If you are ever looking for a naturally cool and refreshing spot in Kyoto, then read on! Mt. Kurama and Kibune, located in the northernmost part of Kyoto City, are where the locals head to when they want to escape the summer heat. Why? Because the best way to spend a summer day in Kyoto is to enjoy the Kawadoko (川床) cuisine at Kibune!
What is Kawadoko? It is a dining style where dining tables are placed on a platform built above a river. With a fresh stream flowing below, the entire setting is just refreshing, perfect for a hot summer day!
Apart from being Kyoto’s summer resort, this part of Kyoto is stunning throughout the year, especially when the landscapes radiate vibrant autumn colors as well as white snow!
Other than the sceneries, the Kurama-dera Temple and Kifune Shrine are the two spots where you can boost your luck and pray for a happy relationship (^_-)-☆.
Table of Contents
- How to Get to Kurama and Kibuna Area
- Transportation Deals that Cover Kurama and Kibune Area
- Autumn Foliage Season at Kurama and Kibune
- The Big Tengu Statue at Kurama Station
- Kurama-dera Temple (鞍馬寺)
- Restaurant Yōshūji (雍州路)
- Kifune Shrine (貴船神社)
- Nagashi-sōmen at Hirobun (京都貴船 料理旅館 ひろ文)
Explore Kurama and Kibune With a Guide
If you prefer a guide to introduce you to the beauty of Kurama and Kibune, how about joining one of the below tours?
- 1-Day Hiking Tour in the Mountains of Kyoto
- Private Kyoto Tour with a Local, Highlights & Hidden Gems, Personalised
- Kyoto Private Tours with Locals: 100% Personalized, See the City Unscripted
How to Get to Kurama and Kibuna Area
There are a few ways for you to choose from.
By Bus From Kokusaikaikan Station – The Cheapest Way with the Fewest Transfers Required
From Kyoto Station, take the Kyoto Municipal Subway (京都市営地下鉄) or a bus to get to Kokusaikaikan Station (国際会館駅). There are several routes that can achieve this. From the bus stop no. 3 in front of the station, take bus route no. 52 and get off at either Kibuneguchi (貴船口) or Kurama (鞍馬), depending on which area you want to start your day first.
You can refer to the timetable HERE to plan and note that the service marked with “貴” will terminate at Kibuneguchi and won’t be heading to Kurama.
Important: Especially on weekends and public holidays during the autumn foliage season, the bus is likely too crowded, and you might not even be able to get on the bus if there is a long queue.
From Kibuneguchi (貴船口), you can either walk to Kifune Shrine or change to bus route no. 33 and get off at Kibune (貴船). From the Kibune stop to Kifune Shrine, it is around a 15-minute walk. If you are trekking from Kibuneguchi, it will be around a 25-minute walk.
Tip: It is easier to walk from Kifune Shine to Kibuneguchi because the other way around is an uphill hike.
Important: The section between Kibuneguchi and Kibune is not covered by Kyoto Bus One-Day Pass (バス一日券).
By Keihan Electric Railway and Eizan Electric Railway – The Most Recommended Acces Method
From Kyoto Station, take JR Nara Line (奈良線) to get to Tōfukuji Station (東福寺駅). From there, change for Keihan Electric Railway (京阪電気鉄道) and get off at Demachiyanagi Station (出町柳駅). Then change for Eizan Electric Railway (叡山電鉄) and either get off at Kibuneguchi Station (貴船口駅) or Kurama Station (鞍馬駅).
With so many transfers, why is it recommended? Because the train runs through a maple tree tunnel from Ichihara Station (市原駅) to Ninose Station (二ノ瀬駅), which is beautiful no matter the season!
You can also catch Kyoto Bus (京都バス) route no. 17 to from Kyoto Station to reach Demachiyanagi Station. HERE is the timetable that you can refer to for the service.
Tip: The scenery is the most stunning if you ride from Kyoto City to Kibune/Kurama. When the train approaches Ichihara Station, remember to head to the windows at the front of the train for a few minutes of a splendid view. If you can, catch the Panorama Train KIRARA (展望列車「きらら」), which has bigger windows. Please refer HERE for more information about the train.
One thing to note about transferring at Tōfukuji Station is that you might need to wait up to 15 minutes for the next Keihan train.
