Kyoto Hiking Tour: The Nature And Legends Of Kurama And Kibune

This was a very beautiful hike with a lot of cultural moments. The forest was refreshing and beautiful. Our guide Yoshi was excellent, enthusiastic and very informative about the various shrines and history of the area. We would definitely recommend this hike.

There are a lot of steps up and down, just take your time, no problem. Our guide Yoshi was excellent, there are many shrines and he explained the meanings and history. We are in our late 70s and did the hike just fine, there are plenty of breaks. We enjoyed being in the forest which was beautiful and there were not many people. We would recommend this hike to anyone.

Great hike with Yoshi. He was delightful and a terrific ambassador for his country.

Etsuko Nakaba-san was a wonderful guide and support for my hike to this sacred place. She helped me to organize the trip itself, and I enjoyed spending time together, as she shared her insight, and deepened my experience. Am grateful. Highly recommend. Best to All

What an amazing day. Miki was knowledgeable and passionate and the location was incredible. Highly recommend.

Outstanding tour. Our guide was fantastic. We enjoyed every step of the way. Personable and professionall

This hiking tour was exceptional! It was beautiful and there is such a power energy on Mount Kurama! Our tour guide Etskumo was great! She was the sweetest lady ever! Easy to talk to and was taking care of our every need. She was knowledgeable and actually a pleasure to be around for our 8 hour tour. She had great patience other my three teenagers! We loved seeing the Shrine and Temple on such a magnificent mountain. It was a wonderful trip!

We took my mom on this tour for her birthday and had a great time! Etsuko was great! She was so attentive and knowledgeable about the area making sure that we had an enjoyable experience. She picked up us up at our hotel and took the train with us to ensure we got there smoothly. In Kurama we visited the beautiful temple and mountain area then hiked back the other side of the mountain to have lunch in Kibune. Etsuko translated for us and helped find options that met our dietary needs as well. We would absolutely recommend this tour and her to other visitors. Thank you!

Very friendly guide. Knowledgeable about the area we hiked. Picked us up at our hotel directly . It was a very smooth experience.

It was a different and incredible adventure. Climbing Mount Kurama, a sacred place, brought a lot of reflection and learning. It is not an easy place to reach, so I completely recommend Omakase Tour, a trustworthy company that took care of every detail. Thanks to our guide Yoshi, my mother and I were able to make the most of it. Yoshi was completely attentive, caring, and made our experience smooth and high-quality. For those looking for a different tour and a spiritual journey, I highly recommend this experience.

Just outside Kyoto lies Kurama, a charming little town that feels worlds away from the city’s bustle. It’s the starting point for one of the most delightful walks Dachshundtours.com.au arranged in Japan — an easy 5‑kilometer trail that winds through forested hills, shaded paths, and temple grounds, offering a perfect blend of nature and culture. The adventure begins with the ride itself: the “dinky” Eizan train that rattles its way from Kyoto to Kurama. It’s a short journey, but the scenery — villages, valleys, and glimpses of cedar forests — sets the tone for what’s to come. Arriving in Kurama, you’ll find a sleepy town with hot spring inns and a relaxed vibe, the ideal launchpad for your walk. The trail leads up past Kurama-dera Temple, perched on the hillside, before continuing through tranquil forests. Towering cedar trees line the path, their shade keeping the walk cool even in summer. The air feels fresh, filled with birdsong and the earthy scent of moss. It’s not a strenuous hike, more of a gentle wander, and along the way you’ll encounter shrines, stone steps, and occasional viewpoints that remind you just how close you are to Kyoto yet how far you feel from its urban pace. The walk finishes in Kibune, another picturesque village known for riverside dining and traditional inns. From here, you can hop back on the little train, completing the circle of your adventure. Easy, beautiful, and accessible, the Kurama to Kibune walk is proof that sometimes the best experiences are found just beyond the city limits.

Akari was fabulous, adding to an overall great experience. The shrines, temples, and views were amazing. Highly recommend this trip. Akari was wonderful and added so much to our experience. Very knowledgeable, super friendly, engaged the whole time. We felt like we became friends.

Highlight of our trip to Kyoto! We highly recommend it. Akari was a fantastic guide—warm, friendly, very knowledgeable. We felt in excellent hands. The hike was truly beautiful and got us to a place we never would have ventured on our own. And the lunch we had was my favorite so far. Locally made tofu cooked at the table with several tasty accompaniments beautifully appointed.

i have never written a review before and probably never will again, however she was the purest soul i’ve ever met. i could not begin to express how much i enjoyed spending time with her, she was the kindest lady i’ve every met and had a genuine heart, always trying to do her best and go the extra mile for you - helping me with my japanese and being so patient. Not only would i recommend her tour which was amazing, giving so much insight to the country’s culture and history but you get to spend time with such a lovely person, i couldn’t have had a better time.

