The Breizh Café is only a stone's throw away from my guesthouse - perfect for stopping by at dinner time. I take a seat by the window overlooking the pedestrian passage and order a tea and a buckwheat galette with camembert and salad on it (yes, it tastes just as good as it looks!). Thank God for this healthy meal!

From Carps and Dragons

Mutsuko and Kenji come by car and therefore can easily take me to the western outskirts of Kyoto or, more precisely, to the Tenryu-ji Temple, one of the city's greatest Zen temples in the city and a World Heritage Site since 1994. Historically, Zen Buddhism emerged in China in the 6th century and then spread to Korea and Japan. Its followers are very disciplined and engage in meditation in order to absorb the teachings of Buddha and to find enlightenment within themselves.

My highlight is the landscape garden Sogenchi Teien laid out more than 700 years ago. From the Hojo (main hall), you can see right on an stone arrangement representing the Dragon Gate Falls in China. Legend has it that all carps able to scale the falls will turn into dragons, in Zen a symbol of enlightenment.

We exit the temple complex through the north gate, turn left and follow the walking path into the bamboo grove. Seeing all the tall bamboo stalks swaying gently in the wind is just beautiful. My advice: If you want to experience the forest with less crowds, you have to come early.

Local Specialties At Nishiki Market

Three blocks from my apartment starts Nishiki Market - a shopping street with plenty of food stalls and restaurants. It's an El Dorado for foodies and anyone who wants to try local specialties like pickled cucumbers on skewers and salted seaweed. The hit is dyed octopus. But there are also various kinds of sweets, colorful and funnily packaged.

Culinary revelation at Choice

Seeing all the food made me hungry, so it's time to pay Choice a visit - a restaurant specialized in vegan and gluten free dishes. I have the onion soup with vegan cheese, a green smoothie with kiwi, mizuna greens, banana and apple juice. For dessert it's a raw strawberry lemon cake. Delicious! Japan turns out to be a culinary revelation for Celiacs like me.

Day 19 - Hunting Heritage Sites

If you want the ultimate torii gate experience, all you have to do is visit the Fushimi Inari Shrine. Right behind the shrine starts a mountain trail covered with hundreds of red-colored torii gates, all of them serving as symbolic entrances to the world of the goddesses and gods. Most visitors only do the 30-minute-walk up to the Yotsutsuji intersection where you have a wonderful view over Kyoto. But I am up for a hike to the summit (235m) - even though the density of gates decreases the higher you get. If you wonder about the many foxes sitting next to the torii gates, they are the messengers to Inari, the goddess of rice to whom the shrine is dedicated.

The second temple I explore in Kyoto is the Nazen-ji Temple, a sprawling Zen oasis in the northern Higashiyama district. Its gate, San-mon, is one of the three largest in Japan (about 22 meters high). It is built in Zen style with a roof made of burnt ceramic shingles, five pillars, and three entrances. The main complex is surrounded by beautiful gardens and sub-temples ideal for strolls.

I take the Philosopher's Walk to Ginkaku-ji Temple. In spring, it is one of the best cherry blossom spots, because the stone path follows a canal lined up with cherry trees. This time of the year, I have the path almost to myself and fully enjoy a meditative walk. Ginkaku-ji is most famous for its Silver Pavilion, a two-story Kannon hall, which is not silver at all. One explanation is that it was used as a nickname to contrast with the Golden Pavilion (Kikaku-ji Temple). My highlight of Ginkaku-ji is definitely the sand (Sea of Silver Sand) and moss gardens. To me, this looks like the perfect Japanese garden.

Next on my list is Shimogano Jinja, one of the oldest Shinto Shrines in Japan and also a World Heritage Site. The complex is surrounded by a wooden area called Tadasu-no-mori, which is said to reveal all lies and, hence, be the perfect place to resolve conflicts and disputes.

My feet are tired by now, so I take the bus to the Kinkaku-ji Temple, one of the most impressive sites I have ever seen. The afternoon sun literally makes the temple whose upper stories are covered in gold shine. I guess it would be even better without the crowds battling for the best selfie with the Golden Pavilion in the background. By the way: The pavilion has burned down several times over the centuries, most recently in 1950 by a fanatic monk.

Where the Warriors Lived

I end my tour at Nijo castle, the only heritage site in Kyoto with no religious background. The palace initially served as the residence of the shogun, later as the imperial palace. Today, thousands of visitors tour through the palace buildings - only on socks to protect the old floorboards. Speaking of floorboards that are connecting the buildings with each other: when you step on the old wooden beams, they creak like nightingales - a beautiful sound. Rumor has it that they were installed to warn of intruders. However, that's not true.

The palace rooms feature faithful wall paintings from the Kano school (the originals are hanging in the picture gallery) and decorated ceilings. Fun fact: rulers loved tigers. However, most of the artists had never seen a living tiger in their live which explains why their painted versions of this animal look pretty funny.

Vending Machines to Order Ramen

Kyoto Engine Ramen is a ramen restaurant where guests order their food using a vending machine. This is a convenient and quick way to place an order before taking a seat. I have never done that before but it's kind of easy. The vending machine is located next to the entrance door. How does it work? First, I feed the machine with cash, then I press the button with the dish I'd like to take. I opt for the vegan ramen with soy noodles (1230 yen). After retrieving a ticket, I hand it over to the staff and just wait for my ramen to arrive. It works perfectly. Plus, it tastes fantastic of ginger, buckwheat, spring onions and chilli, and is decorated with saffron and chives.

Streams of Holy Water

In the wooden hills east of Kyoto is Kiyomizudera Temple (=Pure Water Temple). Though the main hall is under construction, visitors are still able to play the singing bowl and see the statue of Kannon Bodhisattva (having multiple arms and heads). I decline and continue to discover the garden. At the base of main hall is the Otowa Waterfall, divided into three streams each attributed to positive virtues (longevity, success in school, and fulfilled love life). Accordingly, the line with people who want to drink a cup of holy water is awfully long.

Because I really loved the food options at Choice, I stop for dinner a second time this week. Today I opt for soba noodles with fresh vegetables, a pancake, and the red smoothie with raspberries, tomato, banana and apple juice. It tastes like heaven - again.