Discover Sakyo

Start at Demachiyanagi.
Where will you hop off?

【E04】Ichijoji Station

　インスタントPIC☆SHISENDO

　　A poet's retreat, with small discoveries in the garden　　

Getting there: 15min walk from Ichijoji station

Admission: 400yen

Shisendo was built in 1641 as the home of Ishikawa Jozan, a former samurai who devoted his later years to poetry. Today, you can look out over its garden and notice how the view changes with the seasons.

Look a little closer: Small "o-jizo-san"(Jizo statues) sit among the moss in the garden. Jizo is a Buddhist figure associated with the protection of children and travellers. Knowing what the figures represent adds another layer to these little discoveries.

インスタントPIC☆Tanukidani-san Fudo-in

　　Meet the tanuki on a temple walk　　

Getting there: 25min walk from Ichijoji Station

Admission: 500yen (pay when you reach the top)

Tanukidani-san Fudo-in is known for prayers for protection from misfortune, road safety and health, particularly prayers concerning cancer and successful surgery. Visitors come to pray for themselves or their loved ones. Along the approach, you’ll also encounter ceramic tanuki, Japanese raccoon dogs, with playful faces and poses.

Look a little closer: Which tanuki is your favourite? Take a closer look at their faces and poses as you walk—you might find one that makes you smile.

【E10】Iwakura

インスタントPIC☆Jisso-in Temple

　　Garden views and Sakyo's own "Mount Fuji"　　

Getting there: 20min walk from Iwakura Station

Admission: 600yen

Away from the bustling heart of Kyoto city, Jisso-in offers a chance to enjoy its gardens and the changing colours of the plants. Take a seat, look out over the garden and notice how the building frames the scenery. The view itself is part of the experience, with details that are easy to miss on a quick visit.

Look a little closer: Look through the gap between the overlapping roofs—the outline of the autumn foliage can resemble Mount Fuji. This is the garden’s own mountain-shaped view, rather than the actual Mount Fuji. A seat overlooking the garden was also highlighted in our original guide as a place to pause and refresh.

Good to know: Photography inside the temple is prohibited, including photographs of the garden reflections on the polished floor. Follow the temple’s signs and staff guidance.

インスタントPIC☆岩倉具視幽棲旧宅

　　Japan's changing history, seen through an old house　　

Getting there: 20min walk from Iwakura Station

Admission: Adults ¥400, or ¥500 during November 14–29, 2026; junior high, high school and technical college students ¥200; elementary school students ¥100.

Tomomi Iwakura was a court noble and statesman who helped shape the Meiji Restoration, the political transition that began a new era of government in Japan in 1868. Before that change, he spent about three years in retreat at this house after being expelled from central Kyoto. The house and the adjoining Taigaku Bunko museum offer a closer look at his life and the period in which he lived.

Look a little closer: Look at the old glass panes in the main house. Their gently uneven surface makes the scenery outside appear slightly wavy. It is a small detail that gives the building a different character from a modern house.

Good to know: Visitor numbers are limited. Check the official reservation information before visiting; café options are listed on the facility’s website.

推しスポット◎茶花茶花

　　Carpentry, coffee, and flowers in one neighbourhood stop　　

Getting there: 12mins walk from Iwakura Station or 10min walk from Hachiman-mae Station

Opened in April 2024 by three mothers who knew one another through their children, 茶花茶花 combines a café with a flower shop downstairs. Its thoughtfully arranged timber and concrete interior draws on Nakamuraya’s carpentry skills. Stop for a drink and homemade sweets, with the selection changing from day to day, or browse the flowers on your way out.

Look a little closer: The café has a spacious children’s play area. For families exploring Kyoto with young children, this practical detail can make it easier to enjoy a break together.　

【E11】木野

インスタントPIC☆妙満寺

　　A garden of snow and a bell with a dramatic storyGetting there: 　　

Getting there: 5mins walk from Kino Station

Admission: Main temple area, including the Snow Garden and exhibition room: adults ¥800; elementary and junior high school students ¥400. The grounds are generally free; special events may have different arrangements.