Etsuko was an excellent guide, she took us to this wonderful place and explained us all about the mysticism, the temple and the places to meditate. Also we had a really nice experience during the lunch. We really recommended to take this tour. Etsuko always tried to explained any doubt or solve any request.

Mariko was friendly, easy to talk to, and knowledgeable. The tour was awesome with beautiful sights and picturesque moments. Would highly recommend this tour to anyone who loves nature, culture, and walking.

Beautiful hike through the mountains of northern Kyoto followed by a scenic lunch on the river. My wife and I enjoyed our time with Ai who was a wonderful guide. I would highly recommend this tour for couples or families with slightly older children.

If you are wavering on whether or not to book the Mount Kurama Hiking Tour, I would say just click yes. My family and I thoroughly enjoyed the hike and came away with postcard pictures. I will try to provide some details and insights that will give you an idea if this hike works for you. We are a family of three. Parents in their fifties and 18 year old daughter. We did this hike with Mariko who is very knowledgeable about the area. If this is your first time using buses and trains, this tour will give you a taste of how to use the public transit system. Mariko met us at our hotel. From there, she navigated us to a train station where we started our journey. Then she was with us the entire time so we always felt comfortable in the rural area without knowing the Japanese language. She helped us translate and pointed out landmarks which gave us fun facts and historical information that made the landmarks more interesting. We did this hike at the end of June which was monsoon season and it was hot and humid. It would be wise to pack a portable fan and absorbent handkerchief with you if you do this in the summer. With the river and tree shade, it felt a bit cooler than in the city. I was concerned about the heat and humidity prior to doing the hike but it’s do-able. This hike does involve a lot of walking so make sure you have comfortable shoes and preferably shoes that you can easily take on and off because you will be going into some temples that require shoes off. The hike is not too strenuous because it’s mostly a series of steps. There are a lot of steps but Mariko allowed us to take our time especially for pictures. We had an opportunity to eat a local style lunch and check out a cute gift store (with air conditioning!) in a nearby city of Kifune. We didn’t need to go all the way to Nara because we met some sweet deer that let us watch them munch on lunch on this trip. If you are someone that wants to learn a little more about what it’s like outside a big city and you want some adventure, this tour will give you that. If you’re a fan of Reiki, on this hike you will see the birthplace of Reiki. If you’re into taking really gorgeous pictures, this hike is for you.

Ryoma was amazing from start to finish. He was very personable and well informed about the history of Mount Kurama. We thoroughly enjoyed our hike up the mountain and the rest of our day with him, including a delicious soba lunch- highly recommend!

We enjoyed our time hiking with Yuki. It was one of our favorite thing to do during our time in Japan. Yuki was very informative, patient with us and help us to great photos. This is an unforgettable tour.

Yuki was very knowledgeable and fun! We learned so much historical stories as we hiked thru all the amazing sceneries! We had an amazing time! Yuki was awesome 👍👍👍

My 18 year daughter and I had a most wonderful day and both agreed it was the highlight of our trip to Japan. Yuki was an excellent guide - friendly, professional and knowledgeable. She shared her passion for the mountains around Kyoto and the intriguing history of the area. We loved the hike and the breathtaking scenery. The autumn leaves, in a myriad of colours, were stunning. The shrines and temples dotted along the track were unexpected and made for a very special experience. We are very thankful and fortunate that Yuki was our guide.

Thankyou Miki.   It was such an enjoyable day.  An incredibly beautiful place with the Autumm foliage, mountain views and the beautiful clear water stream.   We learnt so much on the day as well about the origins/customs/stories of the Kuramo area and shrines from our wonderful guide Miki who was so lovely.   It was definitely a highlight of our Japan trip. We went as a family group with 19 and 17 year old son and daughter and they loved it also.

This tour was the highlight of our stay in Kyoto. We were so lucky to have Mizuho as our guide and to get to know her during the day. Mizuho took us places we would not have found on our own, provided interesting commentary as we walked and she also arranged a beautiful lunch for us at a traditional Japanese restaurant. The tour took us to some of the most beautiful shrines and the autumn colours in the mountains was amazing. We were very grateful to Mizuho who also took us to Nanzen-ji when we returned to Tokyo. This was unplanned but we finished the hike a little early and Mizuho asked where we hadn’t yet been. We had the best day with Mizuho. Cannot recommend the tour or her highly enough.

