Autumn 2025. We – Sam and Danny, Michel and Wille, and Timothy – are travelling to Japan for a quite classic tour of the Land of the Rising Sun. We are flying separately as we used miles. On the planning: Tokyo, Kanazawa, Shirakawa, Osaka, and Expo 2025, Hiroshima, Himeji, Miyajima, Kyoto, Nara, Nagoya, Hakone, and back to Tokyo. Three weeks plus some extra days.

After Nara, we returned to Kyoto and Danny was inspired to sample the Eizan Electric Railway, also known as Eiden, which leads to the Kyoto Hieizan Ropeway, which heads up Mount Hiei.

So we made out way to Demachiyanagi Station (出町柳駅, Demachiyanagi-eki), which features a long and weird escalator with a ridiculously long horizontal segment. There we took the Eizan Electric Railway.

Eizan Electric Railway

Eizan Electric Railway Co., Ltd. (叡山電鉄株式会社, Eizan Dentetsu) is a private railway company operating two short lines entirely within Sakyō-ku, Kyoto. The network is commonly known as Eiden (叡電), a contraction of its full name and a reference to its predecessor, the Eizan Electric Railway Division of the Keifuku Electric Railroad.

The current company was established in 1985 as a subsidiary of Keifuku Electric Railroad Co., Ltd. The reorganisation aimed to address the heavy financial losses of the Eiden lines, which had become isolated from the main Keifuku network after the closure of the Kyoto City Tramways in 1978. 

The separation was viewed as a temporary measure pending the construction of a new link between the Eiden and Keihan networks. This connection was achieved when Keihan Electric Railway completed the Ōtō Line, extending to Eiden’s Demachiyanagi terminus. The opening of this line helped to reduce operating deficits significantly.

In 2002, ownership of the company was transferred from Keifuku to Keihan Electric Railway, making Eiden a wholly owned subsidiary of the Keihan group. The railway accepts the Surutto Kansai card for payment but does not support the PiTaPa card.

Eizan Electric Railway operates on standard-gauge track (1,435 mm) and is electrified at 600 V DC. The line is noted for its scenic mountain route toward Mount Hiei and Kurama, offering picturesque views that attract both tourists and local commuters. One of its best-known train types is the ‘Deo 900‘ series, nicknamed Kirara, which features wide windows designed for sightseeing.

Yase-Hieizan-guchi Station and the Kyoto Hieizan Ropeway

Yase-Hieizan-guchi Station (八瀬比叡山口駅, Yase-Hieizan-guchi-eki) is the terminus of the line. From there we walked to the Kyoto Hieizan Ropeway (京都比叡山ロープウェイ).

The Kyoto Hieizan Ropeway is an aerial cable line located on Mount Hiei, straddling the border between Kyoto and Shiga prefectures. Operated by the Eizan Electric Railway Co., Ltd., it forms part of a scenic transport route linking Kyoto’s urban north with the sacred and historically significant Enryaku-ji temple complex on Mount Hiei.

The ropeway connects the Hiei-Sancho Station at the summit of Mount Hiei with the Hiei Station of the Eizan Cable Line, which itself departs from Yase in Kyoto’s Sakyō ward. Together, the Eizan Cable and Ropeway provide a continuous ascent of more than 500 metres, making it one of the most popular and accessible mountain routes from central Kyoto. The total journey to the summit takes around 15 minutes.

The ropeway first opened to the public in 1957 and has since become a beloved feature of Kyoto’s mountain landscape. It is operated seasonally, generally from mid-March to late November, closing during the winter months when heavy snowfall affects operations. 

The cabins—typically accommodating up to 15 passengers—offer panoramic views over Kyoto city to the west and Lake Biwa to the east, with particularly spectacular scenery during spring’s cherry blossom season and autumn’s foliage.

