Kyoto, day three

Kyoto, Japan

Midday - temple gate

Warm timber smell meets me at the gate after I park the bicycle in the midday sun. I head toward the great wooden entrance of Kiyomizu-dera on Mount Otowa. The temple's huge stage was built entirely without nails and looks over eastern Kyoto and the valley.

Midday - temple veranda

Cool shade and the smell of old wood surround me on the temple veranda. I look over the carved rail at the mossy garden below. Beneath Kiyomizu-dera, the sacred Otowa Waterfall offers three streams linked with health, success, and longevity.

Midday - Zen stone garden

Pale gravel crunches under my shoes and bamboo rustles at the edge of the garden. I stroll the raked stones of Kinkaku-ji in the quiet midday. Gold leaf covers the top two floors of this Zen temple, once a shogun's retirement villa beside its mirror pond.

Midday - torii gate path

Red paint smells faintly warm in the cedar shade. I follow the path of vermilion torii up the mountain behind Fushimi Inari Shrine. Thousands of these wooden gates honour the Shinto deity of agriculture and business, passing fox messengers and small stone altars.

Afternoon - quiet alleyway

A soft flower scent hangs in the still alley while I get back on the bicycle this afternoon. I set off again between the close wooden houses. Kyoto remains the historical centre of Japanese textile production, known for Yuzen silk dyeing and Nishijin woven brocades.

Golden Hour - temple garden path

Petals drift against my arms on the warm breeze as I pedal the temple garden path. A stone lantern catches the low gold light beside me. Come in March or April for cherry blossom, or in October and November for autumn maple foliage.

Golden Hour - temple district

Paper lanterns begin to glow and the air cools as I ride my bicycle through the temple streets. Shop lights come on around me in the gold hour. Residents here favour smart casual clothes in muted neutral tones for ordinary days.

Golden Hour - market stall

Smoke and salt smell rise from the stall in front of me. I point at the skewers of grilled seafood on the counter. At Nishiki Market, Kyo-tsukemono pickles, kept in salt, rice bran, or sake lees, are sold at many stalls.

Night - temple plaza

Cold night air settles on the stone plaza as the pagoda glows against the dark. I pause the bicycle and take in the lit roofs. The rainy season runs from mid-June to late July, July is the wettest month, and August stays hot and humid.

Night - wooden bridge

City lights shimmer on the water while I lean on the wooden rail. The night is mild and the boards feel smooth under my hands. A light Kyoto ramen, with chicken and soy sauce, roast pork, and green onions, is worth a late bowl.