In 1482, Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa of the Muromachi government converted his retirement villa into a temple. Compared to the bright Kinkaku, Ginkaku lets the viewer feel the wabi sabi (humble simplicity) that is the Japanese art of finding beauty in imperfection and profundity in nature. By visiting both temples, you can deeply understand the differences between the two. In front of Ginkaku's gate is Tetsugaku-no-Michi (Philosopher's Walk), which leads to Ginkaku. The walking path along the creek is popular with locals and tourists as one of the best places to view cherry blossoms and fireflies.

Located in Uji City, a famous "tea" town in Kyoto, the Byodo-in was originally a country villa owned by Fujiwarano Michinaga, and it was converted into a temple in 1052 by his son, Fujiwarano Yorimichi. The Hōō-den (Phoenix Hall), a must-see part of Byodo-in, was built on an island in the middle of its pond. The reflection of Hōō-den on the surface of the water can be viewed as a floating palace in the pond. It's called Hōō-den because the building has a graceful structure with wings like a bird, and a figure of a hōō (a phoenix-like mythological bird) sits on top of the roof. This exceptional temple is registered as a World Heritage in which you can actually see 1,000-year-old buildings and Buddhist statues. The Japanese 10-yen coin was designed with an imprint of the Byodo-in's Phoenix Hall, and the ten-thousand-yen note features the Phoenix's image.

Fushimi Port was built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi when he built Fushimi castle. It served as a base of water transportation between Osaka and Kyoto. The park along the Uji River once flourished as a river port for trading. Around this area, the white-walled buildings of sake-brewery warehouses still remain. At the busiest time of the year, the city is filled with the aroma of traditional sake-brewing. The Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum introduces you to the sake-making process and you will have the chance to taste-test quality sake and plum wine.