Ninenzaka

Ninenzaka is a narrow stone staircase climbing the Higashiyama hillside, lined with wooden merchant houses and traditional tea shops. According to local lore, the name implies that if you trip and fall on these steps, you will face two years of bad luck. This legend dates back to the early ninth century, when a famous Buddhist priest stumbled here on his way to the temple. The uneven flagstones and steep, winding incline force everyone to slow their pace and watch their footing carefully.