Yoshino

Top Things to do

• Kinpusen-ji Temple Zaoudou

  4.5

  259 Reviews

  Nara Pref. Yoshinogunyoshinochou Yoshinoyama

  The symbol of Mt. Yoshino and the head temple of the Shugendo syncretic Shinto-Buddhist religion. It is believed that the temple was founded by the mystic En no Gyoja in the latter half of the seventh century. The Zaoudou hall standing proudly on the heights of the Kinpu Mountain Range was erected in 1592 and is the second largest ancient wooden building in Japan after the Hall of the Great Buddha at Todai-ji Temple. Three statues of Zao, a Shinto manifestation of the Buddha, are enshrined in the temple, representing the past, present, and future. Each is seven meters tall and a must-see during your visit.

• Tamaki-jinja Shrine

  4.5

  110 Reviews

  Nara Pref. Yoshinoguntotsukawamura Tamaigawa 1

  Tamaki-jinja Shrine is a miraculous shrine near the top of the 1,076 meter Mt. Tamaki at the southern end of the Omine Mountains. Legend says that the shrine was built in 37 B.C. in the era of Emperor Sujin in order to guard against fire at the imperial castle and to ward off evil spirits. The shrine is on the World Heritage Omine Okugake-michi (paths) and has prospered as a spiritual retreat for Buddhist Shugendo followers from Kumano and Omine for a very long time. In the grounds of the shrine are gigantic cedar trees including some cedar trees said to be 3,000 years old, and in 2004 the temple was designated a World Heritage Site under the name Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range.

• Yoshimizu Shrine

  4.5

  116 Reviews

  Nara Pref. Yoshinogunyoshinochou Yoshinoyama 579

  This Shinto shrine is dedicated to Emperor Go-Daigo, Kusunoki Masashige, and Soshin Hoin. Prior to the official separation of Buddhism and Shintoism in the country, the shrine was served as the quarters for the priests of the Kinpusen-ji Temple. In addition to having served as a hiding place for Emperor Go-Daigo when he secretly traveled to Yoshino, the temple is also famous as the place where Minamoto no Yoshitsune, who was being pursued by Minamoto no Yoritomo, escaped safely to together with Benkei and Shizuka Gozen, among others. Also a famous location for viewing the cherry blossoms, the temple displays various articles from the time when Shogun Toyotomi Hideyoshi spent several days here enjoying the cherry blossoms. In spring, all of Mt. Yoshino blooms with some 30 thousand cherry trees consisting of 200 different varieties.

• Menfudo Limestone Cave

  4.0

  50 Reviews

  Nara Pref. Yoshinoguntenkawamura Dorogawa 678-89

  Menfudo Limestone cave is the largest limestone cave in the Kansai region. Inside the dome-shaped interior, visitors can see marvelous stalactites and stalagmites. The average temperature inside the cave is about 8°C year-round. A statue of the guardian deity Fudo has been set up in the deepest part of the cave, where no outside air penetrates.

• Tenkawa Daibenzaiten-sha Shrine

  4.5

  23 Reviews

  Nara Pref. Yoshinoguntenkawamura Tsubonouchi 107

  Tenkawa Daibenzaiten-sha Shrine (Tenkawa-jinja) is a shrine dedicated to Benzaiten (Sarasvati), the deity of art and music. It is considered one of the Three Great Shrines of Benzaiten. The shrine is famous for attracting many entertainers to its doors. It also has a history of being the place where the Buddhist monk, Kobo Daishi, retreated to for a thousand days. The solemn atmosphere found here in the mountains cleanses the heart and in recent years it has become popular as a power spot. There is also a large collection of valuable artifacts related to Noh, and Noh performances are held at the shrine three times a year.

• Mt. Ominesan Ryusenji Temple

  4.0

  52 Reviews

  Nara Pref. Yoshinoguntenkawamura Dorogawa 494

  This is a temple located along the Dorogawa, Tenkawa Village on Prefectural Route 48. It was founded by Ennogyoujya as the main temple of the Daigo school of the Shingon sect approximately 1,300 years ago. It is a training ground for Japanese mountain asceticism-shamanism. The water from the spring water lake flowing from the Dragons Mouth in the precinct is the first ascetic training place of the Omine Mountain, where austerity practitioners gather to purify themselves.

• Yoshino Mikumari-jinja Shrine

  4.0

  75 Reviews

  Nara Pref. Yoshinogunyoshinochou Yoshinoyama 1612

  One of the Four Great Mikumari Shrines of Yamato Province which watch over the Nara Basin from the east, west, north, and south, this Shinto shrine worships the goddess Ameno-Mikumari, who governs water. In the Shoku Nihongi, it is recorded that prayers were made for rain at this shrine during the reign of Emperor Monmu. In the mid-Heian period, what is now pronounced “Mikumari” was pronounced “Mikomori,” which sounds like “Child Protector” in Japanese; because of this, the shrine continues to be visited to this day by numerous worshipers seeking to be blessed with children. The main shrine building was rebuilt in 1605 by Toyotomi Hideyori, successor to his father the great general Toyotomi Hideyoshi. This beautiful building strongly retains the distinctive characteristics of Momoyama period architecture. The main shrine building is also a designated Important Cultural Property.

• Roadside Station Yoshinoji Oyodo i Center

  3.5

  26 Reviews

  Nara Pref. Yoshinogunoyodochou Ashihara 536-1

  This roadside station located off of Naka Kaido Road in Ashihara, Oyodo Town features a number of different attractions. In addition to a shop selling fresh local produce, local specialties and processed goods from Yoshino Town, there is an on-site bakery offering fresh-baked bread, a restaurant that serves set meals, donburi rice bowls, and light meals, and a tourist information center. Its attractive building makes great use of Yoshino cedar wood.

• Tanize Suspension Bridge

  Nara Pref. Yoshinoguntotsukawamura Tanize

  The Tanize Suspension Bridge is an iron wire suspension bridge over the Totsukawa River that the local villagers built for their own use and at their own expense in 1954. At a length of 297 meters and a height of 54 meters from the surface of the river, it is Japan’s longest suspension bridge for everyday use. Due to safety concerns, no more than twenty people can cross at the same time, and the way it sways when one walks on it makes for a thrilling experience. It affords a view of the clear waters of the Totsukawa River below and the wonderful scenery formed by the surrounding mountains. Crossing this bridge is said to be like walking in the sky. Please be aware that only one-way crossings are allowed during the Golden Week holiday period in May and the O-Bon festival period in the summer.