by Rose Mary

Created on: October 06, 2008   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

If you are in Kyoto Japan, you should not miss one of Kyoto's best-loved spots. Yes, I am referring to The Philosopher's Walk. You must be wondering, why such a name was given. Do you need to be a Philosopher to take this work, or will you become one after taking the walk? Well, well.. do not be bothered by the name, just believe that this will one of the memorable walks you will ever taken.

Okay, just to satisfy your curiosity regarding the name of the walk. This route is named after a Kyoto University philosophy Professor (Nishida Kitaro : 1879 1945) who used this route for his daily constitutional. Ha ha, take this walk if you want to be a professor (just a joke).

The Philosopher's Walk is located at the base of the scenic Higashi-yama (Eastern Mountains) between Ginkaku-ji south to Nyakuoji-jinja. The walk is connected with roads leading to the precincts of Nazen-ji. The route, looks like a human spine to me, is lined with beautiful cherry-tree following the contour of the meandering canal. If you like cheery blossoms, you will definitely love this walk. The length of the walk is about 1.5 1.6km (not too long). You can either walk from north to south or south to north. Either way will be fine.

Along the route, there are quite a number of notable temples and shrines. In particular, they are Honen-in, Eikan-do, Ginkaku-ji, Otoyo-jinja and Nanzen-ji, among others.

Also, there is this Nomura Art Museum which has a collection of tea-ceremony artifacts. Do pop in and take a look at the artifacts and appreciate it beauty. In addition, you will also be able to enjoy exquisite Zen style gardens.

The walk is not all about temple, shrine and gardens only. You can also find coffee and craft shops, restaurants and boutiques along the way. You can do some shopping and pick up something special home as remembrance.

At the end of the walk, you might want to try the specialized yu-dofu, a Buddhist vegetarian dish. This specialist restaurant is located at the entrance to the Nanzenji temple.

During the cheery and maple seasons, many will flock to The Philosopher's Walk to enjoy its unspoiled natural beauty. Be sure not to miss this walk when you are at Kyoto City Japan. Hopefully, you will be wiser after finishing the walk. Remember not to miss this place. For more information, please visit City of Kyoto at: http://www.fibcool.com/cheap-flights

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