen-in Temple is the oldest meditation hall in Japan and has the smallest rock garden. There are several gardens, each with an individual symbolic meaning. Daisen-in Temple’s stone garden is famous and one of the best examples of its kind. Shinju-an Temple was founded by Ikkyu in 1429 and served as his residence. The temple contains many artistic treasures by such master painters as Kano Motonobu and Kano Eitoku .

In the afternoon take an aroma and food tour that includes a sake shop and light lunch with tasting, incense ceremony and a soy sauce producer. BL

Visit Tenryu-ji Temple with its Zen garden that dates to the 14th century. The garden features a large pond reflecting the surrounding trees and rocks and makes use of “borrowed scenery” of the background Arashiyama hills. 

Okochi-Sanso Villa was built over 30 years by the late silent movie actor, Denjiro Okochi, a major star from the 1920s to 1962. The villa and gardens include several buildings, lovely gardens, a sweeping view of the entire city of Kyoto, and on the other side a view down into the Hozu River below. Denjiro Okochi planted a garden that highlights all four seasons: cherry blossoms, azaleas, Japanese maple trees, and many pines.

Tiny Gio-j Temple is a quiet temple surrounded by trees and a lush moss garden. The trees grow densely and the temple is usually covered in deep shade. According to legend, Gio, after whom the temple is named, was a dancer jilted in favour of another dancer, Hotoke Gozenn. Gio then retired here as a nun along with her mother and younger sister, Ginyo, and a year later by Hotoke Gozenn. This story, the beautiful velvety moss, and the peacefulness are Gioji's biggest charms.

Subject to availability take the Sagano Arashiyama Train one way and return by boat via the Katsura River. This nostalgic train travels slowly along the Hozugawa River offering fantastic views of forests and mountains. The 7 kilometre journey takes about 25 minutes. At Kameoka board your river boat while boatmen use long bamboo poles for the 16 kilometre/2 hour journey back to Arashiyama. B

Today explore Nijo Castle including Nonomaru Garden and Seiryu-en Garden. Nijo-jo illustrates the power that the Shoguns exerted over Japan for much of its history. Enter the Ninomaru Palace, famous for its “nightingale floors”.. Legend has it that these squeaky floors were to alert occupants to intruders. But the castle states it is the movement of nails caused by wear and tear of the floors. 

Just outside the palace is the lovely strolling Ninomaru Garden, designed by the famous landscape architect and tea master, Kobori Enshu. The garden has a large pond with three islands that symbolize Horai-San (Island of Eternal Happiness), and the crane and turtle mountains of the Taoist mythology.

Seiryū-en Garden is a combination of Western and Japanese styles, including two handsome teahouses. It was constructed in 1965 as a reception area for official guests of Kyoto and as a venue for cultural events. Remainder of the day to explore Kyoto independently. B

Visit the private garden of Murin-an Villa. Murin-an is a strolling garden with its water source for the ponds, waterfall and streams drawn from the nearby Lake Biwa Sosui Canal. Murin-an was built upon a new naturalist view of gardens using the surrounding village mountain landscapes and river streams themselves to produce a sense of motion.

Nanzen-ji, built in the Heian period (794-1185) is the head temple of the Nanzen-ji branch of Rinzai Zen Buddhism. Of special importance is the dry landscape garden (kare-sansui) in front of the Hōjō, the head priest's quarters. The fusuma-e, the paintings on wooden sliding doors, are also impressive. 

f time permits the group has a choice to visit Heian Shrine and Garden or the Kyoto Handicraft Museum. Heian-jingu Shrine is famous for its garden. The garden is divided in four sections: north, south, east and west and contains plum, cherry, iris, azalea, and lilies. Kyoto Handicraft Museum sells traditional arts and crafts work such as pottery, dolls, folding fans, lacquer ware, kimonos and many others. B

At appointed time, the group transfers to the Kansai Airport in Osaka. Alternatively, I highly recommend extending your visit to Japan. Worldwide Ecotours can recommend and organize additional travel plans. B