At the summit, visitors can access the temple precincts of Enryaku-ji, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the head temple of the Tendai school of Buddhism, founded by the monk Saichō in the early 9th century. The mountaintop also features an observation terrace, cafes, and several walking trails that connect to neighbouring Shiga Prefecture and the Biwako Valley area.

The Kyoto Hieizan Ropeway is integrated with the Eizan Electric Railway network, allowing passengers to travel from central Kyoto’s Demachiyanagi Station to the summit of Mount Hiei with only one transfer at Yase-Hieizan-guchi. Combined with the connecting Sakamoto Cable on the Shiga side, the ropeway forms part of a scenic trans-mountain route linking Kyoto and Lake Biwa—one of the most beautiful short excursions from the ancient capital.

Too late and getting dark

Unfortunately we were ion the late side. From our calculations, we had barely time to do the ropeway and then go down again. We didn’t want to miss that last ride down as it was getting dark and rain was predicted. So Danny and I (not helped I was wearing white sneakers which I wanted to keep white) chickened out, while Sal would have winged it. 

So instead we walked one or two stations down the Eiden line. 

Mount Hiei

Mount Hiei (比叡山, Hiei-zan) is a mountain rising to 848.1 metres on the border between Kyoto and Shiga Prefectures in central Honshū. Located to the northeast of Kyoto, it has long held both religious and symbolic significance. In the geomantic traditions of ancient Japan, the mountain’s position was believed to protect the capital from harmful influences, reinforcing its spiritual importance within the region’s cultural landscape.

The mountain is best known as the site of Enryaku-ji, the head temple of the Tendai school of Buddhism. Founded in 788 by the monk Saichō, Enryaku-ji became one of Japan’s most influential monastic centres. The temple complex eventually grew into a vast network of buildings divided into three main areas: Tōdō (East Pagoda), where the original temple was established; Saitō (West Pagoda), located slightly higher on the Kyoto side; and Yokawa, a more secluded section to the north. 

Enryaku-ji was a powerful religious institution during the Heian period (8th–12th centuries) and trained many monks who went on to establish new Buddhist sects, including Hōnen, Nichiren, Dōgen and Shinran.

In 1571, Oda Nobunaga destroyed the entire complex to suppress the militant sōhei (warrior monks) who had amassed considerable political power. The temples were later rebuilt, and Enryaku-ji remains the headquarters of the Tendai sect today. The entire site is designated as part of the UNESCO World Heritage listing “Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto.”

Mount Hiei also holds a place in Japanese folklore, once thought to be home to deities and supernatural beings. It is further renowned for its marathon monks, practitioners of the ascetic ritual known as kaihōgyō. This demanding discipline involves walking and praying for up to 1,000 days over a seven-year period—covering daily distances that, in total, roughly equal the circumference of the Earth.

The mountain’s attractions extend beyond its religious heritage. Visitors come for panoramic views over Kyoto, Lake Biwa, and the rural valley of Ōhara, as well as for the Garden Museum Hiei, a French Impressionist-themed botanical and art garden near the summit, and the nearby L’Hôtel de Hiei, a French-style mountain hotel. Seasonal events, including illuminated night views, draw smaller crowds in the evenings.

Access to Mount Hiei is provided by several routes. From Kyoto, the Eizan Cable and Kyoto Hieizan Ropeway carry passengers from Yase to the summit. 

On the Shiga side, the Sakamoto Cable—Japan’s longest funicular—connects to the lower temple precincts. A toll road also reaches the top, and buses link the various temple areas during the day, with the main terminal located near the Tōdō complex.

Today, Mount Hiei remains both a place of pilgrimage and a peaceful retreat above the urban sprawl of Kyoto, combining deep spiritual heritage with scenic beauty and modern attractions.

