Keage Incline, makes you think about the water canal project in the old days
20.11.16
Blog
The mountain range called Higashiyama runs from north to south. The area at the foot of Higashiyama is full of greenery and you can enjoy the seasonal natural beauty blending into historical temples and buildings.
Keage Incline is a disused cargo railway build more than 130 years ago and it still exists at the foot of Higashiyama mountain range as a historical landmark looking back on Kyoto’s history.
Dating back to the late 19th century, the capital was moved from Kyoto to Tokyo and it gave Kyoto a heavy blow. People worked hard to revitalize Kyoto and building the Keage Incline was very important and a huge project for water transportation and Hydroelectric power generation.
Thanks to the great efforts of people at that time, Keage Incline was completed and Kyoto became prosperous again.
Keage Incline ended its role 70 years ago as better transportation systems developed but it is now one of the most popular spots to view cherry blossoms in the spring.
Nearly 100 cherry trees are lined along the disused rail lines. The locals and tourists enjoy viewing the stunning cherry blossoms and going through a tunnel of flowers from late March to early April.
There are temples, villas and beautiful gardens you can visit in the area. They are great to see all year around.
Taking a walk around the area and looking at the historical sites will make you think about how the changes in Kyoto have developed the city from an ancient city to a modernized one.
