Hi! Frequent Japan traveler here, looking to fill in a day in October. I’ll be in Kyoto with a free day and want to check out Kibune+Kurama and/or Enryaku-ji. A few questions, because I swear I’ve seen some people do all of these sights in one jam-packed day, but I’m not sure if it’s feasible…
1. Is seeing Kibune/Kurama a full-day activity?
2. Is seeing Enryaku-ji a full-day activity?
3. If neither of the above is a full-day activity, can I fit both in one day?
4. If both are full-day excursions and kawadoko is done for the season, which would you pick?
3 comments
Technically, maybe you could squeeze Enryaku-ji and Kibune to Kurama, if you take the earliest ropeway.
If you meant hiking both Kurama to Kibune and Mt. Hiei – it’s not possible on a single day. While Kurama to Kibune is a half-day hike, hiking Mt, Hiei is a full day activity that gets you to Enryaku-ji in mid- to late afternoon, if you start it in early morning.
yep, really depends on transportation. hiking is more than a day. trains and ropeway is doable but tight. motorized transport by car/motorcycle would be a breeze.
1. If you hike between them yes, if you start early and carefully optimize/adhere to public transportation timetables no
2. If all you are seeing is Enryakuji and you plan out public transport, no. If you are seeing the full area on top of the mountain (which is not just Enryakuji) and/or hiking up, yes
3. Yes but it will require pre-planning an itinerary in consultation with public transportation timetables and STICKING to this itinerary (i.e. no “oooh this looks nice imma hang out here for another half hour”)
4. TBH neither given the lack of foliage in October. For Northern Kyoto I prefer Ohara.