Mt. Hiei is easily my favorite hiking trail in Kyoto, not just for the challenging route, but also the perfect picnic spot at the summit!
Mt. Hiei, commonly known as Hieizan by the Japanese, is a scenic and spiritual mountain in Kyoto. Home to the UNESCO heritage site Enryaku-ji Temple, it features some of the most beautiful natural scenery I’ve seen in all of Japan!
Here are 5 compelling reasons why you should consider Mt. Hiei’s summit for your next picnic spot in Kyoto!
1 – Plenty of shade!
This is an important point, especially on hot summer days, because nothing ruins a picnic faster than bright sunlight all up in your eyes and burning your skin. Fortunately, Hieizan’s peak has a bunch of tall big trees with plenty of thick branches and leaves to provide shade and protection from the big rising sun of Kyoto.
2 – Seats with a view!
There is also an abundance of seating options at Mt. Hiei’s summit, each offering different angles and levels of shade as preferred. These modified logs are quite long and wide, making it easy to store your bags and food and setup a really nice picnic under the trees with brilliant mountainous scenery.
3 – No nasty wildlife
Another way picnics get ruined is when there are too many insects or other wildlife that try to take your food or take a nice dump on your picnic mat. Even in the midst of summer, there were minimum insects out here at Mt. Hiei’s summit, with the exception of the odd fly here and there. Awesome views, delicious combini food, and no creepy crawlies make for a blissful and memorable picnic experience!
4 – Cool breeze
If you’ve been struggling through the intense heat and humidity of the Japanese summer, hiking to the top of Mt. Hiei is a surprisingly effective countermeasure. The higher you go up the mountain, the less humidity there is, as cooler temperatures are felt at the higher altitudes.
You’ll also get a nice break from the sun, trekking through the forests as the trees provide plenty of shade at all angles. Mt. Hiei’s peak means peak coolness, as the breeze kicks in and humidity is practically reduced to zero, you can enjoy lovely picnics even on the hottest days!
5 – Perfect cushiony grass
If you want to get real intimate with nature, you can opt to sit on the grass here too. Lush, green, and providing plenty of cushion for your backside, it’s just another reason Mt. Hiei is an ideal picnic destination. There are also plenty of these stone stumps surrounding the area, giving a sense of privacy and even offering a bit of a stool to sit on.
Combinis, mountain views, and ideal seating arrangements are what Mt. Hiei picnics are all about. Try it for yourself and see what’s got me so motivated to write this piece!
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