Kurama-dera

Mountain temple from 796 on Mount Kurama north of Kyoto — head of its own Buddhist sect, home to National Treasures, reached via an ancient forest trail.

Kurama-dera is a Buddhist temple on the southern slope of Mount Kurama (570 m) in the far north of Kyoto, founded in 796. Originally part of the Tendai school, the temple became the head temple of its own religious body, Kurama Kokyo, in 1949. The grounds contain several objects designated as National Treasures of Japan. The trail up through dense cedar forest sets a distinct atmosphere well before reaching the main halls — far removed from the busy temple districts of central Kyoto.