The Art of Slowing Down in Kyoto

Everyone rushes to the famous temples. The mistake is not going — the mistake is leaving before the crowds do and the garden empties.

Ryoan-ji at midday is a disappointment: tourists, noise, the feeling that everyone is performing their appreciation of the rock garden rather than actually sitting with it. Ryoan-ji at 5:30pm, in October, with the golden light coming through the trees and a handful of visitors left, is one of the most peaceful places I have ever been.

Kyoto rewards patience and timing above almost everything else. The city is not trying to be impressive — it has simply existed long enough that impressiveness is the default. You just have to arrive at the right moment to receive it.