- Time: 6 hours
- Fee: ¥60,000 (about US$389)
- Expenses: about ¥4,700 per person
- Time: 8 hours
- Fee: ¥75,000 (about US$486)
- Expenses: about ¥4,700 per person
For guests who really want to escape the crowds, this tour is a great choice. It’s also an excellent tour for July, August and early September, since the tour includes a mountain temple located about 800m above sea level, where it’s much cooler than down in the rest of Kyoto. The leaves also change a few weeks early up here, meaning you can enjoy fall foliage here in October and early November.
The route includes a trip by cable car and tramway to the top of 848m (2,782 ft) Mt Hiei, which towers over the northeast side of Kyoto. Enrayku-ji Temple, which sprawls around the top of the mountain, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Upon arrival, you will take a bus to the Sai-to (West Precinct) area of Enryaku-ji Temple, and then walk through the woods to the To-do (East Precinct) area of the temple. From there, you will descend by cable car to the town of Sakamoto, which lies at the eastern base of Mt Hiei, in Shiga Prefecture. Sakamoto is home to some lovely preserved streets and buildings. You can eat lunch here in an old soba shop and, time permitting, vising the lovely Chikurin-in Temple, which is famous for its traditional tea ceremony halls. From there, you can take a train back to Kyoto.
Please note that we offer a 6-hour version of this tour from those who can travel on their own to/from the start and endpoint of the tour, and an 8-hour version for those who want to be met and dropped off at their accommodations. We can also make it to a 4-hour visit by visiting Enryaku-ji only, starting and ending at Demachiyanagi Station.
The meeting place for the 6-hour tour is Demachiyanagi Station (northeast of the city) and the endpoint of the tour is Sanjo Station (central downtown).
