Hozukyo Nature Walking Guide Tour to Mizuo ( hidden course Kyoto north-west of Arashiyama )

Meeting Point

JR Saga-Arashiyama Station north gate

Gohodo Benzaiten

First, you will arrive to a hidden temple called Gohodo Benzaiten. It is really hidden in the woods right behind a bus stop called " Gohodo Benzaiten ". You would definitely miss it without a guide. The temple enshrines a goddess called Benzaiten. Benzaiten is a symbol of eloquence ( art of speech to influence people ) . Gohodo Benzaiten is a temple at the hill of Mt. Toriigata. The mountain holds one of 5 symbols of our traditional summer event of building a huge formation of bonefire among 5 mountains located in different directions surrounding the city. This event is called " Gozan Okuribi " which is held to send off spirits of deceased. And this one makes a shape of toirii gate. This is the name origin of this area Toriimoto. The place is scarcely known by some people who come here to make wishes to its Benzaiten. This Benzaiten is enshrined in here as a guardian of Mt. Toriigata. This place is a real hidden treasure for viewing autumn beauty of sacred momiji.

Adashino-Mayumura

The next stop we are going to make is Adashino-Mayumura. This is a shop selling craft items made of cocoons. They are selling them as souvenir items for visitors. There is another Mayumura located right next to Arashiyama station, but this one in Toriimoto is the original. Staffs you will meet at the shop are very friendly. You can expect warm welcome from those people. You can relax and have a little shopping on your way. The items here are very light and small. You can just pack in your tiny bag to carry around.

Saga Toriimoto Town-scape Archive Hall

Go on our way up the hill you come to an old house with thatched roof called Saga Toriimoto Town-scape Archive Hall. The function of this house is to work on the project of preserving a historical landscape of this area. This place is open to public to casually visit and have look around inside the ancient house constructed in 1890's. In this place, I would like to explain how things were and how they stay the way they are today. The structure of this house displays well-preserved architectural style commonly seen from early Meiji Period in Japan. I hope that my explanation will give you a new perspective to the landscape of this area.

First torii gate of Atago Shrine

After visiting the Archive Hall, soon you will come to the 1st gate of Atago Shrine. Here is a great spot for taking photos. Let's take some beak for some photo shooting. The best time for this spot is autumn. It is also great with green leaves of momiji maple.

Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple

The next stop is Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple. Just go along the way up the hill. You will come to this temple. The temple displays a huge collection of stone statues. Every one of them have different impression on their face. It is said there are 1200 of them in this one place. You will surely find this fascinating. The entire ground of this temple is mostly covered in thick moss due the high humidity of this area. The atmosphere of this temple is something unique despite many other temples you see in the city are quite similar to one another. It requires entrance charge of 300 yen per person. This is the only place in this course which requires additional fee. All the rests are free of charge.

Village of Kiyotaki

Now, let's move on toward west to the tunnel. Now you came to a road splitting in three ways right before the tunnel of Kiyotaki. This is the end of Atago Kaido where it meets Kiyotaki-michi " the road to Kiyotaki ". Even though it is said that this tunnel is a scary ghostly spot, I don't think it is such a place. It might look creepy when you look at it with such idea because of the lights in the tunnel and its surroundings. There is a beautiful village called Kiyotaki after passing this tunnel. You don't have to worry because people are living in that village and it is the only way to access Mt. Atago from the city. We'll make a circle around the village before we start walking on the trail.

Kiyotaki-Hozukyo Trail part-1

This is a trail that goes all the way to Mizuo from Kiyotaki. From Kiyotaki you are moving towards south-west along Kiyotaki River and Katsura River. From the point of Ochiai which is a spot where Kiyotaki River joins Katsura River. This part of the tour on the trail is between point of Nishiyama 1 and Nishiyama 5 of Kyoto Circuit Trail. You will come out to a point called Ochiai. It is about 30 minutes of walking along Kiyotaki River.

Kiyotaki-Hozukyo Trail part-2

Here you are out on the point of Ochiai. It is a point where Katsura River meets Kiyotaki River. From this point we'll start walking on a road along upstream of Katsura River. This is the area called Hozukyo and it is the most beautiful view of a river in entire Kyoto prefecture. We'll take a small break to eat something light along the way. From this point we'll go for another walking for about 90 minutes all the way to a mountainous village called Mizuo.

Village of Mizuo

Upon the arrival of the village, we'll drop our items in a facility where we will come back later on for dining and bathing. After a small tour inside the village you will come back for the last part of the tour. I will explain about this village such as its background and agriculture and local produce of Yuzu citrus in English during the tour. Village of Mizuo is known as a town of Yuzu for their local produce of Yuzu citrus. The village is located in the north-west of Kyoto city and south of Mt. Atago. The village was named as such because of its location being at the end of Kiyotaki River. 水= water + 尾 = the tail. And the meaning this name holds is a place where clean water springs. From ancient times the ground of Mizuo have been the home of its local produce such as Yuzu, biwa, persimon, plums, Sansho citrus, Nanten, pomegranate, matsutake mushrooms, etc. The cultivation and agriculture of those symbolic produce are the main source to support the lives of this village. We also have an option to get pick up from the restaurant we reserved. It is a free ride for us.

Kominka Yuzu bath Restaurant

Ending Point

JR. Hozukyo Station