Gion is the neighbourhood where traditional arts have found a permanent home. Dusk is the busiest time; expect to spot the pristinely primped geisha on their way to and from appointments or kabuki performers on their way to evening shows.

This secluded temple in the residential neighbourhood of Higashiyama is known for its tranquil, painstakingly perfected karesansui, or dry gravel garden. The viewing platform, which opens out onto the serene garden, is the perfect place to get reflective.

There are few places that create a sense of calm like the thin, swaying trunks of Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, a dense and hushed bamboo forest half an hour’s drive west of the city. Although it’s one of the city’s busiest sites, it’s also open 24 hours so plan a wander at dawn or dusk to beat the crowds.

The Japanese concept of Zen is perfectly embodied in the serene rock garden of Ryoanji Temple. This carefully raked rectangle of pebbles with islands of moss-covered boulders is one of the country’s most famous gardens, with visitors admiring its quiet reverence to nature from the viewing Hojo, the former residence of the temple’s head priest.

Near the northern mountains of Kyoto City is the quiet, shaded town of Kibune and the peaceful shrine at its centre. Wandering through the lush forests surrounding the ryokan-lined streets is a highlight for nature lovers, especially during autumn when the leaves curl into colours of orange and red.

Chances are you’ve seen images of the crimson tunnel leading to Fushimi Inari Shrine, the Shinto shrine in southern Kyoto. These archways, called torrii, leap over forest trails that trace a path to the top of Mount Inari, a sacred spot where the Shinto god of rice is worshipped. Allow around two and a half hours to summit (the return journey is a little quicker).

Piercing the sky above the Higashiyama District, the stacked pagoda of Yasaka remains one of the city’s most impressive (and recognisable) landmarks. Contained within the temple grounds of Hokanji, this five-storey pagoda can be seen through the many laneways of the surrounding neighbourhoods, looming quietly over the streets below.

Matcha and green tea has a home in Kyoto – or in the small town of nearby Wazuka, to be exact. The rolling hills surrounding this southern Kyoto spot are the birthplace of Uji green tea – the finest matcha on the market – but they’re also impossibly pretty. Take a tour of the plantation, followed by a tasting.

The complex of Nanzen-ji Temple has a number of waiting treasures; the atmospherically crumbling brick aqueduct that dates back to the Meiji period, as well as the symmetrically soothing rock garden shadowed by the leaves of maple trees. Its setting, among the foothills of Higashiyama mountains, only adds to the Zen atmosphere.

Kyoto is no exception to the beauty that cherry blossom, or sakura, season brings to parks and leafy neighbourhoods. In areas such as Gion or at small, uncrowded shrine complexes such as the Takenaka Inari Shrine, the pretty pastel leaves create a delicate, ephemeral beauty.

The careful, methodical tea ceremony is said to date back as far as the 16th century, with its roots firmly planted in the city of Kyoto. Visitors can also experience this ritual with guided, bilingual ceremonies at spots such as Camellia in the city centre, with the lesson lasting around 45 minutes.

Cuisine is regional in Japan, meaning you’ll find the best of everything where it originates. In Kyoto, tofu is a local specialty, whether served fresh or in broth with vegetables (yudofu) so don’t mss the opportunity to sample it, especially where chefs get excessively creative; chain restaurant Tousuiro has more variations on tofu than you can imagine, spanning grilled, fried and fresh varieties.

The smaller sibling of Kinkaku-ji Temple is by no means less beautiful. Hidden in Kyoto’s eastern mountains, the two-storey structure is fringed by gardens and shaded by trees, with an elevated ‘sand garden’ at its heart. Don’t forget to keep your ticket – it doubles as a good luck charm.

You’ll need an empty stomach to really enjoy your visit to Nishiki Market, the city’s foremost dining destination, dubbed ‘Kyoto’s pantry’. Among the hundreds of squashed and busy stalls, the hungry will easily sniff out yakitori or sashimi skewers, as well as more specialised treats such as local pickles or sweets, known as wagashi.

Built in 1603, Nijo Castle holds a stately presence in the centre of Kyoto. The palace grounds are surrounded with stone walls and moats, with gardens of ponds and sprawling trees surrounding gravel walking paths. There are also almost 400 cherry trees on the grounds, making it an unbeatable spot for hanami, or sakura (cherry blossom) viewing.

This two-kilometre stone path, regularly walked by philosopher Nishida Kitaro - the country’s most influential and significant philosopher of the 20th century - is excessively peaceful in its following of a cherry-tree lined canal. Many walk the route as a kind of moving meditation.

Fire-engine red against a backdrop of forest green trees up 600 years old, the Shimogamo and Kamigamo Shrines (collectively known as the Kamo Shrines) are among some of the oldest and most important in Kyoto. These UNESCO World Heritage Sites are older than the city itself (1500 years, to be exact) were originally dedicated to the protection of Kyoto during its time as Japan’s capital city.

You’ll often find locals walking or cycling through Kyoto Imperial Park, the grounds of the Japanese Imperial family’s former residence until 1868. Although the complex’s buildings can’t be entered, there’s plenty to explore in the surrounds: the lakeside Itsukushima Shrine, sweeps of lawns and a cluster of cherry trees made for hanami.

Shimmering like a mirage on the edge of the pristine pond of Kyokochi, Kinkaku-ji Temple is synonymous with the city itself. The temple’s facade is sheathed in gold leaf and its reflection in the ‘mirror pond’ below is a truly soothing sight, best admired from the nearby teahouse.