Nara · Town
Yoshino
吉野町よしのちょうYoshino-chōThirty thousand cherry trees on a sacred ridge
Yoshino is a mountain town in central Nara whose ridge, Mount Yoshino, is covered by some 30,000 cherry trees planted as offerings; it is the northern gateway to the Ōmine Shugendō route and part of the Kii Mountains World Heritage site.
Overview
Mount Yoshino is not a single peak but a long ridge rising south from the Yoshino River towards the Ōmine range. Since the 7th century it has been a sacred mountain of Shugendō: according to legend, En no Gyōja carved the deity Zaō Gongen from cherry wood, and pilgrims planted cherry trees as offerings. Today the slopes are divided into four zones – Shimo-senbon, Naka-senbon, Kami-senbon and Oku-senbon – whose blossoms open successively from the valley to the top in April.
Along the ridge runs a single street of temple lodgings, shops and inns leading to Kinpusen-ji, whose Zaō-dō is one of Japan's largest wooden buildings. Yoshino is also a place of refuge in Japanese history: the fugitive Minamoto no Yoshitsune hid here, and Emperor Go-Daigo founded the Southern Court at Yoshino in 1336. From here the Ōmine Okugake-michi, the ascetic route through the mountains to Kumano, begins.
Landmarks
- 金峯山寺Kinpusen-ji
Head temple of Kinpusen Shugendō; its Zaō-dō houses three blue-faced Zaō Gongen statues about seven metres tall, shown to the public in certain periods.
- 吉水神社Yoshimizu Jinja
Former temple lodging where Yoshitsune hid and Go-Daigo held court, with a famous "thousand trees at a glance" viewpoint.
- 吉野水分神社Yoshino Mikumari Jinja
Shrine of the water-distributing deity in Kami-senbon, with Momoyama-period buildings.
- 金峯神社Kinpu Jinja
Shrine in Oku-senbon at the start of the Ōmine route.
Nyoirin-ji
如意輪寺Nyoirin-jiTemple with the tomb of Emperor Go-Daigo, the only imperial tomb facing north – towards Kyoto.
Chikurin-in
竹林院Chikurin-inTemple lodging with the Gunpō-en garden, attributed in part to Sen no Rikyū.
Saigyō-an
西行庵Saigyō-anReconstruction of the hermitage of the 12th-century poet Saigyō in Oku-senbon.
Districts
Shimo-senbon
下千本Shimo-senbonLower slopes near the ropeway, the first to bloom.
Naka-senbon
中千本Naka-senbonCentral zone around Kinpusen-ji, Yoshimizu Shrine and the temple lodgings.
Kami-senbon
上千本Kami-senbonUpper slopes with the classic views over the blossom-covered ridge.
Oku-senbon
奥千本Oku-senbonThe innermost zone, the last to bloom, with Kinpu Shrine and Saigyō-an.
Kamiichi
上市KamiichiRiverside town centre on the Yoshino River, once a timber and market town.
History
Yoshino appears in the Kojiki and Man'yōshū, and the Yoshino Palace was a retreat of the 7th-century emperors Tenmu and Jitō. The mountain became a centre of Shugendō under the legendary En no Gyōja, and Kinpusen-ji grew into its head temple. In 1336 Go-Daigo fled Kyoto and established his court at Yoshimizu Shrine; the Southern Court remained in the Yoshino mountains until 1392. In 1594 Toyotomi Hideyoshi held a lavish cherry-viewing party here with some 5,000 followers. Under the Meiji separation of Shintō and Buddhism Kinpusen-ji was briefly closed, but it was restored and remains the centre of Kinpusen Shugen Honshū.
656
Yoshino Palace is recorded as an imperial retreat.
7th century
En no Gyōja is said to have enshrined Zaō Gongen on Mount Kinpu.
1185
Minamoto no Yoshitsune hides in Yoshino with Shizuka Gozen.
1336
Emperor Go-Daigo establishes the Southern Court in Yoshino.
