The Kyoto Journal

Kyoto is famous for temples, shrines, gardens and traditional streets, but you do not have to travel very far from the city to find a completely different side of the region. Head north into the mountains and the landscape begins to change surprisingly quickly. The city gives way to forests, river valleys and small rural communities, with the road winding through the mountains towards Keihoku and eventually Miyama. For us, this journey is a large part of the appeal. Miyama is

Kyoto can look deceptively manageable on a map. The main sightseeing areas do not seem very far apart, public transport is extensive, and it is easy to imagine fitting a long list of temples, shrines and neighbourhoods into one day. In practice, Kyoto is much more tiring than many first-time visitors expect. There is the walking between stations and attractions, the steps and slopes at temples, gravel and cobbled paths, crowded buses, busy streets and surprisingly few public

Travelling around Kyoto by private car sounds like a luxury, and of course it is. No crowded buses, no trying to work out train platforms or bus numbers, no standing in line at a bus stop, and no worrying about how to get from one place to the next. That does not necessarily mean a private car is always the best way to see Kyoto. Some parts of the city are much better explored on foot, some journeys are easier by train, and there are places where trying to use a car can make