HERE is the map of the Kurama and Kibune areas. Please use the Japanese characters specified below to read it, as it only comes in Japanese.
Transportation Deals that Cover Kurama and Kibune Area
- One-Day Kurama and Kibune Bus and Eiden Pass (バス＆えいでん 鞍馬・貴船日帰りきっぷ).
- 2,000 yen from October 2021 covers buses and train lines from Kyoto to Kurama and Kibune and more.
- For all valid routes and more information, please refer to HERE.
- Ee Kippu (えぇきっぷ)
- 1,200 yen gives you unlimited rides on Eizan Electric Railway.
- For more information, please refer to the end of Eizan Electric Railway’s website HERE.
- KYOTO-OSAKA SIGHTSEEING PASS (Greater KURAMA & KIBUNE area)
- 1,800 yen for unlimited rides on train lines such as Keihan Main Line and Eizan Railway.
- For more information, please refer to Keihan Railway’s website HERE.
Autumn Foliage Season at Kurama and Kibune
The season starts in early November and usually peaks in mid to late November.
The Big Tengu Statue at Kurama Station
For this article, we will start the journey from Mt. Kurama. We recommend you arrive at Kurama Station in the morning, so when you reach Kibune, it is the right time to enjoy Kawadoko Dining for lunch (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ.
As soon as you get off the train at Kurama Station, you will notice many long-nosed red face goblins known as Tengu (天狗) in Japanese. They are a type of legendary creature found in the Japanese folk religion, and Mt. Kurama is their base.
Outside of the station at Mt. Kurama’s Daitengu (鞍馬山大天狗), an even bigger tengu is there greeting you!
The photo’s 4-meter tall, black-haired Tengu has looked after the area for the past 25 years above. It retired at the end of 2019. When you get there, you will meet a white-haired one instead (^_-)-☆.
Kurama-dera Temple (鞍馬寺)
Kurama-dera Temple is the representative temple in Mt. Kurama erected in 770. It is well-known among the Japanese because the famous military commander – Minamoto no Yoshitsune (源 義経), was trained in the temple when he was young. As the temple has a vast precinct, it is the perfect spot to visit in Kyoto if you enjoy light hiking.
Refer to our Kurama-dera Temple for more information!
Yōshūji (雍州路)
Just in front of Niōmon Gate of Kurama-dera Temple, there is a restaurant called Yōshūji that serves vegan cuisine, Shōjin Ryōri (精進料理). Their Kurama-dera traditional sesame tofu part of the set menu is a must-try when you come to Mt. Kurama.
Depending on how much you can eat, you can enjoy traditional Japanese cuisine that typically includes seafood and meat, starting from 2,200 yen!
The restaurant also has traditional dessert menus for you to enjoy after lunch or for afternoon tea (*´ω｀).
The restaurant is open from 10 am to 6 pm except for Tuesdays.
Kifune Shrine (貴船神社)
From Kurama-dera’s Kondō to Kifune Shrine, it is around a 60 – 90-minute trek. If that sounds too difficult, head back to Kurama Station and take bus route no. 33, and get off at Kifune (貴船). More walking is involved in exploring Kifune Shrine fully. So if you aren’t confident with your physical stamina, taking a bus is the best choice.
Especially during the autumn foliage season, the shrine is extra stunning with the foliage’s vivid colors. During this part of the year, nighttime illumination takes place, making the atmosphere mysterious. In winter, the shrine gives a different impression when covered by snow. The stone lanterns are also lit on specific dates announced on the official website, attracting many photographers to capture the unique scene.
Refer to our Kifune Shrine article for more information!
Nagashi-sōmen at Hirobun (京都貴船 料理旅館 ひろ文)
You might be wondering where you can experience Kawadoko (川床) Dining (since we mentioned it at the beginning of the article).
As you walk from the bus stop – Kibune (貴船), or even from Kibuneguchi Station (貴船口駅), you may notice around ten restaurants are waiting for customers along the river.
In summer, most of them set up platforms above the river with Goza mats (woven reed mats) to create a dining area called Kawadoko.
When Kaiseki Ryōri (会席料理), which is a luxurious Japanese set lunch or dinner course, is served on Kawadoko, it is called Kawadoko Ryōri.
