鞍馬 (Mt. Kurama)

16 July 2019

Josh and I stepped off a bus and into a small mountain village. Only an hour earlier, we were in bustling Kyoto. Now we were standing in front of a small confection store with only a handful of people on the streets who were going about daily life.

In comparison to Kyoto’s tourist-crowed streets, the city of Kurama seemed untouched by the outside world. There was a steady trickle of visitors going up the mountain while we were there, but we only passed one couple on our way down the other side. Perhaps the typhoon that recently damaged the trail discouraged tourists. Regardless, the area offers a retreat from Kyoto.

We purchased some 大福 (Daifuku) and other mochi treats from the store before heading to the temple entrance.

There was a small entrance fee inside the gate. From there was the option to walk up the mountain or take a cable car. We took the cable car since I was still recovering from a cold, but at the time, it bothered me to think about what I might have missed. Not much later, however, I was thankful for the decision we made.

The walk from the cable car to the shrine was lined by red lanterns and beautiful views of the forest. We stopped briefly at a stairway leading to the temple to take a few pictures and eat a snack. I was waiting for the perfect moment to take a picture, when I heard a sound off in the distance.

Was that thunder? I wondered, but I discounted it for the sound of distant traffic.

The temple sat with an excellent view of the mountains. Gravel paths ran through the temple grounds that beckoned visitors to stroll. There were only two other people which added to the peace that lay over the mountain.

I was just about to suggest sitting on a nearby bench to enjoy the moment, when I heard the rumbling sound again.

There was no telling how much longer the trail continued, and neither of us knew enough Japanese to ask the other visitors.

I tried to ignore the way my sore body just wanted to take a nap. The day prior, Josh had opted to rest, while I decided to hike Mt. Inari despite having caught a cold. No cold would stop me from visiting the places I had in mind. I had put on a mask, popped some Japanese medicine we had found at a local pharmacy, and kept going. Today, however, I regretted that decision. Josh was feeling better while my whole body ached.

Past the temple, more of the destruction from the typhoon was visible. Trees were down and had been moved off the trail. We passed several small shrines that were covered in a tarp because of damage.

We were not even to the top of the mountain, when we heard a sound that this time I was certain was thunder. The farther up we went the more certain I became as the sound became louder and more frequent.

The threat of the storm did not detract from the view of the top of the mountain, which was beautiful! Cedar trees with roots that protruded from the earth covered the area and looked like a scene from a fantasy novel. I would have wanted to stay forever had the storm not been pushing in. At that point, there was a good chance just as much trail lay before us as there was behind us.

We took the risk and continued onward.

The stairs winding down seemed never ending, but often the view between the trees would open up and the green mountainous landscape became visible against stormy clouds. In a way, the damage caused by the typhoon made the trail even more beautiful by adding new lookouts.

The thunder grew closer, and we were taking the descent in strides, but the farther we went, the more slippery the path became.

Finally, the bottom was in sight. At the end of the trail is a quaint village where you can have tea or lunch on pallets over the Kibune River. They were too nice for us to visit in our casual and sweaty clothes, but the Kifune Shrine drew our interest instead. Just as we were setting up our equipment to take pictures in the dimming light, it began to rain.

Then it began to pour.

We were unprepared; I was the only one with a rain jacket. We huddled by a building looking up directions to get back. Our hearts dropped; the last bus had already left, and the train station we needed was a 30-minute walk away. Rain or shine, we had to keep going.

By the time we passed the buildings that were along the river, the rain began to slow. We stopped at a bathroom in a parking lot full of large tour buses. Just as Josh exited the bathroom, a public bus pulled up.

“That’s our bus!” Josh exclaimed before I even processed that it was the one we needed.

We darted to the bus half laughing – too exhausted to truly express how thankful we were. If we had not taken the cable car or if we had stayed a little longer on the mountain top, we would have missed the last bus. The rain and a cold did nothing to detract from the beauty of Mt. Kurama and the day ended with more luck than it began.

Mt. Kurama is a great day hike for anyone looking to get away from the craze of Kyoto. Consider starting at Kifune Shrine – which is the opposite of what we did – to enjoy lunch or tea over the Kibune River before the restaurants close or you exert yourself in the hike. The damage from the typhoon that hit earlier in 2019 has likely been cleared away since it was mostly gone when we were there. The mountain pathways lined with red lanterns bear a magical quality worth taking time to experience.