Kifune Jinji Oku-no-miya

Further up Kibune River was the last shrine, originally the site of Kifune Shrine before it was moved in 1055. This shrine was also dedicated to the diety of water and rain.

Kifune Shrine of tears

About two kilometres from Kibune-guchi train station I approached the first shrine where I climbed  stone steps lined with lanterns. Strangely, there was a statue of a black horse that appeared to be crying.

Kibune Forest

By the road that led from Kibune-guchi train station, north of Kyoto I found that if I wasn’t admiring the Kibune River, I took in the beauty of the forest along the hike leading to the shrines three kilometres ahead.

Hike of one hundred waterfalls

From Kibune-guchi train station north of Kyoto, a bus took visitors up the hill to the mountain temples, but that would have meant missing the countless waterfalls on the three kilometre trek. So I ploughed up the roadside where streams of cars passed. It was shady and although a warm summer day, it grew cooler as I climbed.