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The greenery gets deeper at each station on the Eizan Railway as it nears its destination, about a 30 minute ride from the city. Here, the air is cool, even in summer, and Kibune and Kurama are also known as the back-room of Kyoto. The rich greenery and gentle breezes of Kyoto and Kitayama make relaxation a special experience as you walk along the pathways in the forests. It is said that Izumi Shikibu, a famous poet of the Heian Period, once wrote a poem about love as she walked along the Koi-no-michi (literally, the Love Path, and also known as the Kibune Kaido historical highway) on her way to Kibune. If you change your route, you can take a path, the Kinone Sando, that functions as the approach to Mt. Kurama. This mountain is associated with legends of the Tengu (literally "heavenly dogs," a class of supernatural creatures found in Japanese folklore) and Ushiwakamaru (Minamoto-no-Yoshitsune, a famous general of the Heian Period) and considered a holy place by Shinto believers. There are many famous spots along the Kinone Sando, such as Kifune Shrine, which is dedicated to the Dragon spirit, the main hall of Kuramadera Temple, dedicated to Sanzonsａonten, and Yuki Shrine, famous for its Fire Festival. The whole area is steeped in history, culture, and legends, and there are many souvenir shops in the Kibune no Kawadoko (Kibune Riverbed) area and in the town in front of the Kuramadera Temple selling "kinomedaki," (a traditional preserved food of the Kurama area made of the seeds and leaves of sansho, a Japanese pepper, wrapped in kelp and boiled in soy sauce). The local temperature is usually about 5 to 10°C lower than it is in the city, and the soft sounds of the streams and the rich greenery make the Kibune and Kurama area a restful spot for both the mind and body. This is another facet of the ancient capital that you cannot experience in the city, a thoroughly fascinating place to enjoy Kyoto to your heart's content during the summer. |
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| Kifune Shrine |
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| Kuramadera Temple |
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| Kibune River |
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