Kurama And Kibune

Kurama and Kibune are a pair of tranquil rural villages an easy 30-minute train north of Kyoto on Eizan Line. They form the best half-day trip out of Kyoto.

[Kurama dera Temple, Honden Kondo]

Kurama And Kibune Area Description

Tucked into the mountains north of the Kyoto, Kurama and Kibune feel like worlds away. Surrounded by forested mountains, these two quaint villages will ease your soul after spending too long among the neon and concrete of the city below. The premier attraction is Kurama-dera, a mountaintop temple with great views. Combine a visit here with a walk over the mountain to the village of Kibune. Note: If you want to soak in Kurama Onsen, it’s best to start in Kibune and walk over the mountain to Kurama and then hit the onsen.

Kurama Highlights

• Kurama-dera Mountain Temple
• Yuki-jinja Shrine
• Kurama to Kibune Hike

[Kurama-dera Mountain Temple: Amstk / Shutterstock.com]

Things To Do And See In Kurama

• Kurama-dera Mountain Temple
  Kurama-dera Mountain Temple is easily the best day- or half-day trip out of Kyoto. High on the shoulder of Mt. Kurama, you can feel the power of nature up here.

[Yuki-jinja Shrine: mTaira / Shutterstock.com]

• Yuki-jinja Shrine
  A small Shinto shrine partway up Mt. Kurama, Yuki-jinja seems to embody the true spirit of Shinto: the reverence for the awesome power of nature<./li>
• Kurama Onsen
  The best onsen (hot spring) in the Kyoto area, Kurama Onsen is an easy 30-minute train trip north of Kyoto. Sitting in the outdoor tub surrounded by forested mountains is pure onsen bliss.

[Kurama to Kibune Hike: Radu Razvan / Shutterstock.com]

• Kurama to Kibune Hike
  The easy hike from Kurama to Kibune, in the hills north of Kyoto, is our favorite half-day trip out of Kyoto City. It’s the perfect combination of nature and culture.

Kibune Highlights

• Kibune-jinja Shrine
• Kibune “kawadoko” river dining platforms

[Kibune-jinja Shrine: Guitar photographer / Shutterstock.com]

Things To Do And See In Kibune

• Kibune-jinja Shrine
  Kifune-jinja Shrine (also known as Kibune-jinja) is the main sightseeing attraction in the quaint village of Kibune.

Places To Eat In Kurama

• Yoshuji
  Yoshuji is the nicest place to eat in Kurama, full stop. You can choose from sets of Buddhist vegetarian cuisine or simpler bowls of noodles.
• Aburaya Shokudo
  Simple, hearty fare for pilgrims to Kurama-dera Mountain Temple, Aburaya Shokudo is an old-school eatery. No pretensions: just filling rice and noodle dishes.

[Kibune “kawadoko” river dining platforms: Amstk / Shutterstock.com]

Places To Eat In Kibune

• Nakayoshi
  A friendly and scenic spot to eat in Kibune, Nakayoshi fits the bill for lunch in this scenic village. They have a nice “kawadoko” river dining platform.
• Hirobun
  Hirobun is one of the more laid-back riverside restaurants in the quaint village of Kibune.
• Beniya
  Beniya is one of the more elegant riverside restaurants in the quaint riverside town of Kibune.

Ryokan In Kibune

• Ryokan Ugenta
  One of the finest and most stylish ryokan in the entire Kyoto Area, Ryokan Ugenta is prime honeymoon territory.

Getting To Kurama And Kibune

• By train: Take the Keihan Line to the northernmost stop, Demachiyanagi Station, and switch to the Eizan Line. Be careful to board a Kurama-bound train as some trains on this line go to Yase instead.

Where Is This Place Located?

• Open the Kyoto map
• You will see the list of places on the left hand side. (Click the 3-line icon in the top left corner if not). Scroll down or use the map search (the magnifying glass icon) to find the place you want.
• Click the name of the place in the list. Its location pin will be highlighted on the map.
• Map pins are color coded - BLUE: Hotels | VIOLET: Ryokan | PINK: Places to Eat | YELLOW: Things to See and Do
• If you’re using the map on your phone, open the map and then search for the name of the place. The map will then zoom in on its location.

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