Founded in 1389, Myomanji is known for its Yuki-no-niwa, or “Garden of Snow.” The temple also preserves the Anchin–Kiyohime bell, associated with a legend of love and jealousy that inspired stories performed in noh and kabuki, two forms of traditional Japanese theatre. Together, the garden and temple treasures give you different ways to explore the site.

Look a little closer: The Snow Garden belongs to a celebrated tradition of Kyoto gardens associated with snow, the moon and flowers. Look at how the stones shape the garden’s view. Snow gives the garden a particularly striking appearance, but you can enjoy its composition in other seasons too.

推しスポット◎マックさんの家

　　A former racer's restaurant with a neighbourhood welcome　　

Getting there: 4mins walk from Kino Station.

Near Myomanji, マックさんの家 serves yoshoku—Western-inspired dishes adapted to Japanese tastes. The owner is a former motorcycle racer, and the restaurant began as a place where riders could stop and rest. It grew into a neighbourhood meeting place for people of different ages, welcoming anyone from anywhere. Racing memorabilia in the interior gives you a glimpse of the owner’s earlier life.

Look a little closer: The menu offers meals, drinks and desserts for different appetites. Whether you want a full lunch or a smaller break, that variety reflects the owner’s wish to make people feel welcome.

推しスポット◎太船

　　A neighbourhood noodle shop with warming curry broth　　

Getting there: About 10 minutes on foot from Kino Station.

Taisen is a long-established neighbourhood shop serving udon, soba and rice bowls. Udon are thick wheat noodles; soba are typically made with buckwheat. The dishes use dashi, a Japanese stock that brings savoury depth to the broth. It is a straightforward stop for a filling lunch while exploring Iwakura.

Look a little closer: Try the curry udon or curry soba highlighted in our guide. The broth combines Japanese dashi with the warmth and spice of curry, a different way to enjoy noodles if you have already tried ramen.

【E15】二ノ瀬

インスタントPIC☆白龍園

　　A garden built by hand, with a leaf-shaped view　　

Getting there: 7mins walk from Ninose Station

The founder of Hakuryuen together with employees, family members and local helpers worked by hand to shape the hillside, build the stone steps and create the bridges and resting places. Today, moss-covered stonework and seasonal foliage make the garden a place to appreciate both the landscape and the work that went into it.

Look a little closer: Find the window shaped like a kan-aoi leaf, a plant whose leaf outline inspired the opening. Look through it to see the garden framed in an unusual way, one small feature that changes how you notice the scenery.

Good to know: The garden is closed to ordinary visits outside its public opening periods. Please stay off the moss. Video filming, tripods and monopods are prohibited; follow posted photography restrictions.

推しスポット◎河鹿荘

　　Japanese tea and a sweet pause beside Hakuryuen　　

Getting there: 5mins walk from Ninose Station

Across from Hakuryuen, Kajikaso is a tea stop where you can enjoy matcha or zenzai. Matcha is finely ground green tea whisked with water; zenzai is a sweet red-bean soup. Pairing your garden visit with a tea break offers another way to enjoy the area at a slower pace.

Look a little closer: If the menu names are unfamiliar, start with what appeals to you: the distinctive flavour of matcha or the sweetness of red beans. It is a chance to try a Japanese tea-time treat while resting between stops.

推しスポット◎Cafe&Barあやはな

　　　　　

Getting there: 7mins walk from Ninose Station

Near the Kurama River, AYAHANA serves meals and sweets featuring ingredients from Tango and Tamba, regions of Kyoto beyond the city. Just five minutes’ walk from Hakuryuen Garden, it makes a convenient lunch or café stop after exploring the garden.

Look a little closer: Choose your spot with the season: enjoy the fresh air on the terrace in warmer weather, or warm up beside the wood-burning stove when it’s cold. Craft beer brewed in Kyoto’s Tango region offers another local discovery.

What will you discover along Eiden?