1592
The present Zaō-dō of Kinpusen-ji is completed.
1594
Toyotomi Hideyoshi's great cherry-blossom party.
1936
Yoshino becomes part of Yoshino-Kumano National Park.
2004
Mount Yoshino and the Ōmine route are inscribed as part of the Kii Mountains World Heritage site.
Culture
Yoshino has been a symbol of cherry blossoms in Japanese poetry since the Heian period; the monk-poet Saigyō devoted many verses to it and lived here in a hermitage. Shugendō remains a living tradition: yamabushi in their distinctive robes set out from Kinpusen-ji on mountain austerities, and the temple's rites include fire ceremonies. The town also produces Yoshino cedar, famous for its straight grain and used for sake barrels, and handmade Yoshino washi paper.
Festivals
Hanakue-shiki
花供会式Hanakue-shikiKinpusen-ji's April rite offering cherry blossoms to Zaō Gongen, with a procession of yamabushi.
Rengee-shiki (Kaeru-tobi)
蓮華会・蛙飛び行事Rengee, Kaeru-tobi gyōjiHeld on 7 July: a man in a giant frog costume is restored to human form by the priests' prayers.
Setsubun-e
節分会Setsubun-eEarly February: Kinpusen-ji welcomes the demons, who are converted rather than driven out.
Food
Yoshino kuzu
吉野葛Yoshino kuzuPure kudzu starch, made into kuzumochi and kuzukiri noodles with brown sugar syrup.
Kakinoha-zushi
柿の葉寿司kakinoha-zushiMackerel sushi in persimmon leaves, a speciality of the Yoshino valley.
Sakura sweets
桜菓子sakura-gashiCherry-leaf and blossom confections sold along the ridge street.
Goma-dōfu
胡麻豆腐goma-dōfuSesame tofu set with kuzu, a temple dish of the mountain lodgings.
Getting around
- The Kintetsu Yoshino Line runs from Osaka-Abenobashi to Yoshino Station in about 1 hour 20 minutes by limited express; Kintetsu also connects from Kyoto via Kashihara-jingū-mae.
- From Yoshino Station, the Yoshino ropeway (Japan's oldest aerial ropeway) or a walk climbs to the town on the ridge; seasonal buses run to Naka-senbon and Kami-senbon.
- The ridge street is walkable; from Naka-senbon to Oku-senbon is a steady climb of about an hour and a half.
Day trips
Shugendō mountain and its pilgrim inn village, by bus via Shimoichi.
Asuka
Ancient capital area on the Kintetsu line towards Kashihara.
Tōdai-ji and Nara Park, about 1 hour 30 minutes by Kintetsu.
Across the mountains in Wakayama; reached via Hashimoto.
Ōdaigahara plateau and the Doro-kyō gorges further south.
Other cities in the prefecture
Frequently asked questions
When do Yoshino's cherry trees bloom?
Usually from early to late April, starting at Shimo-senbon and reaching Oku-senbon one to two weeks later. Exact timing varies from year to year, so local blossom reports should be checked.
What kind of cherry trees grow on Mount Yoshino?
Mostly yamazakura, the wild mountain cherry, whose blossoms appear together with reddish young leaves – unlike the Somei Yoshino variety common in cities.
Can I stay overnight in Yoshino?
Yes. Temple lodgings (shukubō) and inns line the ridge; staying allows early-morning walks before the day crowds arrive in cherry season.
Where does the Ōmine pilgrimage start?
The Ōmine Okugake-michi begins at Yoshino and follows the ridges of the Ōmine range south to Kumano Hongū. It is a demanding multi-day mountain route for experienced hikers.
Related
Sources
- 1.令和2年国勢調査 (opens in a new tab) — Statistics Bureau of Japan
- 2.Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range (opens in a new tab) — UNESCO World Heritage Centre
- 3.吉野町ホームページ (opens in a new tab) — 吉野町
- 4.金峯山寺 (opens in a new tab) — 金峯山寺