The Philosopher’s Path (哲学の道, Tetsugaku no michi) is a pleasant stone path through the northern part of Kyoto’s Higashiyama district. The path follows a canal which is lined by hundreds of cherry trees. Usually in early April these trees explode with color, making this one of the city’s most popular hanami (cherry blossom viewing) spots.
Approximately two kilometers long, the path begins around Ginkaku-Ji (Silver Pavilion) and ends in the neighborhood of Nanzen-Ji. The path gets its name due to Nishida Kitaro, one of Japan’s most famous philosophers, who was said to practice meditation while walking this route on his daily commute to Kyoto University.
Today was a warm and sunny day and we had a wonderful walk, even considering the large number of people we encountered. This is a place where numerous tourists dress up with Japanese kimono — a pleasant sight. To go there, I think the easiest way is to take Bus #100 to the Ginkakuji-Mae stop and walk toward Nanzen-Ji.
