The Hiei-san is a place that is often neglected by visitors to Kyoto. Sure, Kyoto has so many sites, why leave it when you are there..? But, you should not miss out the Hiei-san and its sights. This Kyoto day trip is one of the most exciting and multi-faceted. You can get on the mountain top via the cable car at the Cable Yase Station a bit north of Kyoto city. Just take the line 17 bus heading to Ohara and exit at Yase station. The ride on the Eizan cable takes about 10 minutes and you will already have a nice view onto Kyoto and the northern mountains of Kyoto.
First stop on top is a very beautiful garden museum that you can visit there. It is worth it for itself, but it also offers nice views on the great Biwa lake (Japan‘s biggest lake).
Garden Museum Hiei
The garden museum is inspired by impressionists artists — mostly Monet. You will find pictures by Monet and then the amazing thing — complete reproductions of the scenes shown on the pictures. There is Monet‘s colorful flower garden in front of his house and Monet‘s whole water lily pond with the little green bridge. This pond truly is a highlight on the Hiei-san displaying the passion of the Japanese garden designer.
Hiei-san Mountain Peak
The next stop is the of course the peak of the mountain. Not that spectacular, but if you go on a mountain you gotta do the peak (that also goes for the Inari Yama with the famous 1000 Torii of the Fushimi Inari Taisha). Somebody will definitely ask you whether you have been there😊
After that what is left on a sacred mountain as the Hiei-san? Obviously, the temples😊
Historical Buddhist Temple: Enryaku-ji
Enryaku-ji is one of the most important temples in Japan. It‘s the headquarters of the Tendai school of Buddhism which was founded 1200 years ago. The temple area is quite big with around 150 buildings. What is especially beautiful about Enryaku-ji, is how it blends with the nature around it — the long, tree-lined paths, the quiet halls, and the sweeping views give visitors a sense of timelessness and reflection. It is like a hidden world above the clouds. Perched high on Mount Hiei, it feels far away from the busy life of Kyoto below. When you stroll about the area you will sometimes hear a very majestic and calming bell ring rolling across Mount Hiei.
Visitors line up to ring this Bell and bow afterwards as a sign of respect. Some also add a silent prayer or wish afterwards. Overall the atmosphere in the temple area is very beautiful and there is a lot to see. Different temples reached by steep stone stairs or through a stone Torii gate. Find out more about the Enryaku-ji at japan-guide.com. This temple complex and the garden museum really make the Hiei-san a hidden gem in Japan.
Lake Biwa
After visiting the Enryaku-ji you can top off this Kyoto day trip by and go down the mountain to the famous Biwa lake. You do this via the longest cable car ride in Japan, the Hieisan-Sakamoto Cable. Why this day trip to Hiei-san reminded me of Ghibli besides the nature and the vibes, was that in the ride they played the “Path of the wind” instrumental of the Totoro movie. If you don’t know Ghibli, then you really miss out on a complete world in Japan😊
Being the largest lake in Japan there are plenty of things you can do at the Biwa lake, like sightseeing, Onsen, Stand-up paddling and bathing. Thus, if you plan to stay in the area you should definitely bring your bathing clothes. For the day trip we recommend to just visit a sight in Sakamoto like the Hiyoshi Tashi Shrine which is the Guardian Shinto (Shintō) shrine for the Enryaku-ji from the time where Shinto & Buddhism were closely connected. Alternatively, just go to the lakeshore and enjoy the view. There are also plenty of restaurants along the lakeshore.
From Sakamoto you can go back to Kyoto via the Kosei line in only 25 minutes. Really a wonder that most Kyoto visitors never visit the lake. You could also make a stop for sightseeing in Ōtsu at your way back which is the biggest city on the lake.
Arigato gozaimasu for reading。
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