THE STYLEZEITGEIST GUIDE TO KYOTO
To say that Kyoto is a magical city is like saying that Francis Bacon is a great artist – neither words nor pictures can relate the firsthand experience. The feeling of peace that washes over you as you stroll the zen gardens or feel the wooden floors of Buddhist temples creak under your unshod feet. Even the hordes of tourists cannot spoil the experience if you are in the right mindset. There is no season when Kyoto is not full of visitors, or at least I have not experienced it. There are ways to avoid them somewhat by visiting the smaller temples, but no way to avoid them by visiting the bigger ones, but visit them you must, at least on your first trip. But you would also be missing out if you viewed Kyoto as just a temple destination; exploring its rich fabric of shops, restaurants, and a maze of architecture is a joy in itself. If you want to do it right, you’d probably need a week or so.