Location: Kyoto
Top Things to do in Kyoto
Top 9 Mountains in Kyoto, Kinki
The shrines and temples of Kyoto offer a rare link between modern life in the city and its very ancient past. The Shimogamo Shrine dates to the 6th century and seems suspended in time, its serenity and spiritual power still palpable. Visit Fushimi Inari Shrine, then see the life-sized Thousand Armed Kannon statues of Sanjūsangen-dō. Enjoy traditional geisha performances, then savor a tranquil meal at a restaurant overlooking the Kamo River.
Restaurants in Kyoto
1. Mt. Inariyama
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 8 reviews
Reviewed By SingleMumTravels - Canberra, Australia
Fantastic walk up to the top of the mountain. Don't be put off by the tonnes of people at the start of the gates as it's starts to thin out the higher you go. Also don't be put off by all the stairs just take your time. At the crossroads about halfway up there's little shops and vending machines the crossroads also has great views of Kyoto. We made it to the very top and glad we did it.
2. Mount Hiei
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 161 reviews
Reviewed By caryn105 - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Mount Hiei is the highlight of my recent Kyoto trip. My friend and I took the Eizan train at Demachiyanagi Station (Keihan line from Kyoto Station). It was a new train with an 'Oval' and aerodynamic body. We alighted at Yase-Hieizanguchi station. The easiest way to visit Mount Hiei from Yase Hieizanguchi Station is to take the Eizan Cable Car and Eizan Ropeway. You may consider hiking up the summit of Mount Hiei after alighting the cable car (we were too tired to hike up the Mount after 2 days of extensive walking at Arashiyama, Kinkakuji and Fushimi Inari). The Garden Museum was closed on our visiting day (it was scheduled to open on 15 April). We hiked all the way to Enryaku-ji temple, Konpon chu-do, Todo. It is a serene and not so touristy place. We were lucky to experience snow though it was just a split second moment. We took Sakamoto cable car to descend from Mount Hiei to Shiga.
3. Mt. Atago
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 35 reviews
Reviewed By matth707 - Waxhaw, United States
I hiked Atago in July of 2017 and several times in the 2000's. The basics are that you need to ride bus 72 from Kyoto station from 7-9AM. Ride the bus to it's final stop at Kiyotaki, and walk down the road. Eventually there will be a river and a slope with a Shinto shrine. That's the entrance. It is a 3-4 hour trudge up (with rest cottages on the way) and a 2-3 scamper down. Winter, late fall, and early spring are the best seasons to hike, because you can manage temperature by layering clothes. Summer is absolutely a sweaty beast. Bring a change of clothes. The fun part about Atago is the way down. After visiting the shrine, you can go back the way you came, but on the right hand side of the final stone steps to the shrine, there is a trail leading to either Getsurinji (temple, actually just a couple of old Buddhist statue carvers that live on the mountain) or transit over to Takao. The reason I recommend passing Getsurinji is that when you finally get off the mountain and down to the river, you'll see a big concrete slab and a right hand turn into a gorge. That's where Kuuya Falls is, and it is a beautiful waterfall. Also, on July 31st, there is a night hike festival where they light the path and people climb during the night and watch the sunrise from the top.
4. Mt. Daimonji
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 106 reviews
Reviewed By gehararigo
Many tourist information says that it is easy to climb ,only 30 minutes from famous Ginkakuji temple. The slope is quite steep and slippery so you need good walking shoes. But after hard walk, the panoramic view is wonderful. We visited on the last day of Kyoto visit and looked at the view and recalled wonderful visits by saying “look, that is Shimogamo shirine” etc I also advise to bring extra cloths since the mountain top is quite windy and cold during winter.
5. Mt. Kurama
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 522 reviews
Reviewed By boabin - Seoul, South Korea
If you take the Eizan line to Kurama you'll be right on the doorstep of this mountain. You have 2 choices of getting to the top, the cable car or the mixture of trail and steps. Obviously the cable car costs more on top of the 300 yen admission price, but definitely consider it if you would struggle the ascent. There are seats on the way up to take respite. I took the walk up in order to enjoy the trees and views gradually going up, I live in a city and this was the perfect place to get back to nature! The temples are beautiful and so is the view from the top, if you're like me and enjoy seeing mountains and forests. Loved it!
6. Ponpon Mountain
7. Mt. Takao
8. Mt. Okita
Overall Ratings
3.0 based on 5 reviews