I was very lucky to be paired with Mizuho as my guide. You don’t know who your choices are until after booking. You get an email confirmation from the company. I was traveling alone but didn’t know the tour would literally be a private 1x1 tour. I was hesitant because of the hefty price but gradually throughout the day, I fell more and more in love with everything about the hike including Mizu’s friendliness and professionalism. She picked me up from my hotel and kindly explained to me what our itinerary was going to be like. She spoke good English. The tour was perfect from beginning to end. You are also expected to pay for the guide’s lunch to which I had no issue with at all. I just wanted her to choose an amazing spot and she did! Lunch was delicious and the perfect intermission after hiking. She is so thoughtful in how she carries her conversation. We spoke almost from beginning to end which is 9am-5pm. The hike was magnificent. Many beautiful shrines along the way, stairs, and beautiful views of the trees and mountains. Spring and autumn are probably best when to book. This was so much fun and delightful and I made sure to soak up every bit of Mizu’s knowledge. She was patient and took photos of me every time I asked. I am so thankful I chose to do this tour that I teared up as our day came to an end. Thank you Mizu! I’ll never forget you.

My guide, Etsuko, was wonderful from start to finish. Very friendly and politely answered all of my questions during the guided tour of Kurama to Kibune. She even entertained some of my silliness in teaching an American slang phrase or two. Definitely smoked me in the hike as well because I had to catch my breath a few times and she seemed completely unfazed by the physical demand of the hike. There are a lot of stairs but it was still doable for me, who was coming off a fractured ankle and spent a good chunk of the year learning how to walk again. When I told Etsuko this, she made sure to check in every so often to make sure I was okay. I visited the first half of October, which meant that it was the tail end of typhoon season. The day was very humid so I recommend bringing a water bottle, a towel, and a mini handheld fan to help you cool off. Also - the shrine at the top of Kurama has light switches in the basement so. you can turn it on to see things better. Just remember to turn it off when you’re done! I highly recommend this for those who want to experience the quiet serenity outside of a busy metropolitan vacation experience. It rained by the time we got to Kibune and it just added to the really nice atmosphere. Definitely a highlight of my Japan trip! You won’t be disappointed!!

We very much enjoyed this tour of Kyoto nature and countryside. We wouldn’t have been able to make to any of these sights without this tour and our guide was very informative and helpful. We had a wonderful time!

Touring with Koko was like visiting with an old friend we hadn’t seen in a long time. She is as engaging and informative as she is inquisitive and warm. An eagerly anticipated trip to the mountains was full of culture, legends and wonderful nature. Thank you Koko for what has been the highlight, for me, of our epic trip to Japan. Charles (Coco) Melanson Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Miyo our guide was fantastic, enthusiastic and knowledgeable. We felt well looked after and she even catered for a complex group with 1 vegetarian and 1 person with gluten intolerance. The entire journey there and back was an adventure and the mountain itself while accessible was greatly enhanced by Miyo's inside knowledge. If you are expecting a day hiking in the mountains covering a lot of ground this is not the hike for you. However, as a good half day of gentle hiking around a beautiful and historical site set with mountain views, this is perfect.

The trip was fun and definitely educational, our guide answered every question we had and kept a good pace. Even with several breaks and tours around every angle of different areas, they managed to keep good time and show us exactly what we asked for and more.

This was a lot of fun...and good exercise. Miki was a great guide and gave us lots of interesting information. She took us to a restaurant where we had a excellent Japanese lunch.

We had a lovely day hiking with Etsuko on Mount Kurama. It was such a nice break from the hustle and bustle of Kyoto - in fact, this was one of the most beautiful and peaceful days we had on our entire trip to Japan! I would highly recommend spending an extra day in Kyoto just to visit the mountain and Kifune. Thank you so much, Etsuko!

We had a wonderful time hiking amongst the trees, temples and shrines. Yuki was a fabulous guide. It was so nice to explore without worrying about getting lost or missing something interesting. It was a relief to get away from the crowds of Kyoto, too. Definitely a top highlight of our weeklong trip.

Such a fun adventure! We were so glad to have Yuki as our tour guide so we could just relax and explore without worrying about getting lost or missing something interesting. Definitely a top highlight from our week in Kyoto! 20k step day and so worth it. It was beautiful to see more of the country side and get away from the crowds.

