As much as that may sound like a Harry Potter knockoff, it’s really the names of two places in eastern Kyoto where we walked one day. Kiyomizu is a neighborhood popular with tourists that is home to the busy Kiyomizu-Dera Shinto shrine.

Just north of that is a path along a canal known as the Philosopher’s Walk. Named for a university professor who walked the trail nearly every day, the walk passes at least ten shrines and Buddhist temples. Much quieter and less crowded, we visited at least half them as we made our way along.

 Click here to view these on a map