Mount Hiei

absolutely breathtaking SubhanALLAAH! really worth visiting using the cable car! if you only use the cable car you can't see lake biwa. you can use the ropeway to get better views from heigher up! if you use the ropeway you can see lake biwa! absolutely gorgeous! SubhanALLAAH!

A lesser known spot in Kyoto, and is definitely worth the visit! My Hiei is the home of Japanese Buddhism and so is steeped in history, gorgeous temples and amazing nature. Mt Hiei straddles the Kyoto and Shiga prefectures. The access from the Shiga prefecture offers stunning views of Lake Biwa, as well as the longest cable car in Japan, at over 2 kilometers. 🚃 Getting there: from Kyoto, take the Eizan railway, and if you're lucky, you can catch the Hiei special train that celebrates 100 years. From there you can walk or take the cable car + rope car. 🚠 The cable car + rope car is currently ¥2000 round trip for an adult. You need to walk about 300m between the two stops. You cannot pay with an IC card, but can use a credit card or cash at a kiosk machine. 🛕 To get to the temple complex from the Kyoto side, you can walk 30 minutes or take a bus (which does take an IC card and is about ¥280 each way). The Shiga side cable car is closer to the temples. Admission to the temple complex is currently ¥1000, ¥1500 if you want to do the temples and museum. As the home of Japanese Buddhism, monks have been living here and establishing temples since the year 800! 😲 🏃 Mt Hiei is famous for its marathon monks, who would walk a marathon a day, sometimes for years. 🚻 Toilets at key areas ☕ Cafe and souvenir shop located near the temple complex. 🥾 So good for hiking!

This was a excellant hike , you get off two station before the train stops and follow the path beside the river and then it leads into trail.

The summit site itself does not have a good view, but the area near the gardens is definitely spectacular. Not many signs around so just look out for the paths

Mount Hiei was the highlight of our honeymoon! The view from the top is breathtaking, and the calmness of the forest was unmatched. The hike is all incline so if you have mobility difficulties or breathing problems, account for that! Took us just over 2 hours with some breaks, and our thighs were feeling the burn. But the view from the top was worth it! I highly recommend checking out Enryakuji temple just 2 km from the cable car. It was so serene and was a pleasant treat after the challenging hike.

Hiked all the way to the top, constantly on the lookout for bears due to the warning signs along the trail😝 Despite the wildlife concerns, it was a fun and memorable hike.

The cable was kinda pricy! The view is good but the lighting could be tricky.

Visited here 2025 Jan. During the winter you can only access here from Cable Sakamoto Station which is Biwa Lake side. Can not access from via Kyoto side ruring January 6 and March 19.It was freeing cold during Jan. only saw few foreign visitors. If you love Japanese temples and history, you will definitely enjoy this place.