Mizuho was our terrific guide to the Private Kyoto Mountain Hike. Out tour company cancelled out tour as a typhoon was hitting Japan and surrounding the Kyoto area. This tour company felt that it would not be safe for us if we hiked on the assigned day and offered a complete refund. However, the night before we were supposed to hike, the weather turned beautiful. Our hotel manager reached out to Mizuho late the night before and asked her if she could reorganize us for the hike. After a series of calls, Mizuho worked her magic, and we all spent an amazing day hiking alongside her to Mt. Kurama and Kibune. Mizuho spoke very good English and was so very knowledgeable on the history of the area. She even took us to special hidden spots that were not listed on the itinerary. Our lunch was sensational at a traditional Japanese restaurant along the river. A truly magical experience. Thank you very much, Mizuho. Warm regards, Georgene O'Rourke

Being able to see the mountaibs and explore the palaces was a very beautiful and life changing experience. I loved our guide Etsuka Nakaba was so sweet and kind and couldn’t have a better guide. We loved visiting Japan as a whole and loved this experience.

We had an amazing time on this tour!! Our tour guide Miyo was so sweet and taught us a lot about the history of Japan. Mt. Kurama was so beautiful and we had so much fun eating in the river side restaurants in Kibune! We would 100% recommend this tour for anyone traveling to Kyoto!

Great day trip - challenging and educational. The rain didn’t keep us from exploring the mountain and shrines. Thank you!

Wonderful experience hiking Kurana mountain! Our guide, Miki, was excellent. If you plan to hike the full trail be prepared for a lot of steps. Alternatively, you can take the tram up. It's well worth the journey to the top. The views and temple at the top are beautiful!

Highly recommend this tour. It is one of the highlights of my two weeks in Japan and top 3 favorite temple. Having the private tour made it all the better, getting to go at your own preferred pace and have direct conversations. The lunch location and the dish my guide picked for me was absolutely delicious. I would 100% request my guide to do another tour when I return to Japan.

Beautiful forest hike with many temples, shrines and scenic overlooks. Be ready for a lot of stairs, but there are frequent stops along the way so it’s completely doable. The small mountain town and lunch at the end is rewarding. Our guide Miyo was very patient, pleasant and knowledgeable.

This hike is not very long but does involve a great deal of steps up and down and some uneven surfaces. It is an immersive, beautiful green wooded area with the spiritual resonance of the shrines. Our guide Akira was wonderful, highly knowledgeable, very helpful with a warm desire to share her deep love of this environment and its history. She really helped make it a special experience.

I thoroughly enjoyed this experience. The mountains of Kyoto were beautiful even in rainy weather. My guide Mizuho was knowledgeable and fun to talk with. Whether you’re a hiker or not this is a can’t miss tour.

Had a fantastic day visiting mystical shrines and sacred temples in the forests of the beautiful mountains near Kyoto. We had Mizuho as our guide and felt so taken care of by her gentle presence, the just right pace that she kept for our walking tour and her informative and inspiring insights on the shrines we were visiting and Japanese culture and traditions. Lunch was an experience in itself - a delicious kaiseki meal on a beautiful restaurant over a river with Mizuho patiently answering my endless questions about ingredients and preparation. We were traveling with our teenage son and he loved meeting Mizuho and sharing his hobbies with her as well. Thank you Mizuho and OMAKASE for a most memorable day for every member of our family! Would highly recommend this tour if you like nature, gentle walking, water, secret shrines and quiet companionship.

The tour was everything I envisioned and complimented by a great host/guide. Yuki-san was really attentive to my needs and ensured that the tour provided great historic detail of the sites we visited, but also kept a good pace in the mountains which was appreciated. Highly reccomended and Yuki was a wonderful guide,

We had an amazing day hiking in the Kumara mountain. Our guide Miki was fantastic and made the day an extremely memorable experience. Her knowledge, passion and style was perfect throughout the day. The train ride to the start of the trek was amazing, and the temples and shrines on the walk were breathtaking. We have many wonderful memories from the day and spending the day with Miki was a real privilege. We highly recommend this trip.

Akari , was a wonderful guide , in very good English she introduced us into Japan s culture , religion , history , food , and lifestyle that we could enjoy our stay in Japan She shared attractions , and we had a wonderful moutain walk with blossoms amd shrines, with lunch in a picturesque valley wit a small stream

We had a wonderful day with Akari in the mountains of Kyoto. She gave us Japan background that assisted us in our total 14 day holiday. History, religion,food ,sights, travel tips , help with transport. She was so well prepared to cross our lack of knowledge, with nice diagrams. I enjoyed the age old folk story she told us , demonstrated with a childrens illustrated book. We thank you Akari for enriching our lives.

We are 70 plus year old’s and thought, can we do this? At the end of the hike, we realized our guide Mizuho was so interesting in presenting the history of the site that we felt it was more like a stroll than 2 hours on a stairmaster. The walk was a combination nature walk, history lesson and zen like experience. Hopefully, if you are visiting the area, you have a chance to walk up this amazing shrine and experience this for yourself.