There are plenty of shops designed in the authentic style of the old capital - streets have been paved in a traditional style and telephone poles removed.
The shops and restaurants of Higashiyama cater to tourists and religious pilgrims, as they have done for centuries. I made the mistake of visiting here while temple hopping on a Sunday afternoon - it was crowded beyond imagination. Nevertheless, there are numerous temples and shrines in this area making it a worthwhile adventure.
Traversing the narrow lanes and climbing the many stairs eventually brings one to the end of Chawan-zaka (Teapot Lane) and the entrance to the Kiymizu-dera temple (covered in Volume III).
