Visit Japan Web Kurama
Visit Japan Web invites you to explore Kurama, a rural town located in the northern mountains of Kyoto City. Kurama’s main attraction, Kurama-dera, is a Buddhist temple situated along the steep wooded mountainside above the town.
The mountain is the birthplace of the holistic healing art- Reiki. In 1922, the founder of Reiki, Mikao Usui, engaged in a 21-day meditation on this mountain. He purportedly received the Reiki healing energy. He became an enlightened person and gained true insight into the wisdom of life. Mikao Usui meditated near the top of the mountain at a site called Osugi Gongen. There is also a significant sacred tree which is a incarnation of the god Maoson.
It takes approximately 30-45 minutes to ascend to the main buildings of the temple from the town below. A cable car goes about halfway up the mountain. Along the path to Kurama-dera, there is Yuki Jinja, a shrine known for its annual Fire Festival held on October 22nd.
The main buildings of Kurama-dera are located on a terrace on the mountain slope. Visitors can enjoy the view of the wooded valley here. Behind the temple’s main building, the hiking trail continues through the forest, passing several other temple structures and leads to Kibune, a small town in the neighboring valley. The hike from Kurama-dera to Kibune takes approximately one hour also including steep sections.
Kurama also hosts one of the most easily accessible hot springs from Kyoto, Kurama Onsen. However, the complex has been closed during the pandemic, with efforts underway to reopen it around spring 2024.
