travel

Mount Hiei: Tradition meets history and natural beauty on Kyoto’s sacred mountain

0 Comments
By GaijinPot Travel

Home to the Enryaku-ji Temple UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mount Hiei straddles the border between Kyoto and Shiga prefectures.

The mountain is not only known for offering a spectacular view of Kyoto, but it’s also famous for its legendary “marathon monks,” who attempt to complete kaihogyo, a 1,000-day marathon challenge to reach enlightenment.

To reach the summit of Mount Hiei, visitors have a couple of options. Cable cars run from both the Kyoto and Shiga sides of the mountain. If you’re coming from Kyoto, you can take the Eizan cable car—the steepest in Japan—most of the way up and then transfer to the ropeway for the final part of the ascent. The whole journey takes about 15 minutes.

Mt.-hiei-ropeway-1024x680.jpg
Mt Hiei ropeway view Photo: Shibuya246

On the Shiga side, the Sakamoto cable car will get you to the top in 11 minutes. It has a great view of Lake Biwa, and with a length of two kilometers, it’s the longest cable car ride in Japan.

Let’s hike!

Alternatively, you can hike the 848-meter summit of Mount Hiei in about three hours from Kyoto’s Shugakuin Station. The walking trail takes you through a dense forest, which then gives way to towering cedar trees.

Click here to read more.

© GaijinPot Travel

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

No Comment
Login to comment

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites