Kurama-dera Temple – The Ultimate Travel Guide
While my wife and I went on a day trip to escape the bustling Kyoto to Kurama (鞍馬), Kurama-dera Temple (鞍馬寺) turned out to be one of our favourite highlights in our Kyoto trip. In fact, climbing mountains was undeniably a nightmarish activity for my wife and we did not know what to expect out of Kurama Temple.
To our surprise, Kurama-dera turned out to be a pleasant temple to visit. The remote natural beauty together with the lack of tourist crowds makes this one of our favourite temples to visit in Japan.
Table of Contents
Introducing Kurama-dera
Location
Kurama-dera is located up north of Kyoto at the base of Mt Kurama (鞍馬山). The area itself is surrounded by majestic mountains, while accompanied by the neighbouring village of Kibune (貴船). In fact, it is a common practice along locals to visit both Kurama and Kibune as part of their day trip.
Visitors can opt to hike for about 2 – 3 hours from Kurama to the neighbouring village, Kibune through the dense and enchanting forest. In fact, the same forest here is where the legendary Minamoto-no-Yoshitsune (源義経) trained before he went on to fight against the rivalling Taira clan in the Gempei War (源平合戦) as well as the birth place of Reiki practice (霊気).
Getting from Kurama Station
If you are travelling to Kurama from Kyoto, high chances are it will be via train similarly to us. And if so, the first stop at Kurama will be at the Kurama Station. Upon getting down, you will be greeted by statues of the Tengus (天狗); mythical human birdlike creatures that are mainly recognisable by their long nose. And because Kurama is believed to be one of their homes, it is very common to see their statues across the streets and in the souvenir shops.
See my separate article here for more about these fascinating creatures.
For fans of Japanese folklore, do allocate some time in these little souvenir shops to grab yourself a Tengu-themed souvenir. We simply couldn’t resist getting ourselves one given we find these creatures to be cute in their own unique way.
On the other hand for the Japanese history fans, the station exhibits a series of traditional Japanese paintings depicting the events of the historical Gempei War (源平合戦); featuring the major figures such as the famed general Minamoto-no-Yoshitsune (源義経), his sidekick Musashibo Benkei (武蔵坊弁慶) and the rivaling Taira clan leader, Taira-no-Kiyomori (平清盛).
Unless you are well-versed in Japanese language or history however, sadly the lack of translation does make it hard for non-Japanese speakers to learn and appreciate the display of history here.
Climbing up to Kurama-dera
At the start, we will see the temple’s magnificent gate, the Niomon Gate (仁王門). The gate is named as such as it features a pair of large Buddhist statues known as Nio (仁王) that serves to protect the temple from evil forces. Here is where we had to pay the admission fee of 300 Yen per person as well.
From here there are two ways to ascend to the temple’s main complex; pay another 200 Yen for a quick cable car ride up to the mountain or climb up the steep stairs for 30 minutes.
If you are short of time or not into hiking like my wife, take the cable car option. The fee is fairly reasonable and the short and comfortable ride offers a stunning mountain view while ascending to the top.
On the other hand if you are into hiking or a completionist, then go for the hike. It is a free workout and it gives you plenty of opportunity to connect with mother nature. Along the way, check out the Yuki Shrine (由岐神社), a historical shrine that was built thousand years ago to protect Kyoto from the evil spirits.
Look out for the 800-year old giant cedar tree right next to the shrine. Noticed how the tree is covered with a large rope called Shimenawa (しめ縄) decorated with paper streamers. This is to symbolise that the tree is a Yorishiro (依り代); or an object in Shintoism that is capable of attracting spirits during a Shinto (神道) ceremony. Yuki Shrine is also one of the main venues for the Kurama Fire Festival, an eccentric festival that is held annually on 22nd October.
Exploring Kurama-dera's Main Highlights
Upon arriving at the temple, it is not hard to miss out the pair of guardian tigers outside the main hall. Tigers are closely related to Bishamonten (毘沙門天), one of the principal deity of this temple and they serve as guardians of the temple itself.
In front of the main hall of Kurama-dera, lies a stone pavement on the ground displaying a six-pointed star symbol known as the Kongosho (金剛床). The six points refer to the six ways we sense and connect with the world in Buddhism; the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, body and the heart.
