Kyoto's guardian mountain: an old pilgrim path up from the city's edge to a monastery that once housed thousands of warrior monks, with halls hidden in the cedars and Lake Biwa shining on the far side.
Mount Hiei rises 848 metres in the north-east of Kyoto, the unlucky direction that the monastery founded here in 788 was meant to guard. For a thousand years Enryaku-ji was one of the most powerful institutions in Japan.
The Tendai school taught on Hiei shaped Japanese Buddhism: the founders of the Zen, Pure Land and Nichiren schools all studied here. At its height the mountain held some 3,000 temples and an army of sōhei, warrior monks, until the warlord Oda Nobunaga burned it in 1571. Today the halls stand in three precincts, Tōtō, Saitō and Yokawa, deep in cedar forest, and monks still undertake the thousand-day mountain marathon.
The Kirara-zaka pilgrim path climbs from the Shugaku-in area in two to three hours, with views back over the city. Lake Biwa opens on the other side at the top. Enryaku-ji's three precincts deserve a full afternoon; the monks' shōjin ryōri lunch needs booking.
Up on foot from Kyoto, down by ropeway and cable car: the classic one-way day.
From Shugakuin station, walk east through the quiet streets past Sagarimatsu towards the start of the Kirara-zaka trail.
An old monks' path climbs steadily through cedar and cypress, with occasional views back over Kyoto. It is steep and rooty in places, with a few eroded sections.
The trail reaches the ridge near the top of the Eizan ropeway, with a viewpoint over the city basin.
Continue to the summit area, where Lake Biwa spreads to the east, then follow the paths into the monastery.
The main hall of Enryaku-ji, where lamps have been kept burning for over 1,200 years. Walk on to Saitō's Shaka-dō if time allows, then ride down.
.jpg?width=1280)
Keihan line to Demachiyanagi, then the Eizan line to Shugakuin. For the return, the ropeway and Eizan cable car descend to Yase-Hieizanguchi on the same line.
The ropeway and cable car run from spring to early December, and close in winter. Check the last departure before you linger.
Some temple lodgings on the mountain take overnight guests, with early-morning services. Book well ahead.
Kyoto practical notes →
Through the gates to the top.
Cedar roots and a river hamlet.
The fire hill and the canal walk.
Macaques and a river trail.
.jpg?width=960)
Temples and early maples.
Wikimedia Commons photographs are used under their licences; Pexels photographs under the Pexels licence.
.jpg){kind=link}