Mount Yoshino

UNESCO World Heritage

吉野山（金峯山寺）

Mount Yoshino is in southern Nara and is famous for over 30,000 cherry trees that color the mountain pink. Kinpusen-ji Temple stands on the mountain, and pilgrims gather there before going on to Mt. Omine. Its main hall, Zao-do, was built in 1592 and is said to be the second largest wooden structure in Japan. The temple is famous for three 1,300-year-old blue-skinned Zao Gongen statues. Mount Yoshino and Kinpusen-ji are part of the UNESCO World Heritage site "Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range".

Open in Google Maps ↗ Directions ↗

Visitor information

Opening hours

Kinpusen-ji: 8:30–17:00 (last admission 16:30).

Admission

Kinpusen-ji: adults ¥500, high school students ¥300, children ¥200. Group discounts are available.

Getting there

Kinpusen-ji is about 10 minutes on foot from Yoshinoyama Station of the Yoshino Ropeway, which runs from outside Kintetsu Yoshino Station.

From Kintetsu-Nara Station, take Kintetsu Express trains via Yamato-Saidaiji and Kashiharajingu-mae to Yoshino Station (about 5 + 26 + 39 minutes, plus transfers).

Hours and fees can change. Please check the official website before you go.

Good to know

The ropeway does not operate on weekdays in winter.

Tips for Muslim visitors

The main hall of Kinpusen-ji houses three 7-metre statues of Zao Gongen, the principal object of worship of the Shugendo religion. Visitors may simply look around.
The Zao Gongen statues are National Treasures that are only occasionally shown to the public, so they may not be on view when you visit.
Natural sites may have few facilities. Bring water, a travel prayer mat and a qibla app, and check the weather; mountains and lakes can be much colder than the city.
Restrooms for wudu can be far apart on trails. Many Muslim travellers carry a small water bottle for wudu.
Plan your visit around prayer times. Below are today's prayer times for Nara and the verified places to pray nearby.
Food stalls and shops near popular sights usually do not have halal certification. Check the ingredients, or choose from the verified places on this site.