Situated about 10 miles north of Kyoto’s city center is Kurama-dera, a temple in the Kurama district of Kyoto. It’s a magical place, in the mountains above Kyoto, and it offers a truly spiritual hiking experience.

The journey involves a total of about 90 minutes of trekking along two different trails in the lush forest above the northern part of Kyoto. It starts with a shorter climb up to Kurama-dera Temple in the Kurama district and then onto a second trail that goes over to Kifune-jinja Shrine in the Kibune district.

Much of the hike is fairly vertical, but with plenty of nature to enjoy along the way. There are also miniature shrines and spiritual lanterns present throughout the climb to constantly remind you that you are traveling amongst your most peaceful inner thoughts.

Even if you only have a few days to see the sites in Kyoto, this is one that shouldn’t be missed. The outing itself begins right before you get to Kurama, which is with an old train-car ride up through the mountains. It is an interesting segment at the start of the journey, which makes for a more heightening experience and provides a taste of what’s to come.

The best way to get to Kurama district is to first travel to Demachiyangi Station in Kyoto where the old train departs from. The train is called the Eizan Main Line and Demachiyangi Station is the first station on the line where this train route begins. It then takes about half an hour ride on the train before one reaches the starting point of the ascent on foot to Kurama Temple. Parts of the train ride follow a winding single-track up through the mountains before eventually reaching Kurama Station where you exit the train at the end of the Eizan Main Line.

You can easily get to the Eizan Main Line either by bus or by taking the local Keihan Train Line from the city center to Demachiyangi Station, but it depends upon where in Kyoto you are starting out from. I was situated in the city center not far from a local Keihan Line station, but then I chose to take a bus to Demachiyangi Station instead which I caught right out in front of the hotel where I was staying. The bus I rode took only about 25 minutes before arriving at Demachiyangi Station. So, either a bus or a train from the city center, then the train ride up the mountain from Demachiyangi Station, and you should reach Kurama station and the entrance to Kurama Temple in a total of about an hour.

Upon arrival at Kurama Station you then walk only a short distance before you’re standing at the entrance to Kurama-dera. From there it is a majestic, but steep hike to reach the historical Kurama Temple complex which towers high above the beautiful Kurama valley. It took me about 30 minutes to make the rigorous climb, which is a meandering trail made of stone stairs and walkways leading up through long rows of bright orange lanterns and small shrines positioned along the way.

When you reach the temple at the top it is a flat and fairly wide-open plateau where you can spend some time relaxing and looking around. The expansive view of the green forest cascade from the temple’s perimeter is also quite spectacular. Then, whenever you’re ready, you can leave the Kurama Temple grounds through an exit at the back of the complex. The departure path is located on the west side of the main Kurama Temple hall. This puts you onto a new trail, which then takes you onward to your next destination: Kifune Shrine.

The hike to Kifune from Kurama first takes you up another 200 meters higher into the mountains before the trail starts descending down about 600 meters towards the shrine. It’s another steep hike, both up and down, but most of it is spent slowly clambering down towards Kifune. Much of the path takes you marching over a mixture of protruding tree roots, wooden stairs, gravel lined trails, and large stones. This longer, second segment of the trek runs about 1.5 kilometers and takes about 45-60 minutes to complete, but the time it takes will also will depend upon how often one stops to admire the smaller shrines and the captivating scenery along the way.

The whole journey is fantastic. The landscapes are stunning and very natural and there are hundreds of tall trees and lots of fresh air to fill your senses the entire time. It doesn’t really feel like you are hiking from one temple to another, more like one is just wandering along a peaceful, winding trail in the forest.

I was also surprised how few tourists there were at this scenic location when compared to the many other sites I visited in Kyoto that were always far more bustling. The majority of the people on the trails I encountered at Kurama were natives from other parts of Japan, and not as many overseas tourists as one might expect. Most of the other adult hikers I met were making the journey as a spiritual and religious pilgrimage for the first time, a trip that they may have always wanted to endeavor for much of their lives.

When reaching Kifune you will find it is a relatively small shrine, but located within another beautiful spot in the mountains called the Kibune district. This area is surrounded by the rapidly flowing Kibune-gawa River along a winding, paved mountain road. The road also goes a bit further up into the mountains and leads to two more levels of Kifune-jinja known as the middle shrine and the rear shrine.

Getting back to the city from Kibune is also quite easy. Once you finish exploring Kifune Shrine, and the Kibune area, you then walk about 150 meters down the hill from the main shrine to a car park area where you can board a bus. Then it’s just a short bus-ride to Kibuneguchi Station, which is also on the Eizan Main Line, and where you can board the train that takes you back to Demachiyangi Station.

I chose instead to walk from Kifune Shrine down to Kibuneguchi Station. It’s an easy 2-kilometer stroll that takes about half an hour along a curved, paved road that gradually descends down to Kibuneguchi Station. During the walk down to the train you can see and hear the relaxing sounds of the rushing Kibune-gawa River that stair-steps down like a waterfall on the left side of the road. You also have forest scenery and towering trees hovering above you on your right. The short walk is a relaxing way to end a spectacular day out in the mountains. Then, from Kibuneguchi Station, it’s just a 30-minute train ride on the Eizan Main Line back to Demachiyangi Station at the north end of the city.

A few quick notes: The hike is considered to be of medium difficulty. Wear some comfortable walking shoes and bring about a liter of drinking water with you because if you move quickly, you will likely get quite thirsty, especially if the weather is hot. Or you can get bottled water from a vending machine when you arrive at the Kurama Train Station. If you need more water later on then there is also another vending machine about half way up the first trail leading to Kurama Temple. After that though I didn’t notice any bottled drinking water available until you reach the end of the second trail at Kifune Shrine. Also, avoid going on a rainy day or just after some heavy rains. Parts of the trails could get fairly muddy and slippery. Plus, a weekday, and in the morning, is probably a better time to go than say on a weekend or in the afternoon, especially if you want a more peaceful hiking experience and to minimize encountering any crowding on the trails.

If I had to sum up the outing in one word, I would say it was epic and definitely one of the major highlights of my trip to Kyoto. Something I plan to do again in the future, the next time I have the chance.

All Photos ©Marc Schultz 2023