Itinerary help for Self Guided Walking Tour in Higashiyama, Kyoto

It is a long walk from Ginkaku-ji all the way to Sanjusangendo and if you want to see all the temples you mention and start only at 11 am plus want to have lunch, it seems rather rushed/unrealistic to me. Perhaps could gain some time by putting the Manga Museum at the end of the day and start early, walking in the opposite direction starting at Kiyomizudera (which opens very early).

Bamse... yes you are right... Had to start late in the morning because of Manga museum... How about this as an alternative? Walk from Yasaka shrine towards Kiyomizu dera can also be cut short and done on a subsequent day if we are too late in coming since we are living near Kiyomizu. Does this work better?

9 AM - Walk to Sanjasangen-do
10 AM - Taxi to International Manga Museum
11 AM - Taxi to Ginkaku-ji
Walk from Ginkaku-ji to Nanzen-ji via Philosopher's path
Lunch at Okutan Kiyomizu
Walk towards Yasaka Shrine
Onto Kodai-ji and then to walk through Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka
Come back to Kiyomizu-dera for sunset views and fall illumination
Back to apartment near Kiyomisu- dera

Also, from an uphill or downhill perspective, is there one of the directions to walk in, that is better?
Any better suggestions for Shojin-ryori lunch?

Please give your feedback keeping in mind best times of day to photograph at certain locations, best locations for photography,

The silver pavillion (Ginkaku-ji) is only clearly visible from the NE (with a raked gravel garden in the foreground), meaning you probably want to be there morningish.

Nanzen-ji is a large complex so it depends a bit on what you want to see. For the Hojo garden (which you view from the north), afternoon should be best; for the Tenjuan (which you view from the west) noon or afternoon should be ok; for the sanmon (gate) as far as I remember it does not matter much which time of the day as it is visible from all sides.

Yasaka shrine: anytime during the day, though I much prefer it at night.

Kodai-ji: IMO does not matter much what time. They also have regular light ups in the evening which you could consider. I remember a very nice one here, where you were given your own lantern, but not sure whether this is always the case or was only on special occasion.

Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka: anytime. If you want crowds don't come in the early morning.

Sanjusangen-do: anytime, the best part about it is inside anyway.

Kiyomizu-dera: noon to sunset

ease of walking like uphill or downhill,

Except for Kiyomizudera and the streets around it, there is not much uphill walking involved for the temples you want to visit.

hours of operations and so on

The temple's website or a guidebook or the japan-guide website will tell you. Most temples open around 8:30 to 17:00, but check for each one individually.

Thanks a lot Bamse... That is very helpful!! Given the best light for photography on various spots as mentioned by you, this plan seems to work better?

9 AM - Walk to Sanjasangen-do
10 AM - Taxi to International Manga Museum
11 AM - Taxi to Ginkaku-ji
Walk from Ginkaku-ji to Nanzen-ji via Philosopher's path
Lunch at Okutan Kiyomizu
Walk towards Yasaka Shrine
Onto Kodai-ji and then to walk through Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka
Come back to Kiyomizu-dera for sunset views and fall illumination
Back to apartment near Kiyomisu- dera

We are living near Sannen-zaka and Ninnen-zaka so can try to catch those streets on an early morning one of the subsequent days...

The manga museum is a real outlier in terms of your itinerary - I would put it at the end of the day, rather than the beginning. Personally, I would recommend going to Kiyomizudera first thing in the morning (it opens at 6 a.m.). I realise that that is too early for most people, but it's the best light (the morning sun coming up from the east behind you will light up the temple), there are very few tourists there at that time, and the only people you'll likely see are some locals collecting water and monks going about their way. However, if that's too early a start, I would recommend the following itinerary:

9:00 Start at Sanjusangendo
10:00 Walk towards Kiyomizudera, view the temple and grounds
12:00 Go for lunch in that area
1:00 Walk towards Nanzenji (start/end of Philopher's Path), go through Maruyama Park/Yasaka Shrine along the way. Or, to save some time and energy, take a taxi there. The walk from Nanzenji to Ginkakuji shouldn't take more than hour, taking things slowly. However, if you want to stop in to see various temples/gardens along the way, it'll take longer. Get to Ginkakuji by 4 p.m. at the latest. (That said, Ginkakuji is also very nice in the morning, and it opens earlier than most other temples, at 8:30 a.m. I find that it is not as crowded as other temples first thing in the morning, so it's a nice place to start. So, you could do this itinerary in reverse, starting Ginkakuji at 8:30 in the morning, walking the Philosopher's Path, getting to Kiyomizudera around lunchtime, eating, head down to Sanjusangendo, and end at the manga museum).
4:30/5:00 - Take a taxi to the manga museum
Eat dinner
If you still have energy, and didn't visit Yasaka Shrine during the day, go in the evening - all the lanterns are lit up and its nice to visit at that time.

You don't mention how old your son is, but I would worry about having a full-on day like this without any real breaks other than lunch. You'll be here at PEAK season in Kyoto, the crowds are going to be huge wherever you go. I find dealing with the crowds more exhausting than anything else - just something to consider.

going to Kiyomizudera first thing in the morning (it opens at 6 a.m.). I realise that that is too early for most people, but it's the best light (the morning sun coming up from the east behind you will light up the temple)

Are you sure about this? I went there for the sunrise, but from what I remember the sun was behind the hills until late. Still liked going there that early to see the temple without crowds and locals doing morning excercises, etc.

To OP: Kiyomizu-dera (and also Ryoan-ji) have season (spring/summer/...) tickets which you can re-use, i.e. you can re-enter the temple as many times as you want on the same ticket during one season.

Personally, I would recommend going to Kiyomizudera first thing in the morning (it opens at 6 a.m.). I realise that that is too early for most people, but it's the best light (the morning sun coming up from the east behind you will light up the temple), there are very few tourists there at that time, and the only people you'll likely see are some locals collecting water and monks going about their way.

Yeah, absolutely, that sounds wonderful to go to Kiyomizudera in the morning and see it with less tourists, more locals and monks. We will have to save that for another morning only coz we will have come into Kyoto only the night before from US. So 6 AM start might be tough on the first day itself. We will have two subsequent mornings and we are living within 1 km of Kiyomizudera, so we will definitely make it a morning walk.

You don't mention how old your son is, but I would worry about having a full-on day like this without any real breaks other than lunch. You'll be here at PEAK season in Kyoto, the crowds are going to be huge wherever you go. I find dealing with the crowds more exhausting than anything else - just something to consider.

Our son is 11 years old and very well traveled with us. And given that my husband is an avid hobby photographer, whenever he takes 30 mins or more at a location composing a photo or waiting for light or something, he usually gets a reading break which re-charges him :)... And yes, many folks have mentioned the crowds :(... I guess we will have to pay that price if we want to see Kyoto in autumn colors glory...

Are you sure about this? I went there for the sunrise, but from what I remember the sun was behind the hills until late. Still liked going there that early to see the temple without crowds and locals doing morning excercises, etc.

To OP: Kiyomizu-dera (and also Ryoan-ji) have season (spring/summer/...) tickets which you can re-use, i.e. you can re-enter the temple as many times as you want on the same ticket during one season.

Thanks a lot for the tip about the season tickets for re-use... That will be very useful!! Do the ticket windows have details written in english or should we plan to use translation there as well?