Monday 26 October 2015

Access to the Holy Mountain: Part 2

Funicular Ke 1 of the Eizan Cable Line, Keifuku Electric Railway

Following my previous post, I am going to continue to show you the access route to Mt. Hiei from the Kyoto Prefecture side.

After getting off the train at Yase-Hieizanguchi Terminal, I transferred to the funicular, Eizan Cable Line of Keifuku Electric Railway. The Eizan Cable Line was opened in 1925 by Kyoto Dento, which was an electric power company. Connecting Cable-Yase and Cable-Hiei stations, its route length is 1.3 km. The route is a unique S-shaped curve. The track gauge size is 1,067 mm. The maximum inclination of the route is 27.9 degrees. The height difference between the lowest and the highest points on the route is 561 m, which is the largest of funicular lines in Japan. The operation interval is 15 to 30 minutes. It takes 9 minutes from Cable-Yase to Cable-Hiei Station.

The vehicles are third generation ones called Ke 1 and Ke 2, which were built by Mukogawa Sharyo in 1987. Each car can accommodate 136 passengers. The outer design is rather old, but its large windows provide passengers with fantastic views of the green forest and the steep mountain. Four pantographs on the roof is very unique.

After arriving at Cable-Hiei Station, I transferred to the aerial tramway, namely the Eizan Ropeway. Space does not permit me to introduce you to this tramway, so, I am going to show you it in my next post.

To be continued...
 
Hokke So Ji-in (left) and Amida-do (right) of the Enryaku-ji Temple