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Kyoto photo spots for a trip in 2 months?
honestly the philosopher's path is overcrowded but the bamboo grove in the northern part of gion at sunrise is slept on. walk east from the shirakawa canal past the little bridge, you'll get mist rising off the water with no one around til 8am. also, the rooftop of the kyoto station building has a free observation deck that gives you a killer silhouette shot of toji pagoda at sunset, especially if it's a clear day. for something totally random, the little alley behind nishiki market between takakura and yanaginobanba has these old wooden storefronts that catch golden hour light in a way that feels more real than the tourist spots
the katsura imperial villa is a pain to book but worth it for the garden photos, the moss and pine combos are insane in the late afternoon light. for a random spot, the roof of the yodobashi camera near kyoto station gives you a clean shot of the station's glass atrium from above, especially if you wait for the blue hour. also, the little path along the horikawa canal near nijo castle has these weeping willows that frame the castle walls nicely at sunset, way quieter than the main castle grounds.
if you're up early, head to the kitano tenmangu shrine market on the 25th, it's a flea market with great morning light and less crowds than the big spots. for a different angle on fushimi inari, go to the rear trails past the main path, most tourists stop halfway so you'll get empty stairwell shots. also, the path along the kamo river near demachiyanagi has nice soft light at golden hour, especially with the mountains in the background.