Kyoto Nishiyama Hill Climb Sanpai 2026
Kyoto Nishiyama area (35 sites across Muko, Nagaokakyo, Oyamazaki and western Nishikyo Ward) · NishikyoOpen in Google Maps ↗
From 12 September to 13 December 2026, a cycling digital stamp rally across the Kyoto Nishiyama area (Rakusai in Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto, plus Muko, Nagaokakyo and Oyamazaki). Ride to 35 temples, shrines and food stops, scan each spot's QR code with a smartphone to collect digital stamps, and enter a prize draw based on your points.
Before you go
A stamp rally that pairs the satisfaction of hill climbing with visits to historic temples and shrines. The 35 spots are scattered across Kyoto's Nishiyama area — venerable temples and shrines alongside eateries; scan each spot's QR code with your phone to collect a digital stamp. Spots are weighted by difficulty (elevation, gradient), and repeat visits to the same spot keep earning points.
The organizer is the Kyoto Nishiyama Ohara-no Hoshokai, backed by the Kyoto Prefecture Tourism Federation and the Kyoto City Tourism Association, with Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto City, Muko, Nagaokakyo and Oyamazaki cooperating. This year's edition features more food stops than before, aiming to deepen the cultural experience through food.
- 35 rally spots: temples, shrines and food stops
- Points weighted by difficulty (elevation, gradient)
- Prize draw for cycling goods
- Full-completion award for all 35 spots
- Companion SNS photo campaign
- Getting there
- The event spans Rakusai (Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto), Muko, Nagaokakyo and Oyamazaki — no single venue. Spots differ, so check the special page before setting out.
- Booking
- The city page states no participation fee or reservation requirement: ride to the spots, scan the QR codes to collect digital stamps, and enter the draw according to your points. See the special page for details.
- Good for
- Fit cycling enthusiasts; anyone who likes combining rides with temple visits and Nishiyama food. You need your own bicycle and a smartphone.
- How it differs
- Unlike ordinary cycling events, there is no mass start or fixed route: you set your own schedule and collect stamps over the three months from September to December. Unlike paper goshuin stamps at shrines and temples, these are digital stamps scanned by phone — and your points enter a prize draw.
Do I need to register or pay?
The city page states no fee or reservation requirement — just scan and collect.
Must I ride all 35 spots at once?
No. Go in multiple trips between 12 September and 13 December; repeat visits to the same spot keep earning points.
How does the prize draw work?
Enter according to your points: 14 winners across six categories — beginner, intermediate, advanced, gourmet, full-completion and the top-scorer King award.
How do I join the SNS campaign?
Post a bicycle-related landscape photo from the Nishiyama area on X or Instagram with the two hashtags #京都西山ヒルクライム参拝2026 and the photo location, and follow the organizer's account. Three winners get ¥5,000 in bicycle maintenance goods.
Can I join without a bicycle?
The event assumes cycling — bring your own bicycle.
Sources 京都市西京区役所「京都西山ヒルクライム参拝！2026」を開催 · 京都西山ヒルクライム参拝！2026 special page (fetch failed at writing time)
- Time
- September 12-December 13, 2026.
- Address (for taxis)
- 京都府向日市・長岡京市・大山崎町・京都市西京区洛西地域