I did not get to post yesterday about my hike (after being so tired), but I just recently had the best day climbing Mount Kurama in Kyoto!
I had known about the mountain and about the Buddhist shrine (Kurama-dera) that you are able to visit while you are there, and when the day of the visit finally came I was so excited. By using the bus and several different trains, my friends and I were able to get to the mountain, and were immediately in awe of the Tengu (one of the mountain’s most prominent spirits) statues and merchandise that are available upon arrival. Once we began our hike, completely secluded within a large forest, we visited several statues and religious sites along the path. The weather was pleasant this day (as it often rains here in Japan) and being in the company of friends made the time much more enjoyable.
A highlight of my day was completing a combination of both bowing and clapping to demonstrate our respect before entering the Buddhist temple, as it was something I had never done before. In total, it took us three hours to both ascend and descend the mountain; and although the hike may have been arduous to me (a beginning hiker), the views from the mountain and the nature were certainly worth the effort. Compared to the familiar, flat landscapes of Florida, it has been such a joy being able to live beside the mountains here in Japan and to be able to climb them on my days off from classes.