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Travel Guide
Hotels / Ryokan and Places to Stay
Top Things to do
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- Kinpusen-ji Temple Zaoudou
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![Kinpusen-ji Temple Zaoudou]()
- 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.
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- Yoshimizu Shrine
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![Yoshimizu Shrine]()
- 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.
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- Nyoirin-ji Temple
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![Nyoirin-ji Temple]()
- Nara Pref. Yoshinogunyoshinochou Yoshinoyama 1024
- A Pure Land sect Buddhist temple built by Nichizo in the Engi period between 901 and 923. Designated an imperial temple by Emperor Go-Daigo during the Nanboku-cho period (1336-1392), Kusunoki Masashige’s eldest son Masatsura, anticipating his end in the Battle of Shijonawate, carved his death poem the doors of the main nave before departing for the front. In spring, the figure of the bodhisattva Cintamanicakra, housed in the main nave, is unveiled.
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- Nishizawaya
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![Nishizawaya]()
- Nara Pref. Yoshinogunyoshinochou Yoshinoyama 951
- This restaurant dedicated to regional cuisine is located in the Nakasenbon area on Mt. Yoshino. Diners can enjoy kudzu udon noodles, a Yoshino specialty, as well as vinegared mackerel sushi wrapped in persimmon leaves while gazing out at the beautiful scenery of Yoshino. The popular Yoshino nabe hotpot (reservation required) is filled with Yoshino-farmed tofu made with water from a famous spring, beef, vegetables, wild plants, and kudzu. The persimmon leaf sushi is also available for takeout.
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- Houkon-an
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![Houkon-an]()
- Nara Pref. Yoshinogunyoshinochou Yoshinoyama 550
- A popular tea house with terrace seating offering a superb view located in the Nakasenbon area on Mt. Yoshino. The first location on Mt. Yoshino to sell kudzu mochi rice cakes and kuzu-kiri kudzu jelly noodles, the shop’s signature and delectable “kuzubana” is made by stuffing soft and chewy kudzu jelly with locally grown sweet adzuki been paste. The shop offers an abundance of items perfect for enjoying during a short break in a stroll, such as the matcha green tea set.
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- Mt. Yoshino
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![Mt. Yoshino]()
- Nara Pref. Yoshinogunyoshinochou Yoshinoyama
- Mt. Yoshino is one of Japan’s most beautiful areas for seeing cherry blossoms and it is said even the great Toyotomi Hideyoshi came here to view the cherries. The cherries, which number some 30 thousand in total, are divided into areas – the Shimosenbon (Lower 1,000 Trees), Nakasenbon (Middle 1,000 Trees), Kamisenbon (Upper 1,000 Trees), and Okusenbon (Inner 1,000 Trees). The trees gradually come into blossom starting with the Shimosenbon, eventually coloring the entire mountain with their flowers. The sight, praised since ancient times in countless waka poems, continues to captivate the hearts of throngs of people today. The mountain was designated a national Site of Scenic Beauty and Historic Site in 1924. In 2004, the sacred land extending from Mt. Yoshino and Mt. Koya to Kumano as well as the intervening pilgrimage routes were registered collectively as the Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range World Heritage Site.
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- Chikurin-in Temple
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![Chikurin-in Temple]()
- Nara Pref. Yoshinogunyoshinochou Yoshinoyama 2142
- Originally founded by Prince Shotoku as the Chinzan-ji Temple and later dubbed the Josen-ji Temple by the great priest Kukai, this Buddhist temple was re-founded as the Chikurin-in Temple in 1385. The Gumpoen garden, considered one of the three most beautiful gardens in Japan, stretches out on the temple’s 33 thousand square meter grounds. The garden, a strolling garden with a central pond, is said to have been created by the great tea ceremony master Sen no Rikyu and renovated by the samurai Hosokawa Fujitaka. The garden is also famous for its cherry and camellia blossoms, which the great samurai leader Toyotomi Hideyoshi himself came to see and enjoy. The Chikurin-in Gumpoen Ryokan, a traditional temple inn located on the grounds, is 1,300 years old, and is said to have even been used by yamabushi, ascetic mountain hermits said to have supernatural powers. This popular inn still sees an unending stream of guests today.
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- Yoshino Mikumari-jinja Shrine
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![Yoshino Mikumari-jinja Shrine]()
- 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.
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- Yoshino-Jingu Shrine
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![Yoshino-Jingu Shrine]()
- Nara Pref. Yoshinogunyoshinochou Yoshinoyama 3226
- Yoshino-Jingu Shrine is a Shinto shrine located near Yoshino-Jingu Station on the Kintetsu Railway Yoshino Line. It was constructed in 1889 on the orders of the Meiji Emperor; the main deity enshrined here is Emperor Go-Daigo. The recently-constructed Honden (Main Hall) and Haiden (Hall of Worship) are oriented in a north-facing direction, towards the city of Kyoto, and built in the Sohinoki-zukuri style (a modern style of shrine construction, which uses only Japanese cypress wood); the Shrine precincts are renowned as a marvelous place for viewing cherry blossom in spring. The Autumn Festival which is held at the Yoshino-Jingu Shrine on September 27 every year includes a performance of the Urayasu-no-mai Dance dedicated to the gods, as well as dances accompanied by traditional folk songs, the reciting of poems for the entertainment of the gods, etc., making this a wonderful opportunity to experience aspects of traditional Japanese culture.
