Mount Hiei
Mount Hiei – Enryakuji Temple 比叡山～延暦寺
Overview
Mt. Hiei is the second highest mountain in Kyoto, at 848 meters (2,782 feet), and just a short distance northeast of downtown. It is more than just a pretty mountain though.
Enryakuji Temple, a World Heritage site founded in 788 C.E., sits at the top of the mountain. Several centuries ago, Enryakuji was home to the so-called warrior monks, who fought running battles with and terrorized city residents for many years until the shogun Oda Nobunaga crushed them and burned their temple to the ground in 1571.
Moreover, the mountain is said to be home to many demons.
Today, in addition to its natural beauty and World Heritage status, Enryakuji is known for its "marathon monks." These are monks in training who run progressively more marathons on the mountain over a seven year period. Most never come close to completing the grueling training. The few that do are feted by the city.
At Konpon Chudo, the main hall of the temple, there is the Inextinguishable Dharma Light. The flame has been burning for some 1200 years, and there is always a monk by it, tending to it, to keep it alight while chanting the sutra.
Mount Hiei is also a great hike, and features wildlike (deer, monkeys, tanuki, boar, etc.), great foliage, and wonderful views of the city below.
Getting to the Starting Point
From Demachiyanagi Station, ride the Eizan Railways train four stops to Shugakuin Station.
From there, it is a 10 - 15 minute walk to the trailhead. Walk towards the mountain, heading east (see the map below).
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| Azaleas on Mount Hiei | Enryakuji Temple |
Directions
To get to the trailhead is a 15-minute walk from Shugakuin Station, which is on the Eiden Line in northeast Kyoto. Follow the map below. The trailhead - just across a small bridge once you pass on your right Kansai Seminar House, which is north of Manshuin - is not well marked. The first thirty minutes are not easy. Persist.
Going along narrow paths in a dense forest, it will be a bit of a climb for the weekend hiker. It will become easier once you get out of the deciduous forest and into a stand of cedar trees.
At the top is a radio tower, and then the cable car station. Keep going (you can ride the cable car back down on the way back; it is 530 yen one-way and runs about twice an hour).
Walk up the gravel road behind the station. This leads to you open fields full of azalea, and then back again into a heavily forested area. You will soon come to a series of temples that are part of the Enraykuji complex. A road for cars is below you.
The main non-natural attractions are in the Eastern Pagoda area (there is also a Western Pagoda and Yokawa area). They include the main halls of Enryakuji and the Kokuhoden Museum.
In front of the museum is the requisite gift shop and a parking lot and bus stop. It is possible to ride back down into town; however, the buses run infrequently. A more interesting option is to walk back 15 minutes to the cable car station, and ride down to the Yase Hiezanguchi Station, which is below.
Note: this is one possible route up the mountain. There are several trails, not well marked.
Total Hiking Time
Three to four hours hiking time from Shugakuin Station to Enryakuji Temple.
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| Mount Hiei | Near the trailhead |
More Information
Enryakuji Temple
077 578 0001
Entrance Fee: 1000 yen; last entry at 3:30 p.m.
Kokuhoden Museum
077-578-0001
Open 9 AM to 4 PM (closes at 3:30 PM in December)
Map
Mount Hiei Enryakuji Temple Route
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