+1180m / -1180m / 13km
Get up at dawn to climb Mount Horai. This mountain overlooks Lake Biwa, and a gondola lift has been built close to the summit. A few ski slopes and a panoramic restaurant are to be found there.
I join with a friend at 7am at Kyoto station and we leave for Horai station in Otsu.
The road rises as soon as we leave the station and we quickly have a beautiful view of Lake Biwa. The road turns into a large path, then a trail. The ascent is easy and steady. Towards the summits, we find ourselves in a cloud of snow. It’s very windy, sometimes we struggle to keep our balance on the ridge path.
We pass the summit and immediately descend to the other side towards a milder climate where the sun shines. The restaurant at the arrival of the gondola is closed. There is no one except a few workers who seem to be preparing for the upcoming opening of the winter season.
We take shelter from the wind for lunch, and we continue our descent. The wind gradually calms down. The clouds are still dancing above us though. We have a little hail, a little rain.
We calmly arrive at the bottom, at Shiga station. A hot drink in a bakery (yes, a bakery) next to the train station and off we go back to Kyoto. The last light of day is reflected on the lake.