Plan your Japan trip without
the overwhelm
Saga Toriimoto street Kyoto: A quiet walk near Arashiyama
If you want to see a calmer side of Kyoto without leaving the city, Saga Toriimoto Street is a great option. Located just north of Arashiyama, this preserved street offers a slow walk through traditional houses, small craft shops, and nearby temples that feel far removed from the busy tourist areas.
Walk through Saga Toriimoto street
Saga Toriimoto Street is lined with machiya, Kyoto’s traditional wooden townhouses. Many have been carefully restored and now host small artisan shops, cafés, or local businesses.
The atmosphere is quiet and unhurried. Compared to the bamboo grove or central Arashiyama, far fewer visitors walk here. It is an easy place to slow down, look at details, and enjoy Kyoto at a different pace.
Local shops sell handmade items, pottery, sweets, and tea. Nothing feels rushed or mass produced, which adds to the charm of the area
Visit nearby temples on foot
One of the advantages of Saga Toriimoto Street is how close it is to several temples that are easy to combine on foot.
Otagi Nenbutsu ji is known for its 1,200 stone statues of rakan, each with a different expression. Some look calm, others playful or smiling. The surrounding forest keeps the atmosphere quiet and relaxed, making it a pleasant visit.
Adashino Nenbutsu ji is dedicated to people who passed without family. The temple grounds are filled with stone memorials and feel very peaceful. A small bamboo grove nearby adds a quiet walking path that works well for reflection.
Practical tips for visiting
Early morning or late afternoon are the best times to visit for softer light and fewer people. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended, as the area is best explored on foot.
Saga Toriimoto Street is accessible from Saga Arashiyama Station with a walk of about 20 minutes, or a short taxi ride. Temple entrance fees are usually around 300 to 500 yen.
Photography is allowed, but it is important to stay respectful, especially near temples and residential houses.
Why include Saga Toriimoto in your Kyoto itinerary
Saga Toriimoto Street offers a simple and calm experience that fits well into a day in Arashiyama. Combined with Otagi Nenbutsu ji and Adashino Nenbutsu ji, it gives you a quieter view of Kyoto without traveling far.
If you want help fitting this area into a balanced Kyoto itinerary, my guides are built to make planning easier while keeping flexibility.
Plan Your Japan Trip More Easily
If you're going to Jpaan you're probably facing :
Too much information
How to organize
Don’t know where to go
Train system feels confusing
Afraid of missing places
Planning a trip to Japan usually breaks at the same point: you save a lot of places, but don’t know how to turn them into a realistic route. Cities are large, distances are not intuitive, and it’s hard to know what actually fits in one day.
This guide was created to solve that. It helps you understand how places connect, how many days make sense per area, and how to build an itinerary that flows.
With the interactive map, you can explore curated spots across Japan, follow ready-made itineraries and day trips, mix my routes with your own, and adapt everything to your pac
I created my Japan Travel Guide to help you organize your trip in a clear, realistic way.
Details on what you'll have
Best of both world : touristy & off the beaten path places
+ 1000 things to do, filterable by category & tags
Lifetime access to my itinerary and all future updates.
10 to 30 days curated itineraries, fully customizable
Kanto (Tokyo & surroundings) Day by Day customizable Itinerary (10 to 15 days)
Kansai (Osaka, Kyoto, Nara...) Day by day Itinerary customizable (13 to 15 days)
Tokyo Guide by Neighborhood (23 special ward)
15+ additional day trips detailed for exploring nearby destinations from Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto.
Interactive map with all key spots marked & filterable by category & tags
Benefit from in-depth practical advice (navigation, accomodation, restaurants, cultural experiences)
PDF & Excel sheets (with less updates than online version)
What it looks like on the app :
If you prefer something fully tailored, I also offer a 100% custom travel planning service.
I design a day-by-day itinerary based on your dates, interests, budget, travel pace, and priorities. You simply follow the plan and enjoy your trip.
And if you like flexible, editable itineraries, you can also find my ready-made itineraries on Holicay.
They’re ideal if you want a solid base you can customize with your travel companions.
Marie creator behind @Tabimawari
Hi, I’m Marie, the creator behind @tabimawari.
I lived in Kyoto, learned Japanese, and keep returning to explore Japan beyond the obvious.
Planning a trip to Japan usually breaks at the same point: you save a lot of places, but don’t know how to turn them into a realistic route. Cities are large, distances are not intuitive, and it’s hard to know what actually fits in one day.
This guide was created to solve that. It helps you understand how places connect, how many days make sense per area, and how to build an itinerary that flows.
With the interactive map, you can explore curated spots across Japan, follow ready-made itineraries and day trips, mix my routes with your own, and adapt everything to your pace.
MY SOCIALS
MY NEWSLETTER
Japan Monthly by Tabimawari : Subscribe to get a monthly email packed with inspiration, local tips, and events happening across Japan straight from someone who’s lived and traveled a lot.
Look for the best accommodations in Japan :
Marie creator behind @Tabimawari
Hi, I’m Marie.
French islander from Reunion island, Japan lover, and travel planner behind Tabimawari.
I spent a year living in Kyoto, learning Japanese and falling in love with the culture. Since then, I’ve kept going back, exploring every corner from Tokyo to the tiniest hidden towns.
I created these guides after spending months planning, testing, and fine-tuning every detail so you don’t have to. Inside, you’ll find:
✅ Interactive maps
✅ Step-by-step directions
✅ Local spots + travel tips
✅ Offline use
Each guide is made with care, based on real-life travel, not generic blog advice.
This is what I wish I had on my first trip to Japan and now it’s yours.
MY SOCIALS
MY NEWSLETTER
Plan your Japan trip without
the overwhelm
Follow me
Newsletter
Japan Monthly : Subscribe to get a monthly email packed with inspiration, local tips, and events happening across Japan straight from someone who’s lived and traveled a lot.