Kurama-yama in Kyoto

[koji]

One day we went to a popular hiking area called Kurama-yama (yama = mount),
first went to the terminal station at the Kyoto city edge and 20 minutes ride to
the base of the mount Kurama. This mounten has 600m (2,000 feet) elevation,
just like mount TAKAO ouside of Tokyo if you know it. KURAMA-temple was founded AD 770.

click the photo to enlarge as usual

There are more people for hiking than I thought, they are going to Mt. HIEI like KOYA-san. G20/1.7


The railway goes though houses very typical of city area everywhere in japan G20/1.7


I met a strange nerdy guy with two cameras hanging from his neck at the end of train ride. FUJI F10


After dropping off from cable car (we were too lazy to climb up), there was a big temple (KURAMA Dera) gate and keep climbing steps. G20/1.7


At the almost top of the mounten, a view into mounten range. G20/1.7


At the top of mounten there is the temple, there is always this. G20/1.7


view 2 G-Biogon 21/2.8


view 3 G-Biogon 21/2.8


view 4 G-Biogon 21/2.8


We are now stepping down to the bottom (over 800 steps) G-Biogon 21/2.8


We encountered an old shrine inside of Buddism temple (which is a pretty common in japan, you may not understand) called YUKI-shrine (since AD990) G-Biogon 21/2.8


This wooden structure has stages (there is a gate underneath) G20/1.7


This shrine is the most important deity SHINBOKU (literally means god tree) G-Biogon 21/2.8


Bottom view of gate/stage structure G-Biogon 21/2.8


The above structure was copied to KIYUMIZU-temple with a large stage (ZUIKO 24/2 + OM2N + Fuji Reala)


By the way, Temple gate looks like this G-Biogon 21/2.8


And Kurama-temple looks like Fuji F10


So we weren't really the top of the mounten, but the summit was not accessable (luckily).

[madamasu]

I have been to Kyoto three times, during my years in Japan. Once alone, twice with my mother. It is one of my favourite place in this world, and also my mother was completely entranced. I always stayed in a Japanese style small hotel called the ' san yu ryokan' i. e. the 'three friends guest-house', which was for foreigners exclusively and cost the ridiculous sum of 2000 Yen per night (no breakfast, of course). It is not far from the 'Sanju sangendo', and had an incredible atmosphere.
The Kiyomizu-tera is one of my favrourite temples in Kyoto because of the incredible wooden construction, and I still have a wonderful vase I bought there.

Thanks for showing
Thomas

[koji]

Hi Thomas,

I could not find "san yu ryokan" in Kyoto, it might have gone forever?
There are many "ryokan" exclusively for foreigners in Japan now, but
not many enough I guess.

[Attila]

I can't say enough thank you for you reports! Nice to see you on picture!

[patrickh]

Thought the nerdy guy was actually quite cool (?). Thanks again koji for taking us along and sharing the experience. That temple is magnificent - it seems part of the mountain rather than a blot on it.


patrickh