This is a guide course of visiting Takao from north part of Arashiyama through Toriimoto and Kiyotaki. We'll start from walking through an area with a historical landscape before heading toward mountainous area to walk on a riverside trail. It is a beautiful combination of history and nature.
JR Saga Arashiyama Station
- First we'll meet you at the north exit of Saga Arashiyama Station of JR. Please do not mix the gate with its south. This is a very important point that I have to emphasize. Make sure you come out from its north gate on the side of Marutamachi street. We'll meet you here at 8 : 30 a.m. Starting from this point in he morning, we will come to Takao around good time for lunch break. Through this course, I can show you how to access Takao from Kiyotaki located in the far north-west of Arashiyama. Even many locals living in Kyoto do not know of this way of visiting Takao from a trail. This is a beautiful trail goes along river of Kiyotaki. It is a long way to access Takao from this area on the road, but it is not through this trail. The total length of this full tour takes about 5 hours. It requires quite a lot of walking back and forth all the way to Takao. Be sure to wear comfortable for the tour.
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.
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 not heavy or bulky. You can just pack in your tiny bag to carry around. There are items with written message in beautiful letters. I can neatly translate them all.
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.
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.
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.
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.
This water fall is a training ground of monks where you might come across a rare scene of training called Takigyo. It is the biggest waterfall in Kyoto city. Takigyo is a practice of meditation of standing under a water fall. Let's light up candles on all the alters surrounding this sacred ground. We'll make a wish all together. Let's get a bottle of water inside the village before we go on a hike.
In case, you start your tour at earliest time available for the tour. We'll take a lunch break in this village. I'll check with the schedule of restaurants before the tour. The estimated time for arrival will change for the next destination if we took a lunch break in the middle of the tour.
If you wish to visit Atago Shrine by hiking, this is the main access to the top. It takes about 6 hours to go up and down. Another purpose of this tour is to show you how to get there.
This trail connects Takao ( north ) & Kiyotaki ( south ) and the river will join Katsura River in Arashiyama. This is one of the most beautiful trails in which you go along the river side. The crystal clear water of Kiyotaki is running throuhgh white rocks making some deep spots of water turning into stunning emerald green.
From this point of Kiyotaki, it takes about 1 hour to reach Takao. It is about 3 km of walking along a trail on riverside. Toward the end of the trail, you will come to a point where you can see the cultivation of Kitayama cedars shooting vertically straight. I will offer you my official explanation as the one who is in charge of this introduction in English in Kyoto.
When we come to Takao, first you'll be guided to a restaurant called Togano Chaya which serves traditional Japanese dishes. Later on, I will offer you a complete area guide of Takao to visit 3 major cultural assets in the area and where to catch a bus to get back to the city.
Here in this restaurant I will offer to explain about what you might like to order for your preference. I have their English menu which I wrote. This place has a room surrounded by large windows to see the great view of maple along river. In case this place is closed, we'll visit another place similar to this one. After coming out from the restaurant, I will offer you area guide before you go on your way to start from Kozanji Templea which is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. It is likely that you have enough time to visit all the attractions in Takao before all the closing time. It takes about 3 hours to cover the entire area. In this way you are fully guided for all day. Hotaru ( fireflies ) viewing guide will be included around late June.
Kozanji Temple
All the detailed interpretation and explanation in English during the tour. The tour of viewing fireflies in late June would be a bonus for visitors around that time.
The food and drink you need on your way and the cost of food at the restaurant are not included. Entrance feel of 300 yen per person at Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple.
This tour involves walking through a trail. It is ideal that you bring rain gear when the weather condition is iffy. I will also bring some things to provide. If you wish to change the course, I have some backup plans to compensate.
In case of a bad weather condition, I can arrange back-up tour for you. I will ensure that you will not regret about your booking. And, please contact in advance so I can check my availability with other things.