Kibune, a beautiful area nestled in the mountains of Japan that surround Kyoto, is located just 30 minutes from the city center. It offers another of the many fantastic and peaceful connections with nature that Japan has to offer.

I wrote a bit about Kibune last year when I posted an article here about a short hike up to Kumara-dera Temple and over to Kifune-jinja Shrine. In this new piece though I will focus mainly on the natural beauty of the lower portion of the Kibune area, which lies along the mountain road just south of the famous shrines.

To get to Kibune, I like to start by taking the Eizan Kurama Line tram from Demachiyanagi Station in Kyoto (¥470/US$3.50 each way) and then I get off at Kibuneguchi Station up in the mountains. The tram ride itself goes up the mountain towards Kibune goes along a single winding train track and is a fun and scenic ride in its own rite that adds more to the excitement and overall fulfillment of the experience when visiting the Kibune area.

Although the area is mainly known for its three, interlinked Kifune-jinja shrines (Hongu – the front shrine, Yui-no-yashiro – the middle shrine, and Okumiya – the rear shrine) the pristine beauty of the Kibune River running along the road (up to Kibune Village where the shrines are located) is just as spectacular.

Thus, there is a 1.3-mile (2 km) stretch of the river running on both sides of the road leading up to Kifune-jinja Shrine, which is a short and fantastic journey to do on foot through some of Mother Nature’s purest of beauty.

Many other visitors also come to visit Kibune via the Eizan Kurama Line and then they take a free shuttle bus that is offered to all visitors at Kibuneguchi Station to reach the main Kifune-jinja shrine area quickly. By bus it is only a 5-minute ride up from the tram station as the bus ascends to Kibune Village and then lets people off at a parking area situated just below the main Kifune-jinja Shrine.

However, in my opinion, one of the best-kept secrets of a visit to the Kibune area is to go by foot up the mountain road along the Kibune River and to admire all of its small, connecting waterfalls that dot the winding road on the way up to the shrines. So I skip the free shuttle bus and I walk the rest of the way up the mountain to Kibune Village along that winding road to Kibune where the Kibune River runs by.

The tram ride takes about 25-30 minutes from Demachiyanagi Station to reach Kibuneguchi Station, and then the walk up the road takes another 30-60 minutes, depending on how long you stop to admire the scenery during your journey. The road is winding and a bit narrow in some parts, so (when walking) one must keep an eye out ahead for approaching cars and buses. However, there are countless sections of beautiful streams and waterfalls to admire that are always a glance away since they are all situated just along the sides of the mountain road.

What I really liked were a few sections of the roadway where you can step right down to the riverbed to relax and listen to the sound of rushing water. The air is always cool, fresh and clean, you are totally alone to become one with nature, and all you can hear is the sound of your heartbeat, the birds, and the water flowing by.

Once you’ve completed the 1.3-mile walk upward, you arrive at Kibune Village where the three Kifune-jinja (Shinto) shrines are located. It’s great to visit and see all three of the shrines if you can. And the additional half-mile (0.8 km) walk from the front shrine to the rear shrine within Kibune Village is also a pleasant stroll. Within the village there are a number of small Japanese restaurants on both sides of the road. On the east side of the village, where the Kibune River is flowing, many of the restaurants have constructed private wooden decks directly above the flowing water where people can sit and eat with the sound of the river running by beneath them.

My favorite time to begin my outing to Kibune is to first arrive at Kibuneguchi Station at around 2:00 in the afternoon, then slowly make my way up the road on foot. The morning time in Kibune is much busier with large groups of tourists, but by the afternoon, the sun is lower in the sky, the air is cooler, and the place is more relaxed. When I reach Kibune Village at around 3:00 PM it’s much quieter than it is in the mornings. As things then start to close down in the village around 4:00 PM, it’s much less crowded with visitors at that time, which is what I prefer.

To get back down to Kibuneguchi Station after your visit, you can either walk back down (which is what I do) or take the free shuttle bus if you prefer to get back quicker. I’m never in a rush when I go and I like to spend 3-4 hours up there. So I welcome all the extra walking and exercise needed to get from the tram station up to Kibune Village and then back.

That same Kibune mountain road also continues further north into the mountains for many miles past all the Kifune-jinja Shrines in Kibune. On my next trip to Kibune I do plan to walk a bit further north to explore the area of Kibune leading up to Okibune Bridge, which is about a mile further north from the main Kifune-jinja Shrine.

No matter which method of travel you choose to take to get there, and which areas you spend your time admiring, it’s all very scenic, natural, and peaceful. Thus, the whole trip is sure to leave you with a relaxed spiritual feeling that will have you constantly thinking about your next glorious journey back to Kibune.

Quick Travel Notes: I always bring a backpack containing a 2 liter bottle of water, a couple of rice balls, a protein bar and a few other snacks that I pick up at 7-11 before getting on the Eizan Kurama Line tram at Demachiyanagi Station.

I also bring a sweatshirt in case it gets cool and windy up there. The temperature in the mountains is always a bit cooler than down below in the city of Kyoto, plus all the trees in the area block out some of the warm sun. So it’s good to be prepared for cooler temperatures when you go.

There are public toilets available at Kibuneguchi tram station and more up in Kibune Village around the shrines. So finding a clean bathroom to use in the area is easy too.

If you do need more drinks while you are up there then there are plenty of vending machines with cold drinks being offered around Kibune Village.

All Photos ©Marc Schultz 2024

If you would like to see and listen to the sound of the water flowing along the Kibune River then you can click on the 3 short video links below. You can also watch any of them in 4K on a computer screen by expanding them to full screen and changing the resolution setting on YouTube to 4K. Each video runs no longer than 20 seconds.