Kuya Falls (or Kuya-no-taki Waterfall) plunges into a small grotto which is lined with Buddhist imagery: a stone torii gate, stone lanterns and a statue of Buddha in a nearby in a small mossy cave. The picturesque falls are regarded as one of the top 5 waterfalls around Kyoto.
The waterfall is named after the Buddhist priest Kuya, who founded a shrine here in the 10th century and practiced meditative chanting by the waterfall.
Getting to Kuya Falls
The waterfall is near the small village of Kiyotaki, at the foothills of the mountains to the west of Arashiyama, and is reached by a short and pleasant hike from the village. Most of the route is on a paved road with almost no traffic, before reaching a small parking area where a (paved) walking track follows the creek upstream to the falls.
The shortest route to the falls is by taking a bus from the JR3 stop at Kyoto station towards Toganoo or Shuzan, and alighting at the Yamashirotakao bus stop. The bus trip is about 40min. From the bus stop it’s about a 6km return hike; you can also visit the falls on a longer one-way walk from Takao to Hozukyo station.
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