The oldest building in Kyoto does not stand in the city centre but in the southeastern hills, at the temple of Daigo-ji: a five storey pagoda completed in 951, which has survived fires, earthquakes and wars that destroyed almost everything else of its age in the city. The temple was founded in the ninth century on Mount Daigo, and its grounds spread from the foot of the mountain to the summit, linked by a steep path, with halls, gardens and sub temples along the way. It is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto World Heritage Site.
Daigo-ji is famous for cherry blossoms. In 1598, the warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi held a grand cherry blossom viewing party here for some thirteen hundred guests, and the temple still holds a procession in his memory each spring. The Sanbo-in garden, laid out under Hideyoshi's direction, is a masterpiece of rocks, ponds and pines. In autumn, the maples around the pond of the Bentendo hall turn brilliant red.
The temple lies in the Yamashina basin, between Kyoto and Lake Biwa, in a district that is more suburban than historic. Uji, to the south, is the home of Japanese green tea and of the Byodo-in temple, whose Phoenix Hall appears on the ten yen coin. Otsu, on Lake Biwa, is a short ride east over the hills.
Riding in Kyoto is challenging, with heavy traffic, narrow streets and crowds of tourists, and parking a bike in the centre requires finding designated motorcycle parking. The roads in the hills around the city are more pleasant, including the routes over the mountains toward Lake Biwa and the roads into the tea country of Uji and Wazuka, where terraced tea fields cover the hillsides.
Uji and Otsu have fuel and services, and Kyoto has everything. Try matcha in Uji, whether as tea, ice cream or soba noodles. Daigo-ji is busy in cherry blossom season and autumn, and quieter at other times. Allow time for the climb to the upper temple, which takes an hour or more on foot.