The mountains surrounding Kyoto offer many excellent opportunities for day trip hikes. Where do you go?
Daimonji Yama (Mt. Daimonji)
This small mountain offers an excellent view of Kyoto and can be climbed in 40 minutes or so. The jump off point is Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion) and Philosopher's Path neighborhood. Mt. Daimonji is the place where the largest of the five great bonfires are burned for the Gozan-no-Okuribi ceremony at O-bon in mid August.
http://openkyoto.com/sightseeing/hiking-kyoto-daimonji-yama.html
