Kyoto in autumn is on every list for a reason. It's also, increasingly, a scrum. This is the itinerary I wish I'd had my first time — the temples with fewer people, the tea houses that don't take reservations online, the ryokan that's an hour outside town and worth every minute of the taxi.
Where to Stay
Hoshinoya Kyoto — boat access only, up the Ōi river. It's forty-five minutes from central Kyoto and completely disconnects you from the crowds. Two nights minimum.
The Temples
Skip Kinkaku-ji. Everyone tells you to go. Everyone regrets it. Instead: Honen-in at 7am (free, empty, moss and gates), Nanzen-ji's aqueduct, and Shisen-do for the garden alone.
Where to Eat
Kikunoi for the tasting menu you'll remember forever. Menbaka Fire Ramen for the show. Any yakitori place with a queue of salarymen at 6pm.
