Idyllic Scenery and Traditional Crafts: 10 Destinations in Kyoto’s Mountainside

Ayabe is a municipality located in the mountainous area northwest of Kyoto City. Ayabe Station can be reached in about an hour and 40 minutes from Kyoto Station by local train or an hour and 20 minutes by car.

The Kanbayashi district of Ayabe is the ideal destination if you wish to spend some time in the heart of nature taking long walks in the primeval forest, listening to the sound of mountain streams, and enjoying the hospitality of a local guesthouse. Komyoji Temple, located on Mt. Kimio, attracts many visitors with its beautiful Niomon Gate.

The area is known as the Shaga and Paperbush Forest is particularly beautiful from the end of March until mid-April when the white butterfly flowers (shaga, or iris japonica) and the yellow-flowered paperbush plants go into bloom.

Kurotani, located in the northwestern part of Ayabe, is home to a paper-making tradition that boasts a history of over 800 years. Kurotani washi paper is highly appreciated all around Japan and a visit to this village is a chance to see artisans at work, learn about their craft, and even try your hand at making this type of paper.

The Niomon Gate of Komyoji Temple, originally built in 1248, has been designated a national treasure. Its double-roofed structure is rare in Japan. The two impressive statues of Nio Guardian Kings located within the gate are also from the Kamakura period (1185-1333) and are designated important cultural assets.

Enshrouded in the silence of the forest on Mt. Kimio, Komyoji has been a place of prayer and pilgrimage for centuries. The wooden carvings that decorate the main hall are extremely detailed and beautiful, dating back to the Edo period (1603-1868).

We suggest visiting together with a local guide and venturing into the forest behind the temple. This primeval forest is known for its giant trees, some with unusual shapes. A walk through here while hearing the stories of these trees and what they mean for the local community is a chance to rediscover the wonders of nature.

Kurotani washi is the name for the type of traditional Japanese paper made in and around the Kurotani district of Ayabe. This craft has an 800-year history and has been nourished by a naural environment that allows the growth of paper mulberry (kozo), the basic material for Kurotani washi. The clear water of Kurotani River is also an indispensable element in local papermaking.

To learn more about the history of this craft and the process of making paper from kozo, visit the Kurotani Washi Cooperative. A tour of the facility will give you the chance to see the tools used in traditional papermaking. The facility also holds workshops where visitors can experience papermaking and decorating paper items.

Kurotani washi is made entirely by hand through a painstaking process that involves more than ten stages of production over the course of several months. The result is an extremely durable type of paper that is ideal for artistic uses such as calligraphy, art, interior decoration, and stationery.

Visit the exhibition room on the second floor to learn about the history of Kurotani washi and its many uses. You’ll probably be surprised to learn that, due to its durability, Kurotani paper was also used to make kimonos and accessories in the past.

Stop by the shop of the facility to pick up souvenirs made with Kurotani paper. There are elegant stationery items, objects of daily use such as coasters, wallets, card cases, book covers, and even interior items such as cushions with beautiful designs!

The ten destinations introduced above are a very small selection from all the wonderful places to visit in the mountainside of Kyoto. However, they are the ideal start of a trip to this area that is literally filled with beautiful scenery and precious crafts born out of the humans’ collaboration with the natural environment.

A trip to Kameoka, Nantan, Kyotamba, Fukuchiyama, and Ayabe will leave you refreshed and filled with joy at encountering the roots of some of the most remarkable elements of Japanese culture!