Kibune (貴船) - the summer haven ❤
Welcome to Kibune, the forested valley in the northern mountains of Kyoto City! People often travel to Japan during summer because of the massive summer firework festivals, like what I did in the late July of 2023 for the largest Atami Fireworks Festival. Fast forward to 2024, I decided to make an early summer trip (early June) to enjoy a more gentle weather without missing out the summer special activities.
If you are in Kyoto during this season, Kibune is a must-visit area that is worth making a day trip from Kyoto city centre. In Kibune, you can explore the sound of summer - waterfall, natural breeze and rustling of the leaves!
Travel tips - You can experience the beauty of snow during winter time here too, just like how it is filmed in the Japanese movie "River" (2023) set in Kibune,
How to get there:
❤ 36 minutes by car from Kyoto Station
❤ 2 hours by bus and train from Kyoto Station
Upon arrival at Kibuneguchi (貴船口駅) train station, you can hop on the local bus that allows you to get to the nearby shrines and eateries without any hassle. Personally, I prefer strolling along the quiet pathway up the valley and immerse myself into the nature (approximately 3km walk in total)..
During the scenic stroll, I was blessed with breezy, cooling weather (18°C during early summer)
and soothing sound from the waterfall adjacent to the pedestrian walk.
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Kifune Shrine (貴船神社)
180 Kuramakibunecho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto, 601-1112, Japan.
Operating hours: 6am - 8pm daily
Entrance fee: ¥200
First stop in Kibune! After a good 2km walk from the bus station, I finally arrived at the famous Kifune Shrine (貴船神社), which enshrines the God of Water, the source of all life, and is the head shrine of over 2,000 water god shrines across Japan.
After passing through the torii gate, you will see vermilion-lacquered kasuga lanterns and stone steps on both sides. There are 87 stone steps.in total, making it a vibrant scene for photo taking during all seasons of the year.
Kifune Shrine is famous for its "Water Omikuji (流水占卜)", which is the Japanese water fortune slip. Just donate some money then get a slip and place it in the water. The wording will miraculously appear on the slip! There are even QR codes for visitors to scan and translate the words into various languages. Amazing effort by the Japanese indeed :)
Lovin' this quiet corner of the shrine ❤
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Ryori Ryokan Hirobun (料理旅館 ひろ文)
87 Kuramakibunecho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto, 601-1112, Japan.
Operating hours: 11am - 3pm daily (closed if raining)
Nagashi soumen (excluding drinks): ¥2,000 cash only
The most famous attraction in Kibune is the long fleet of riverside eateries, known as “Kawadoko” restaurants, which each has its unique tiered seating for diners to enjoy the waterfall view while tucking into delicious Japanese traditional set meals, desserts or simply tea.
We are here in Hirobun to try the very popular Nagashi Soumen (流水麵). Each seating can only fit 5 persons at once, therefore to avoid disappointment, it is strongly advisable to arrive at Hirobun at least 1 hour before the opening time and start queueing.
You will be given a Japanese hand fan stating your queue number. Luck was on my side when I went there, as I managed to secure a queue number 10 which meant the second seating once the restaurant opened its doors for the day.
The noodles will “flow” through the bamboo pipe, and the diner is expected to catch them before they flow away. Each diner will be served with a bowl of dipping sauce and some matcha mochi to end the meal. Hygiene is well maintained as each diner will catch the noodles from separate bamboo, so don’t worry.
However, unfortunately, the much hyped experience was very underwhelming. The portion of noodles was disappointingly small, and the last batch of noodles (pink ones) arrived too soon. Diners were expected to quickly finish the meal within 15 minutes and the next batch of diners would step in.
If your expectation is to have some peaceful time to enjoy the meal with the breezy waterfall as the backdrop, Hirobun is sure to disappoint you.
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Sagenta (左源太)
91 Kuramakibunecho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto, 601-1112, Japan.
Operating hours: 10.30am - 5pm daily
Cover charge / seating charge: ¥500 to ¥1,000 per person
Then I found the perfect chilling spot at the very top of the Kibune riverside dining area - Sagenta which serves up the light Japanese casual meal, parfait and ice cream.
I enjoyed the local specialty dish there - Deep-fried Ayu Sweet Fish (¥1,200) which was filleted and then deep-fried into crisp perfection. Tasted like fragrant bone crackers without having to worry about the bones.
To sit at Kifune River terrace uppermost seats, I also forked out a ¥1,000 cover charge which was worth every penny for the unlimited relaxing time surrounded by the beautiful nature of Kifune.
I also wanted to visit another popular cafe there - Hyoue Cafe (兵衛), but unfortunately it was closed on Wednesdays. Hope that I could come back here for the matcha latte and wagashi by the river.
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Overall, it was an amazing day trip to Kibune. Although I visited Kibune during early summer, the overall weather was as mild and gentle as late spring - which is at least 5°C lower than Kyoto City. Perfect for a chillax day out for the beauty of nature! ❤
Much love,
FiSh
12.06.2024
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