One of the most unique places in all of Japan is an ancient shrine located on top of the highest mountain in Kyoto, which stands at 924 meters. This shrine enshrines multiple kami, along with one of the greatest Tengu kings - Tarobo Tengu. Tarobo Tengu is a legendary creature with a bird-like face, wings, and he rides a boar, which is considered a messenger of the gods.

Originally, the shrine has been known since ancient times for offering protection from fire and remains a popular destination today. When you reach the summit and enter this sacred place, you immediately feel an immensely mysterious atmosphere, coupled with the satisfaction of climbing the mountain. This feeling is particularly strong if you visit on a weekend because, usually (though not always), you can hear traditional Shinto music playing inside the shrine halls.

📍 Starting point of the HIKE Three ways to get there:

1. By bus: Search for a route with the destination at Kiyotaki bus stop and then walk to the starting point for about 10-15 minutes.

2. By taxi: The easiest and closest spot to find a taxi would be next to Saga Arashiyama JR station - taxi stop.

3. By car: The only place to park your car is Kiyotaki Sakuraya Aoki Parking Lot. It is just 5 minutes away from the starting point. It costs 700 JPY on weekdays and 1,200 JPY on weekends. The attendants who collect the fee might not be there if you arrive too early (before 7-8 am), so just park your car and pay later when you come back from your hike.

VERY IMPORTANT INFO:

• It takes somewhere between 2-3 hours to reach the top. The length of the trail is approximately 4 km (one way).

• There are no toilets along the way (only at the start of the hike and at the top). The closest toilet to the hiking starting point is located at Kiyotaki Public Toilet.

• There are some rest stops with roofs and benches along the way.

• Bring enough water; I usually take 1.5 - 2L with me.

• There is a vending machine with drinks at the top, but I would not rely on it.

• DO NOT start this hike after 8 am during July and August. It gets extremely hot, and the risk of heatstroke is very high.

• Start this hike in the morning. There is a warning sign stating that you should not begin this hike if you will not be able to return before it gets dark (because people get lost).

• The difficulty of the hike is rated as 4 out of 5 (and some hardcore hikers will probably laugh at me for that). I would say that the difficulty is actually somewhere between 3 and 3.5. HOWEVER, please do not underestimate this hike. It has some pretty steep sections with unstable surfaces (gravel) where anyone can easily trip and get injured if not careful enough!

• You will notice yellow-orange signposts along the way with numbers from 1 to 40, indicating how far you've climbed. The toughest part of the hike will be the first half of it, up until signpost 20-23. After around the 23rd signpost, the hike becomes much easier.

• Comfortable shoes are absolutely necessary.

• I don't recommend doing this hike in midwinter because there might be snow at the top. Since it's very slippery, crampons are required.