Higashiyama is one of the best-preserved historic districts of Kyoto. Small shops, cafes and restaurants that have catered to visitors and pilgrims for centuries, line the streets and offer wares such as Kiyomizu-yaki pottery, crafts, souvenirs, sweets, pickles and traditional foods.
Every year during March, Higashiyama hosts the annual Hanatoro (meaning ‘flower and light road’). During this festival, the streets are lit up with thousands of lanterns interspersed with flower and light displays.
A popular attraction is the Philosopher’s Path, lined with cherry trees, running alongside a canal. There are also beautiful temples and shrines that are frequented by pilgrims and tourists.