Kuramadera Temple

This is something to experience. It is a little off the grid and not nearly as crowded. We went in mid May. We took our time once of the fernicular going up first hill. We did the walk over the mountain to Kibune. It was a wonderful walk with a fair amount alone. We were spaced out and occasionally passed people coming in other direction. It was unexpected when a wild monkey crossed our path and we saw 2 more cleaning up. Recommend training to enter Kumadera and walk to Kibune to eat, catch an Uber back to the On-Sen and then train back to Kyoto.

A wonderful place that just feels alive and is filled with natural beauty as well as spiritual intensity. The scents of the forest and inspiring shrines and temples welcome visitors who take the time to explore this legendary area. One should definitely wear proper shoes however.

Kurama-dera Temple is a peaceful gem in the mountains just north of Kyoto. What like about it is that it has lesser tourists here compared to other famous temples. The hike up is scenic, passing through towering cedar trees and offering fresh mountain air-well worth the effort, though there’s also a cable car if you prefer that will cost you 200¥ per person for one way trip. Our hike took us slightly more than an hour to reach the main temple area. Along the way, we even spotted few deers along hiking path. It was worth it! We then took the cable car down and the view was beautiful although the trip down was just about 2 minutes long. The temple itself is spacious, rarely crowded, and features stunning views over the valley. If you love nature, history, or just want a break from the city crowds, Kurama-dera is a fantastic and memorable spot to visit.

What a gem! Went there in the morning during the busy Sakura season and it was almost empty. Very quiet and serene. Took the ropeway walked to the top and then went through root path to Kibune. It was a great 1/2 day trip including visiting both temple and shrine and lunch in Kibune.

Please do the trekking trail! I know it’s long and very challenging with ups and downs but it’s so worth it! We’ve seen a very close up deer on the way and the atmosphere, nature, everything were so nice! We started our trek from the kinefu side which we believe it’s a better idea than starting from kurama temple and down. Love this place so much! Highlight of the trip🤍🤍🌙✨

This is a very beautiful temple in Kyoto that anyone shouldn’t miss! Kurama Temple is located in the north of Kyoto. It’s quite far but easily to come. From Kyoto Station, catch the JR train (Nara Line) to Tofukuji station and change a train to Keihan Main Line to Demachi-Yanagi station. The temple is spacious and surrounded by nature that I’m so impressed. I didn't get to explore the whole area because of time constraints, but this temple was one of my favorite places on my Kyoto trip.

Unfortunately, the hike up was quite exhausting, and the shrines may not feel particularly special if you’ve already visited others in Kyoto. It is a sacred site and may be worth visiting as a pilgrimage, but be prepared for a two-hour uphill and downhill walk. We went quite early and I could not recover from it in the rest of the day (in the scorching June heat.)

Kuramadera temple is a beautiful and peaceful place, no doubt, but it was a bit hard to get there. We decided to visit Kifune Shrine first and the take a hike through Mt. Kurama and end at Kuramadera Temple. I wouldn’t suggest it if you are not fit. The walk was challenging, I found myself out of breath most of the time. If you are into hiking, I definitely recommend it. At the entrance, they give you a stick which actually helped me a lot during the hike. I don’t give it 5 stars because it was hard for me, but it’s really a beautiful place.

It is located on the mountain hill．Surrounded by greenery, cool in summer and shivering cold in snowy winter. I have been here several times by driving or taking an Eizan railway. I would like to tell you the worst incident about 20 years ago. I came here to see the famous magnificent fire festival held nearby Yuki shrine at night of Oct. 22 (same day with Jidai festival) with my friend. In this festival local young men walk along the street in a procession with flaming torches, which is worth seeing. After work we rushed to the destination, but stopped at the Demachiyanagi station and had to wait for a long time. The small train was jam packed, we could not get on it soon. When we arrived, unfortunately the festival was already over. If you would like to observe this marvelous magnificent festival, you had better reach here in early time. Also in this temple you can experience in copying Buddhist sutra by handwriting or listening to the Buddhist lecture on regular day. Note: there are eating spots around the temple, some of which are pricy.