Western tourists rarely see more of Kyoto than a handful of famous sites - lovely but often crowded to bursting point. And far from peaceful. If you are willing to step just a short way off the beaten track, there is a different city to be explored. A few minutes from the tour buses you can find modest temple gates that open on to courtyards and gardens of mesmerizing beauty. Most tourists are quite unaware of them. This book is a practical guide to the best of these places. For those with limited time, the layout makes it easy to check which of them is nearby when you visit any of the city's major tourist sites.