Page 48 - Koi Net - On-Line Koi Magazine - Issue 30

The Philosopher’s Path (Tetsugaku no michi)
After we had visited Ginkakuji we then headed south on
the Philosopher’s Path which is in East Kyoto in the
northern part of Kyoto’s Higashiyama District. The stone
CHERRY TREES path is approximately 1.25 miles long and connects
Ginkakuji with Nanzenji Temple and takes about 25
EXPLODE IN minutes to walk.
COLOURFUL The Philosopher’s Path is a pleasurable walk that runs
BLOSSOM IN along a canal which is lined with hundreds of cherry
trees, which usually explode in colourful blossom in
EARLY APRIL early April making it popular for Hanami (cherry blossom
viewing) in the spring.
The path derives its name from one of Japan’s most
famous philosophers, Nishida Kitaro. It is said that while
walking this route on his daily commute to Kyoto
University, he would practice meditation along the way.
There are restaurants, cafés and some shops along the
path, as well as a number of small temples and shrines,
which are a short walk from the canal. One of the most
notable of these temples and the one we visited
ourselves while walking the Philosopher’s Path is the
The attractive old entrance Honen-in Temple, which has an attractive old entrance
gate to Honen-in Temple. gate nicely contrasted by the autumn colours.

Above:
The Philosopher’s Path
runs along a canal lined
with hundreds of cherry
trees.
Right:
Viewing the map of the
Philosopher’s Path,
which shows points of
information and interest.

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