Kurama

What to know

Kurama (鞍馬) is a rural town in the northern mountains of Kyoto City, less than an hour from the city center. Its main attraction, Kuramadera, is a Buddhist temple perched on a steep wooded mountainside above the town. It takes 30–45 minutes to climb to the temple's main buildings from the town below. A cable car (200 yen one way) goes about halfway up the mountain. Along the ascent is Yuki Jinja, a shrine famous for its Fire Festival (Kurama Hi Matsuri), held annually on October 22.

Kuramadera's main buildings sit on a terrace on the mountain slope, overlooking the wooded valley. Behind the temple's main building, a hiking trail continues through the forest past several other temple structures to Kibune, a small town in the neighboring valley. The hike from Kuramadera to Kibune takes about an hour and is steep in places.

Kurama is also known for one of the most accessible hot springs from Kyoto, Kurama Onsen. The complex closed during the pandemic but finally reopened in November 2024. Located at the upper end of Kurama town, a 10-minute walk from the train station, it offers indoor and outdoor baths.

Kurama is connected to central Kyoto by the Eizan Railway. The one-way trip along the Eizan Kurama Line from Demachi-Yanagi Station to Kurama Station takes 30 minutes and costs 470 yen. Trains depart every 15–20 minutes.

The fastest way to reach Demachi-Yanagi Station from Kyoto Station is to take the JR Nara Line to Tofukuji Station (150 yen, 2 minutes), then transfer to the Keihan Main Line to Demachi-Yanagi Station (300 yen, 10 minutes).