Hidden behind a thatched gate at the back of the woods near Ginkaku-ji, this serene temple is one of Kyoto's best-kept secrets. Founded in 1680 to honor the priest Honen, it greets you with two mounds of carefully raked sand flanking the entrance path, said to purify those who pass between them. The grounds are wrapped in mossy silence, and a small gallery hosts rotating exhibitions by local and international artists. When the crowds at nearby Silver Pavilion start to feel suffocating, slip away to this tranquil refuge — it's only a five-minute walk.