Mount Kurama

December 2025

A collection of photos from a hike in Mount Kurama just north of Kyoto, Japan.

Kodak Vision3 500T (35mm), Kodak Portra 400 (35mm), Kodak Portra 800 (35mm)

Traveling to Mount Kurama

Since I was staying in Osaka, I had to take three trains to reach the trailhead. I started pretty early, at around five in the morning, and managed catch the longest train of this journey: from Osaka to Kyoto. After getting to Kyoto, I took the Eizan Railway to Kibuneguchi Station in the town of Kibune (located in Mount Kurama) to start my hike.

Kifune Shrine

Most people start this hike in Kurama station, going counter-clockwise and ending at Kibune. I decided to take the clockwise route, starting at Kibuneguchi Station and hiking to Kibune to visit the Kifune Shrine first.

It had snowed in the mountains the previous night, and since I started so early the snow was still fresh and clinging to the trees, electric poles, railings, and buildings. It was a really quiet and serene environment and a beautiful start to the hike, with not many people around this early.

Kurama-dera Temple

While the hike to Kifune Shrine had been blanketed in snow-covered foliage, most of the snow had already started to melt by the time I started on my way to Kurama-dera Temple.

Unlike the first leg of the hike which went through a few small towns and included paved roads, the hike to Kurama-dera from Kifune Shrine had me going through a more forested area with some elevation to boot. It felt almost like gentle rainfall as the snow on the leaves started to melt as I ascended the mountain.

Kurama

From the Kurama-dera Temple I climbed down the stone steps to Kurama, a quiet rural town in Mount Kurama. It is a fairly small town but with enough facilities to support the tourists and locals who come to visit the shrines in the mountain.

By the time I got to Kurama it was mid-day and most of the snow had already melted. It was amazing seeing the scenery change from snow-covered and quiet, to green and vibrant. I was tired after my hike, so I spent some time in town walking around, grabbing food, and taking in the views.

In Closing

Mount Kurama is a beautiful location with an amazing hiking trail through the forests and shrines, and I would recommend it to anyone visiting Kyoto. Hiking through the trail right after snowfall was an amazing experience and only added to the charm of it all. While Kyoto can be very busy and packed with tourists, Mount Kurama just thirty minutes north of Kyoto is a peaceful respite from the crowds.

After wrapping up in Kurama, I took the same trains all the way back to Osaka to continue my adventure the next day.