Located in the Kyoto prefecture of Japan, Mount Daimonji (or Daimonjiyama) is well-known for having paths that form a gigantic “Dai” (大) character etched into one of its sides. Every year on 16 August, majestic bonfires along this path are lit as part of the Daimonji Festival (or Gozan no Okuribi), and it is apparently quite the spectacle from afar.
My husband’s mind was very much set on climbing this mountain ever since he saw it on the activities sheet from Good Nature Hotel Kyoto where we were staying. Alas, the hotel staff informed us that they were unable to arrange for a guide up this mountain at such short notice so we decided to make our way up on our own.
The trail up Mount Daimonji starts near the entrance of Ginkaku-ji temple (this guide has some suggestions on how to get there). We took a bus and made our way past a long street with shops on both sides. I stopped at one of them to get a snack in the form of small Japanese sponge cakes (JPY390). These cutely shaped fellas were not too sweet but a little on the dense side.
The hike up the mountain and back down again takes approximately 2 hours. Once you reach the entrance to Ginkaku-ji temple, make a left and walk along the small road until you reach the path next to flowing water. The incline is rather steep and remained at that angle without much flat ground for reprieve so my thighs and glutes really got a workout that day.
What I did enjoy was how tranquil the environment was – barely another soul in sight, gentle trickles from the nearby stream and a subtle symphony of forest sounds from all around.
Past this sign and after crossing the small bridge on the right, you’re then faced with a whole load of stairs to climb (some more well-paved than others). It’s a good thing that most of the trail is sheltered by trees so temperatures stayed cool despite the sun being out.
Interestingly, every time we crossed paths with Japanese hikers along the route, they never failed to greet us warmly with “konnichiwa” and a smile. It was such a friendly vibe!
Once we reached the lookout point, this glorious panoramic view of the surroundings was what awaited us! It is a serene spot but unfortunately, there isn’t much shade or shelter to allow for prolonged sitting here. I was thankful to have my umbrella to fend off the scorching sun.
If you want to head to the peak, you can continue following the trail further up but I’d done enough climbing for the day. After taking our photos and videos, we descended the mountain.
You can either take the same route back down or a slightly different route (which we took) that eventually connects back to the original route. Note that this paved stair route is pretty narrow and on the face of the mountain so it is unsheltered and completely open to the elements. But you do get to soak in those breathtaking views as you make your way down.
When you reach the bottom back under the shade of the trees, turn right to head back towards the checkpoint landmark marked with red cloths.
With all that physical exertion, we were feeling peckish and wanted to grab a bite before returning to our hotel. However, most of the shops were already closing for the day (this was around 4.45pm), presumably because the last entry into Ginkaku-ji temple was 5.20pm.
Anyway, we managed to find a shop that had some food left for sale and bought some fried chicken sticks (JPY300 and JPY100). The batter was terribly hard without much meat inside.
Back near the bus stop, we consoled ourselves with a cookies and vanilla soft-serve ice cream (JPY400) from Kafuka cafe, which was delicious and a much needed refreshment. In addition to the colourful array of ice cream flavours, this cafe also sells coffee, tea and hot chocolate.
My overall rating of the experience: 4 out of 5 stars. It was pretty cool to have walked along the paths of the iconic “Dai” (大) on Mount Daimonji (: Despite most parts of the trail being well-marked and well-travelled, I’d still consider the hike to be of moderate difficulty as the path’s incline was consistently steep without enough sections of flat ground for a breather. I recall us taking our breaks while standing at an inclined angle, which felt a little odd. With that said, the journey was a very peaceful and pleasant one, surrounded by nature’s calming sights and sounds, as well as meeting the occasional Japanese hiker who’d greet us ever so warmly. Also, the view from the lookout point was really breathtaking (but there is little shelter there so do bring an umbrella). If you intend to visit the shops along the street leading to Ginkaku-ji temple, where the trailhead is located, note that many of them likely close early around 4pm.
If this post helped you in some way and you’d like to buy me a coffee, I’d be incredibly grateful (:
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