Welcome back to Neighborhood Watch, where we introduce you to several points of interest in Kyoto within walking distance from one another. In this edition, we invite you to spend a slow early afternoon exploring the tranquil and undemanding Ginkaku-ji area. Removed from the central area of Kyoto City and surrounded by lush green nature, everything here moves at a more leisurely pace. The lack of crowds allows you to take your time and not stress about long waits in line or spatial awareness, or the lack thereof. Hear us out.
Ginkaku-ji Temple, The Silver Pavilion 銀閣寺
First, you may ask, why is Ginkaku-ji Temple, officially Jisho-ji (Temple of Shining Mercy), popularly referred to as the Silver Pavilion, when there is not a trace of silver to be found? The story goes back to the 1460s when Ashikaga Yoshimasa started planning a pleasure villa where shoguns could relax in their retirement. Yoshimasa intended to cover the pavilion in a distinguishing silver foil, but this was postponed repeatedly and, after Yoshimasa’s death, eventually abandoned altogether.
You may hear more about the Golden Pavilion in traditional guidebooks, but Ginkaku-ji has its own powerful draw. Its unfinished quality makes it a strong representative of the Japanese ‘wabi-sabi’ worldview, which accepts beauty in imperfection. Ginkaku-ji is simple and serene. It has a gorgeous moss garden, a sand garden, and a small mountain at the back that gives you a bird’s-eye view of the entire pavilion. While Kinkaku-ji was limited to aristocrats, Ginkaku-ji reached a broader audience and had an arguably more profound impact on Japan’s traditional arts. To boot, there is far less foot traffic at Ginkaku-ji, meaning that it can be enjoyed at one’s own pace, as works of art should be.
Ginkaku-ji Shopping Street
Before arriving at Ginkaku-ji, you will be greeted by two rows of shops offering everything from cute souvenirs of your favorite Japanese characters to coffee and a plethora of dessert options. The path up to the pavilion is a nice little trek, so it’s almost impossible not to stop at one of these charming, simple shops and check out what they have. If the display items aren’t enough to grab your attention, you can count on a kindly shop owner inviting you in with a warm smile.
Ginkakuji Triangle House
All the shops have something splendid to offer their visitors, but we want to take a minute to talk about Ginkakuji Triangle House. This café has kept its retro look and, unlike most of the shops on this street, offers a place indoors to sit down and enjoy your meal. In particular, the desserts are breathtaking and perfect for anyone trying to cool down with a traditional Japanese confectionery.
The options are truly endless, but we finally settled on the warabi mochi (sweet starch dipped in soybean powder). Not only is this delicacy topped with matcha ice cream and whipped cream, but there is also a serving of kuromitsu (Japanese sweet syrup) on the side for you to pour on before diving in.
Philosopher’s Path 哲学の道 (Tetsugaku no Michi)
Just before you reach the shopping street, keep an eye out for the entrance to the Philosopher's Path. Traveling can be a golden opportunity to remove ourselves from the struggles faced at work, in daily life, or in our households. We invite you to visit the Philosopher's Path and extricate yourself even further from that stress. This 2-kilometer path was originally made by Nishida Kitaro, who walked it every day as a form of meditation. The neighborhood surrounding the path is less populous than other areas of Kyoto, meaning that, aside from a few houses and shops, you are more or less removed from civilization during your time spent here.
A river runs through the entire path, its flow carrying the fallen petals of the seasonal flowers while its sound soothes its visitors. Toward the end of the path, you will find cats basking in the sun, in their own meditative state. It’s almost like a reward for completing the philosopher’s journey. In short, this path is visually appealing during any season of the year and the perfect distance, making it an ideal walk for anyone looking to spend some time in thought while enjoying an aesthetically pleasant view of foliage and charming little houses along the way. It is not rare to see people walking this path alone, and that is perhaps the ideal way to experience it.
Goya, an Okinawan Paradise
Walk just a bit west of the entrance to the Philosopher’s Path and you will find yourself at Goya, a restaurant that offers mouthwatering Okinawan cuisine in a tropical tree-house-style environment. Okinawa is an island prefecture that does things just a bit differently from mainland Japan, and one can clearly taste the difference when giving the cuisine a whirl. Goya offers an expansive selection of Okinawan staples for its guests, but what sets it apart is their willingness to transcend borders and dive into fusion-style food as well as offer options for vegan customers.
This time around, we tried their taco rice, a Tex-Mex-influenced version of Okinawa’s original Rouro rice. The dish consisted of Okinawa-style shredded beef, lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes. Goya also offers beer sets that come with three Okinawan pickled dishes that complement beer perfectly, especially on a hot summer day.
The Ginkaku-ji area is the perfect setting if you are looking for a laid-back, make-your-own-adventure day of wandering and discovering hidden gems for yourself. Get out there and let us know what you find!
