SECRET KYOTO: 10.5 Hidden Gems IGNORED By The Crowds

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A Zen temple with brilliant access options near two rail stations, yet it remains largely ignored by crowds. Its star attraction is the long wooden Sutengkyo Bridge, which offers the sensation of walking across treetops and is spectacular when viewed from outside, evoking a medieval Kiyomizu Temple vibe without the hordes. You'll also want to tour the Hojo rock garden, an unusual mix of patterns, moss, pebbles, and large rocks, offering a mysterious experience due to lower visitor numbers.

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My absolute favorite eatery in this area of Kyoto, mainly because of the calming view of the Kamo River and its chilled-out vibe. It's a fantastic riverside cafe and restaurant that caters to both vegans and meat-eaters, so nobody misses out. You can drop in for breakfast or lunch.

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A small but perfectly formed temple known for the magnificent thatched roof over its entrance gate. After you pass through, you're flanked by two sculpted sand mounds that are supposed to purify visitors, which are pretty unique compared to most Kyoto sand gardens that flush with the ground. Head further through the grounds to the pond to enjoy the simple beauty of the scene. The star feature here is the peace and tranquility you'll easily find.

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An incredible cafe hidden in the middle of the woods, nicknamed 'mountain residence in the city.' It was built in the early 20th century by Mojiro Tanigawa, a successful newspaper figure, who wanted a place for tea ceremonies. What remains is what used to be a dining room. The menu is limited to drinks and small snacks, and opening hours are fairly short. It's a magical feeling to walk off a normal Kyoto street and be transported to what could easily be Hansel and Gretel's forest, offering the most relaxing cafe experience in Kyoto.

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A fun and overlooked addition to the Kamo River, featuring stepping stones that allow you to cross the river. You can find this crossing just north of the Nijo bridge. It's a great spot to use them yourself or simply watch others cross to see if they manage to fall in.

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A small branch of Nakamura Tokichi, one of Japan's most prestigious tea companies founded in 1854, famous for its Uji matcha and tea-flavored desserts. It's conveniently tucked away in the center of Kyoto Station, just opposite the west gate, up the escalator on the left. It's always less crowded than the main shop in Uji.

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A viewing platform tucked away at the end of Ramen Koji on the 10th floor of Kyoto Station. This runway stretches almost the entire length of the station front and offers incredible views of the city below. Unlike Kyoto Tower, there's no entrance fee here. It's well worth coming up at twilight to observe the rush hour in progress beneath your feet, and later you can enjoy the light show that runs down the tunnel.

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A traditional townscape with thatched farmhouses and tiled machiya townhouses, just like Gion, it's a specially protected area in Kyoto where you're not allowed to mess around with the overall look of the buildings. Many of these houses are now restaurants, which is handy after the 15-minute walk from Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. It's a trip back in time.

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Possibly my all-time favorite temple in all of Japan because it's small, perfectly formed, and incredibly beautiful. Out of all the moss gardens in temples in Kyoto, I think this is the cake taker; it just makes me weep at how pretty it is. The best part is you'll likely be alone here; I've never seen more than 10 people inside at a time. For a low investment cost of 13 minutes of pleasant strolling, you get the moss garden, the moss exhibition, and the moss on the roof.

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A hidden tonkatsu restaurant that, despite being a repeat visitor, I always feel like I can't find. The storefront is a very simple doorway wedged between a tea shop and an economy aquatics store. But find it and get inside because I guarantee you'll be hard-pressed to eat tastier tonkatsu anywhere else in Japan. I've recommended this restaurant to so many people, and they all want to go back.

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The closest thing you'll find in Kyoto to your very own private bamboo forest. If you came away from the photo studio in Arashiyama feeling it lacked peace and quiet, you'll definitely find what you're looking for here. The walking path stretches out almost 2 km, meaning there's plenty of space for everyone to spread out and enjoy the inside of this bamboo forest. It's incredibly peaceful, and an added bonus is the frequent sight of bamboo farmers maintaining the forest. You can easily spend a couple of hours here getting lost in the twists and turns of the path.