Garden Expedition Kyoto

Individual Travel to Japan

by William Will

Japanese gardens can be found all over the world today, but the original development of the gardens has its roots in the history of the Japanese people and its society. At the center of Japanese culture in Kyoto (京都), the imperial capital from 794 to 1868, gardens served different purposes over time, creating a variety of styles.

For anyone with a serious interest in Japanese gardens, taking a trip to Kyoto is one of the safest and most exciting adventures imaginable. With a little bit of preparation, Kyoto is an easily accessible city that has much to offer including a rich cultural heritage of religion, art, architecture and gardens. With a population of close to 1.5 million people, it is a moderate sized modern city with a well developed public transportation system, including an excellent underground, a dense network of busses and additional trains for the outlying areas of the city. Taxis are also easily available in most areas.

Myths of the Past

Before travelling to Japan for the first time individually, I was especially afraid of the language problems I might encounter in a place where I couldn’t read any street signs or get my bearings from a map. While that might have been true 30 or 50 years ago, that is no longer the case. Most signs, be they on streets, in train stations or other public areas, are bilingual today – both in Japanese and in English. And while you might stil have problems ordering from a large Japanese menu, the days in which travellers were hopelessly lost are a thing of the past. While not everyone speaks English, the number of young Japanese who will be able to communicate with you is steadily increasing.

The other common myth is that travelling to Japan is very expensive. I find Kyoto to be comparable to other world cities, but far more reasonable than places like Paris, London, New York or San Francisco. Kyoto is moderately priced as long as you stick with what the natives eat and drink, and do not expect large rooms and baths. If you are comfortable sleeping on the floor on tatamis and futons, the many small private Japanese inns provide for a pleasant and very safe experience, some serving continental breakfasts. Hotels tend to be more pricey and generally offer western style rooms with beds. The key element is to organize your trip with someone who specializes in Japan, booking accommodations and flights well in advance.

Planning the Journey

Both spring and fall are wonderful times to visit the Kyoto area, but you must be aware of the fact that the Japanese very much admire their own gardens, and these periods can be very busy. The blossoming of the cherries in spring (usually after April 1st) is an event all its own, just as the intense colors of fall (after November 1st) draw thousands of visitors each day. During these peek periods many might find it difficult to reserve accomodations. At this time it is just as difficult to sit back in a meditative pose and enjoy the tranquility these gardens might inspire. This is especially true for the best known examples of gardens, which have become tourist attractions in their own right. I therefor adjust my travel dates a little bit, tending to prefer late spring (Mai) or early fall (October), since these dates also have some of the best, moderate weather Kyoto has to offer.

Since there are hundreds of places of interest to visit in the Kyoto area, making a list and organizing an itinerary is half the journey. Depending on the duration of your trip, it is easiest to focus on larger temple districts in which often several gardens are open for public viewing. These districts also have many small inns, shops and restaurants in their vicinity, making a days experience richer and more efficient.

In order to put together a good itinerary of day trips in the Kyoto area I keep using one book over and over again: The Gardens of Kyoto by Marc Treib and Ron Herman. First published over 20 years ago it is available in a revised edition that lists over 50 individual gardens, grouped by the different geographic areas. Each garden is listed with opening hours, historic background and special features described. The name of each garden and its location are additonally specified in Japanese characters, so that those that might loose their way can consult a Japanese map, ask directions or take a taxi.