But since Kawadoko Ryōri is quite expensive, and we haven’t been able to find a restaurant that serves vegetarian Kawadoko Ryōri at Kibune, it is the Nagashi-sōmen (流しそうめん), which are flowing sōmen noodles that we want to share with you!
So What is Nagashi-sōmen?
Normally, noodles are served in a bowl or a plate. But in the hot summer, the Japanese have a special way of enjoying the season. A bamboo pipe is set up with water flowing through it. The sōmen noodles are dropped at the top of the pipe for people at the other end to catch with their chopsticks. The noodles are then dipped into a cup of flavourful sauce before being put in the mouth.
Hirobun is an authentic Kaiseki Ryōri restaurant at Kibune that is around a 10-minutes walk away from the Kibune bus stop. The restaurant has two Kawadoko areas, one for Kaiseki Ryōri and another for Nagashi-sōmen.
As the entrance for each type of cuisine is different, check with the staff at the entrance to make sure you head down to the correct section.
As Kibune is located up in the mountain, the average temperature is usually 10 degrees lower than in Kyoto City center. On a hot summer day, sitting on the Goza mats with a small waterfall in front of you while listening to the sound of the river, the temperature around you seems to just get even cooler!
Getting Your Number Plate
The cost of Nagashi-sōmen is quite reasonable at 1,700 yen per person. With the Kaiseki cuisine costing around 10,000 yen on average, it is not hard to understand why the waiting time on weekends and public holidays can be more than 2 hours, even if you arrive around 11 am.
Although Hirobun doesn’t take reservations, you will be given a round fan with a number written on it. The staff will let you know approximately how long you need to wait so that if your waiting time is more than an hour, you can go ahead and explore Kifune Shrine before enjoying the noodles!
When your number is called, it is time to head down!
The group before you may still be catching their noodles, which is a great chance for you to learn what you should be doing when it is finally your turn.
Basically, each person is assigned a “lane”. So only try to catch the noodle flowing in your lane. Otherwise, you will be stealing others people’s noodles!
When the color of the noodles changes from white to pink, it is the sign of the end of your session and time to enjoy the little plate of dessert.
If you taste some sourness in that pink sōmen, it is the taste of perilla or plum. It isn’t because the noodles aren’t fresh (´▽｀*).
If you taste some sourness in that pink sōmen, it is the taste of perilla or plum. It isn’t because the noodles aren’t fresh (´▽｀*).
When Can You Enjoy Kawadoko Cuisine at Hirobun
- In 2024, Kawadoko Cuisine will be served from the 1st of May to the end of September.
- Lunch is served from 11 am to 3 pm.
- The last admission is at 1:30 pm.
- Dinner is served from 4:30 pm to 9 pm.
- The last admission is at 6 pm.
- Lunch is served from 11 am to 3 pm.
Important:
☛ Nagashi-sōmen may not be available if it is rainy at 10 am.
☛ The dipping sauce provided by Hirobun contains.seafood extract. You can bring your vegan sauce if you are strict with your vegetarian diet.
Discover Other Hidden Gems in Kyoto
Kyoto, a prefecture filled with Buddhist temples, palaces, and Shinto shrines, is Japan’s cultural capital and has become a major tourist destination worldwide. But did you know that in addition to the capital city of Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture has a plethora of hidden gems off the beaten path?
For more off-the-beaten-path attractions, refer to our article on The Top Hidden Gems in Kyoto that Is Worth Visiting!
Thank you very much for this article. It is very informative and interesting. Made me want to do this.
i am visiting in on 18 June and i have limited time for a lot of sightseeing because i have chosen to head to Amanohashidate on one of my travel days in Kyoto. I have another 1.5 days to cover the ‘must-sees’. So, I am debating to go to this place, then head to Nikishi market, then to Fushimi Inari and lastly to kiyomizu-dera.
What do u think? =(
Hi Joan,
Fushimi Inari is open 24/7. So if you don’t need to buy anything from the shrine office, you can head there in the early morning. This one, it is possible to squeeze in everything. Or, you can visit Fushimi Inari at night, which can be exciting or scary. It’s best to head to Kiyomizu-dera early to avoid more crowds during the day.
Kind Regards,
Lily