Kyoto rewards early mornings. The famous temples open at eight or nine, and for the first hour they feel like they did before they were famous.
Mornings for temples
We plan one major temple per morning and nothing else. Kinkaku-ji, Fushimi Inari and Kiyomizu-dera each get their own day.
Afternoons for walking
The Philosopher's Path, the lanes of Gion and the river at Arashiyama are best on foot and without a schedule.