Timeline
06:02
Walk straight into the Founder’s Hall (Goei-dō) the moment it opens. At 06:20 in winter or 05:50 in summer, the vast wooden space is empty. Look up at the ceiling and find the massive coil of hair rope hanging from the center.
06:42
Walk six minutes to Sweet Malon Café. Order a drink and sit inside. It opens at 08:30, so arrive early to claim a quiet table before the day gets busy.
07:42
Stroll east for seven minutes to Shōseien Garden. This was the private garden of the Higashi Honganji temple. Walk around the Ingetsu Pond, which is designed to look like the Shiogama Coast in Miyagi Prefecture.
Local tip
The temple opens at 05:50 from March to October and 06:20 from November to February. Arrive at opening to have the hall to yourself.
Check before you go
- Higashi Honganji hours: Mar–Oct 05:50-17:30; Nov–Feb 06:20-16:30.
- Sweet Malon Café hours: 08:30-21:00 (Closed Sundays and Public Holidays).
Built from places in the Wikivoyage guide to Kyoto (CC BY-SA 4.0), with open map data from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).