Also, the triangle in the middle represents the trinity of deities that are worshipped inside the main hall known as the Sonten (尊天). The deities are Bishamonten (毘沙門天), the Senju Kannon (千手観音/the thousand-armed Goddess of Mercy) and Maoson (魔王尊). While the former two are familiar faces in Buddhism, the third one is a unique tengu-like deity that is worshipped at Kuramadera.
We definitely took turns to step on the pavement, and definitely felt a sense of tingling energy flowing as we raised our hands. Coupled that with the surrounding trees, it certainly felt like we are absorbing energy from the nearby trees.
Inside the main hall, we could see the trinity of deities being worshipped at the far back. Photography itself is not allowed in the main hall; but it certainly does help us to appreciate the peacefulness and the solemnity of the atmosphere.
Don't Miss Out On The Little Details
Just like every other temple and shrine in Japan, Kurama-dera also features a Chozuya (手水舍) or a purification fountain. This fountain features a statue of a dragon and notice how the water flows from the mouth of the dragon. It is believed that the temple is built on a ‘Ryuketsu (龍穴) or dragon hole’; a concept from Feng Shui (風水) that symbolises a spot with great life energy.
And right next to the temple’s main hall is the small Akaigohozen Shrine (閼伽井護法善神社) that worships the water deity. The main highlight however is the shrine’s collection of ema (絵馬) or the small wooden plaques where worshippers write their wishes.
Look out especially for the ones that have a pair of tigers; a clear reference to the tiger guardians of the temple. And just like the actual tiger guardians of the temple, one of them has its mouth open while the other shuts its mouth. This represents the first and last letter of Sanskrit respectively, which are ‘a’ and ‘un’ (both representing the beginning and the end of the universe).
For an interesting experience, follow the path up towards the hill at the left of the main hall for the bell tower. This is one of the only temples in Japan that allow visitors to sound the bell. So take a moment to knock the temple’s bell and listen to auspicious sound of the bell echoing across the temple ground and the surrounding nature. This is also the path to take for those wishing to hike to the neighbouring village of Kibune (木船).
Visiting Kurama-dera During Autumn
We visited Kurama-dera during the autumn season, and honestly didn’t regret that decision. The mountains during this time got a unique makeover with the presence of the autumn leaves. In fact, a spot to look out for is the front of the temple’s main hall; where we can catch a scenery of the mountains along with the vibrant fall colours.
There is even a small signboard at the edge; displaying the names of the mountains in the scenery. The main mountain to pay attention here though is Hieizan (比叡山), home location of the famed Enryakuji temple (延暦寺) that is the HQ of the Buddhist Tendai sect and also once housed a massive monk militia. This will be a story for another time, so be sure to subscribe as I will cover more about this temple in the future.
The cooling autumn weather as well creates an easier environment for us to hike as well; which would have been insanely hot on a summer day. Just be sure to bring an umbrella with you in case of a sudden drizzle (we encountered one later during the day).
Still not convinced of the beauty of this place? Check out my Instagram reel here for a much better idea of its scenic beauty.
View this post on Instagram
How To Get Here
- The best way to travel to Kurama-dera is via train. Firstly, get to Demachiyanagi Station (出町柳駅). From there, board the Eizan Kurama Line (叡山電鉄) and disembark at Kurama Station (鞍馬駅). The whole journey takes about 30 minutes and costs 470 Yen one-way. If you have purchased the handy Kansai Thru Pass, this line is covered by the pass. **
**If you are boarding the train during autumn (mid-Oct to early-Dec), pay close attention to the outside scenery in between Ichihara Station (市原駅) and Ninose Station (二ノ瀬駅間). As the train passes by the maple leaf tunnel, you will be treated to a short yet dazzling display of autumn leaves illumination during this portion of the ride. Check out the below video to see how it is like (courtesy of Keihan Electric Railway).
- Or if you are like me who prefer road trips, consider renting a car for your trip in Japan. Driving around Japan is one of the best ways to explore off the beaten destinations that are notoriously hard to access via the standard public transportation. This is especially convenient if you are attending the evening festivals such as the Kurama Fire Festival (鞍馬火の祭り) that lasts until late night.
Is It Worth Visiting Kurama-dera?
Definitely! Especially if you have at least 3-4 days in Kyoto and are looking to escape the notorious tourist crowd of Kyoto. Kurama offers not just a peaceful environment but also the opportunity to explore Kyoto’s natural beauty. In fact, to top up your experience in Kyoto, I would suggest a simple hike from Kurama to the neighbouring village of Kibune.
See my other articles here for both Kurama and Kibune:
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