Ninna-ji lies on the north-western side of Kyoto, in the district of Omuro, and it is one of those temples that tell you a great deal about how Japanese politics once worked. It was founded in 888 by the emperor Uda, who after abdicating became a Buddhist priest and lived here as head of the temple, and for generations afterwards its abbots were members of the imperial family. The complex is known for its Niomon gate, its five-storey pagoda from the seventeenth century, and its garden with a view of the hills. UNESCO included it among the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto in 1994.
The cherry trees of Omuro are the temple's special feature. They are a late-blooming type, short and thick, with trunks that grow low to the ground, and they flower in mid to late April, some weeks after the famous trees in the rest of Kyoto have dropped their petals. That makes Ninna-ji a quiet place to visit in the season when the rest of the city is crowded. The blossom, set against the dark roofs and the pagoda, is spectacular.
Kyoto is a challenging city for riders. The grid is easy to follow, but the streets are narrow, the traffic is dense and slow, and parking for motorcycles is limited, so look for a designated space near the temple. Much of the centre is slow going, and the bicycle is the real king of the road. West of the temple, the Arashiyama district has a bamboo grove and a river, and the road beyond, along the Hozu gorge and up into the northern hills, is far more enjoyable on a bike. The Kitayama cedar forests and the road to Shuzan bring a feel of deep country within thirty minutes of the city.
Fuel is plentiful on the main avenues, and a few convenience stores near the temple offer coffee. For a proper meal, the temple area has noodle shops and tofu restaurants, and Kyoto's famous vegetarian cooking is worth sampling. Make time for the tea house at the temple.
Autumn colours come in November and December, and the light is soft. If you arrive early, the temple is often empty and the gravel paths are raked clean.