Mt. Hiei

Mount Hiei rises 848 meters on the border of Kyoto and Shiga prefectures, home to Enryaku-ji, the founding temple of Tendai Buddhism and a UNESCO World Heritage Site established in 788 by the monk Saicho. The complex spreads across three areas of the mountain connected by forest paths, and many of Japan's other major Buddhist sects, including Jodo, Zen, and Nichiren, were founded by monks who trained here. A cable car from the Kyoto side and a ropeway bring the summit within easy reach, where views take in both the Kyoto cityscape and the broad expanse of Lake Biwa. Autumn foliage on the mountain is among the finest in the Kansai region, arriving slightly later than the city temples below.