Kinkaku-ji, Ryoan-ji, and Ninna-ji can all be conveniently be seen by walking Kinukake no Michi road

Sometimes the buses in Kyoto can be quite crowded. This is why it may be a nice idea to walk for a bit if the weather is nice, so we went to Kinukake no Michi to see if the road was as beautiful as we had heard.

First, getting to Kinkaku-ji. The cheapest way is to take a bus from Kyoto Station straight to Kinkaku-ji, but these buses are usually crowded. The other way is to take the subway to Kitaoji Station, and from there take a bus to Kinkaku-ji.

Taking the bus from subway Kitaoji Station was surprisingly easy, as they have big blue signs all around and people who can tell you where to line up if you tell them the name of the temple you want to go to. If you take the bus here, you’re at Kinkakuji-michi bus stop in around 15 minutes, so the bus ride is not that bad. 

So, first stop, Kinkaku-ji Temple! The entrance to Kinkaku-ji Temple is only 400 yen per person, which is rather cheap considering how expensive some other temples in Kyoto can be. This might be because at Kinkaku-ji Temple you cannot enter any of the buildings; you can just look at them from outside. 

You’re not allowed to take group pictures inside the temple garden, so remember to take them before entering. 

Kinkaku-ji Temple is very strict when it comes to using its pictures, which is why we have covered the temple with a postcard on the top photo too. The ticket to Kinkaku-ji Temple looks extremely Japanese. 

After visiting Kinkaku-ji, we continued on Kinukake no Michi toward Ryoan-ji Temple. At first, the road looks very normal. 

But after a while, you get to see more nature and the road starts to have a more Japanese feel to it. The road must be even nicer in spring. 

Next, we get to Ryoan-ji Temple, most renowned for its rock garden. 

What’s interesting about this rock garden is that there are 14 stones, but you can only see 13 at a time. 

Kinukake no Michi is at its most beautiful around Ryoan-ji Temple. Here the road looks very traditional, and if it weren’t for the road having quite busy traffic, it would also be very quiet. 

After Ryoan-ji Temple, Kinukake no Michi turns into a rather normal road which leads you to Ninna-ji Temple. 

Ninna-ji Temple is a huge, a bit underappreciated temple which is always quiet, with the notable exception of the cherry blossoms in spring. 

The main gate of Ninna-ji is one of the biggest in Kyoto, and you can also see the two Kongorikishi statues guarding the temple and their stern expressions. 

Omuro Sanowa

If you’re feeling like you’d like to have a small snack after walking all this way, there’s a rather nice café right in front of Ninna-ji Temple, Omuro Sanowa. Omuro Sanowa’s specialty is Linzer Torte, which you can enjoy with traditional Japanese tea.