2025 Journey Across Japan

1. Japan’s Superconducting Maglev train breaks world speed record at 603 km/h.
2. Japan’s maglev bullet train delayed to 2035 or later as costs rise to ¥11 trillion.
3. QUESTION | Should you be stressed about travelling to Japan, and fear of missing out?.
4. Brussels Airport to Milan Malpensa with Brussels Airlines, operated by Air Baltic, ft. the 2025 check-in and boarding software hack.
5. REVIEW | Sala Montale Exclusive Lounge and Sala Gae Aulentin Premium Lounge at Milan Malpensa Airport, extra Schengen.
6. REVIEW | All Nippon Airways (ANA), Business Class, Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner to Tokyo.
7. REVIEW | Toei Animation Museum in Nerima, Tokyo.
8. JAPAN | Tokyo Station, its Character Street and Pokémon Store.
9. REVIEW | Onyado Nono Asakusa Hotel in Tokyo.
10. TOKYO | Asakusa ft. Sensō-ji Temple.
11. JAPAN | The Odoriko train from Tokyo to Ito on Izu Peninsula.
12. PHOTOS & REVIEW | The Izu Teddy Bear Museum in Izu-Kōgen.
13. JAPAN | A visit to Ito on Izu Peninsula in Shizuoka Prefecture.
14. REVIEW | Japan’s Saphir Odoriko in Premium Green Car from Ito on Izu Peninsula to Tokyo Station.
15. GAY TOKYO | 24 Kaikan in Asakusa (+ Ueno and Shinjuku).
16. TOKYO | Sawara in Chiba Prefecture, ‘Little Edo’ beyond Narita.
17. TOKYO | Omotesandō in Shibuya – AEON Shinonome –  Uniqlo – Muji.
18. PHOTOS | The Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum in Koganei Park.
19. JAPAN | Solo in Tokyo.
20. REVIEW | Brussels Airport The View lounge.
21. REVIEW | Qatar Airways Business Class Brussels to Doha.
22. REVIEW | Qatar Airways Al Mourjan The Garden Business lounge.
23. REVIEW | Qatar Airways Q-Suite Business Class Doha to Tokyo.
24. REVIEW | Pullman Tokyo Tamachi.
25. REVIEW | The Railway Museum, Ōmiya, Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture.
26. TOKYO | Imperial Palace East Gardens – Akihabara – Tamiya flagship store – Skytree.
27. JAPAN | Kanazawa Castle – Kenrokuen Garden – Higashi Chaya District.
28. REVIEW | Daiwa Roynet Hotel Kanazawa Eki Nishiguchi.
29. JAPAN | Road trip to Hida no Sato, Takayama and Shirakawa-go from Kanazawa.
30. OSAKA | Namba Parks – Dōtonbori – Glico Man – Shinsaibashi.
31. REVIEW | Swissôtel Nankai Osaka.
32. Experiencing Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai Japan.
33. KANSAI | Osaka Castle ft. Toyotomi Stone Wall Museum.
34. OSAKA | EGDE store – Umeda Sky Building – Grand Front – Namba Parks – Daiso – Luscious.
35. REVIEW | Mazda Museum in Hiroshima.
36. REVIEW | Candeo Hotels Hiroshima Hatchobori.
37. JAPAN | The Hiroshima Peace Memorial, the Peace Memorial Park and the Peace Memorial Museum.
38. JAPAN | Himeji Castle.
39. JAPAN | Itsukushima Shrine on Itsukushima aka Miyajima.
40. REVIEW | Miyajima Seaside Hotel.
41. REVIEW | Spending a night in a couples’ or love hotel: ホテルCOO玖 男塾ホテルグループ in Okayama.
42. KYOTO | Nishi Hongan-ji Temple.
43. KYOTO | Nijō Castle.
44. KYOTO | Kamo River – Takase River – Pontochō.
45. REVIEW | Mercure Kyoto Station.
46. REVIEW | Kyoto Railway Museum.
47. JAPAN | Kyoto Station.
48. REVIEW | Nintendo Museum in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture.
49. JAPAN | Nara with its sika deer, and Tōdai-ji with the Great Buddha.