#Eda85daysinJapan | Chapter 3 (Kyoto Part 7)
Mount Hiei: Where Japanese Buddhism & Sacred Fire Converge
We started the day taking the train out of Kyoto and riding the cable car straight up Mount Hiei (比叡山). After a quick wander to locate the trail leading down from the summit, we made our way into the historic grounds of Enryaku-ji (延暦寺)—the mountain birthplace of Japanese Buddhism where legendary monks like Saicho, Honen, Shinran, and Dogen all trained.
We began exploring in Toutou (東塔), visiting Monjuro Gate (文殊楼) and Konpon Chudo (根本中堂), which is currently undergoing a massive structural restoration. By pure luck, we happened to visit on a major ceremony day and witnessed the Shugendō Goma Fire Ritual (修験道護摩供)—a spectacular, 1,200-year-old Shugendo mountain-ascetic ritual right outside the Great Lecture Hall (Daikodo ) to perform the saito goma (open-air fire ritual) for the protection of the nation and an abundant harvest.
Standing in the crowd was a complete sensory immersion:
The Lion’s Roar: The deep, echoing blares of Horagai (conch shell horns) reverberated through the ancient cedar forest, clearing the mind and announcing the arrival of the deities.
Martial Rituals: Yamabushi mountain ascetics performed striking boundary rituals—shooting sacred arrows into the sky, swinging heavy axes to chop away illusions, and brandishing real swords (Hoken) to slice through negative karma.
Rank in Pom-Poms: The ascetics wore traditional robes adorned with colorful Bonten (pom-poms) on their chests. I was lucky enough to see high-ranking masters wearing bright red ones, marking their completion of brutal spiritual endurance tests like the infamous 1,000-day mountain circumambulation (Kaihogyo).
The Sacred Fire: Massive clouds of white smoke erupted as fresh pine branches hit the altar, symbolizing the wisdom that burns away greed, anger, and ignorance. Soon, roaring flames rose to carry written prayers straight to the heavens.
Deep Forest Trails, A Local Rescue & Dinner
Continuing deeper past the fire rite, we hiked over to Saitou (西塔) to explore its quiet, mossy grounds and see the oldest surviving temple structures on the mountain. From there, we pressed on toward Yokokawa (横川) by merging onto sections of the Kyoto Trail. Walking through groves of towering, thousand-year-old Japanese cedars (Sen-nen Sugi / 千年老杉) felt like stepping into another era.
By the time we finally reached Yokokawa, the area had already closed for the day. Facing a long trek back with the last cable car deadline ticking down, we found ourselves in a bit of a panic. Then, the best miracle happened—a super kind elderly local saw our situation and let us hitchhike in his car back to the bus stop, saving us just in time to catch the cable car down the mountain!
To wrap up an intense and unforgettable adventure, we gave our designated chef a BIG break and celebrated Mother’s Day together back near our apartment with a cozy vegan dinner at @itadakizen.kyoto.
