Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto and Nara Palace Site

Scenic road chapters

Waypoint introductions and full write-ups

1. 1. Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto

   Kyoto sits in a basin with mountains on three sides, a grid of streets laid out in the late eighth century on the model of the Chinese capital, and it remained the imperial seat until 1868. That long continuity explains why the World Heritage list includes seventeen separate places under the name of the historic monuments of ancient Kyoto: temples, shrines and one castle, dotted around the city and across the border into Otsu. The city was spared the worst of the bombing in the Second World War, which is a large part of why so much survives.

   Read the complete Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto is where the day begins. Next is Kozan-ji.

2. 2. Kozan-ji

   Kozan-ji hangs on a forested ridge in the Toganoo hills, north-west of Kyoto, and the way there is the best part. Route 162, the old Shuzan Kaido, follows the Kiyotaki river up from the city through a narrow valley of cedar and maple, past the villages of Takao, Makino and Toganoo. The road is narrow and winding, with tight bends and blind corners, and it moves quickly from city to deep woods. In autumn the maples turn scarlet and the traffic can be heavy, so go on a weekday morning, or in early spring when the valley is nearly empty.

   Read the complete Kozan-ji write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Kozan-ji comes up about 17 km into the recorded legs. Next is Nara Palace Site.

3. 3. Nara Palace Site

   For most of the eighth century, Nara was the capital of Japan. The city, then called Heijō-kyō, was laid out on a grid modelled on the Chinese capital Chang'an, and at its northern end stood the imperial palace, Heijō-kyū, a vast compound of halls, offices and gardens. When the court moved away at the end of the century, the palace was abandoned and the land eventually returned to rice fields. Today the Nara Palace Site is a huge open space on the western side of the modern city, part of the UNESCO-listed Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara.

   Read the complete Nara Palace Site write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   about 76 km into the recorded legs you reach Nara Palace Site. Next is back through Kozan-ji.

4. 4. back through Kozan-ji

   Return visit. Read the place description above.

   Read the complete Kozan-ji write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   back through Kozan-ji, late in the day. Next is Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto.

5. 5. Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto

   Return visit. Read the place description above.

   Read the complete Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Back at Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto. That is the ride.