Items | Private Guided Half-Day Walking Tour in Yoshinoyama
Private Guided Half-Day Walking Tour in Yoshinoyama
(3) Reviews
Yoshino
Important Information
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Public transportation options are available nearby
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Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
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Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
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Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
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Those who are not okay with walking uphill (roughly 400 meters of elevation gain) should choose the bus or ropeway option instead. An alternative to hiking uphill through the Kami-senbon cherry blossom grove can also be arranged upon request.
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The cherry blossom season (usually from the end of March through the middle of April) is a very crowded and busy time in Yoshinoyama, so guiding fees will increase slightly. Zao-do Hall's entrance fee also increases during this time.
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During cherry blossom season (usually from the end of March through the middle of April), it will be very difficult to find seating at any restaurant in Yoshinoyama, so we advise guests to bring their own lunch - the guide will find a suitable location to eat lunch.
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
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For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
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Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
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If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
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This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.
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Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
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Join an expert local guide on a half-day tour of UNESCO World Heritage Yoshinoyama, the ancient Shugendo temple district that is famous for its natural beauty and history. After an amazing sightseeing experience, guests will have time to further explore the area on their own, or move on to the next destination with time to spare. This tour is designed to give guests maximum customization for how they want to experience Yoshinoyama - we can do the entire tour on foot from Yoshino Station for those who want a energizing walking experience - or arrange bus or ropeway transportation to make the course as easy and accessible as possible. The itinerary for this tour (especially the high-elevation...
Highlights
4 hours
Offered in Japanese & English
Free Cancellation
Mobile Ticket
4 hours
Offered in Japanese & English
Free Cancellation
Mobile Ticket
What's Included
Zao-do Hall entrance fee at Kinpusen-ji Temple.
Lunch price will vary depending on the restaurant, or guests can bring their own lunch. Prices for meals in restaurants in Yoshinoyama average to about 1,000 - 2,000 yen.
Ropeway transportation (optional)
Meeting Points
Departure
Yoshino Station
From Kyoto Station: about 2hr 20min (standard fare).
From Osaka-Abenobashi Station: about 1hr 30min (standard fare).
Trains direct to Yoshino Station depart from Osaka-Abenobashi Station & Kashiharajingu-Mae Station.
The guide will meet you just outside the only gate for Yoshino Station.
Return
Koyama Shrine
This is our recommended location to finish the tour as it has easy access to the town and nearby bus stations. It will be also be possible to finish the tour at an alternative point (within the time limit of the tour). Walking down to Yoshino Station from here takes about 40 minutes.
Itinerary
1
Mt. Yoshino
Yoshinoyama is an UNESCO World Heritage designated mountain temple district located in the town of Yoshino, centered around the 1,300-year-old Kinpusen-ji Temple complex. From its streets and trails one can take in stunning views over the surrounding landscape that change with the seasons, including thousands of sacred cherry blossoms in the spring and the blazing colors of fall. The tour is based around walking through this district with a guide and visiting a collection of amazing sightseeing spots that can be found here.
Beyond historical and natural sights, there are also many traditional shops, restaurants, and ryokan inns that line the main street of the district. Your expert local guide will introduce you to the various local specialty foods, including persimmon leaf-wrapped sushi and kuzu (arrowhead root) sweets.
2 hours and 45 minutes
2
Kimpusen-ji Temple Kane no Torii
Kane no Torii Gate (1348 CE)
This 7.6 meter-high bronze gate is one of four torii gates that Shugendo practitioners have traditionally passed through on the way to the peak of Mt. Omine, roughly 24 kilometers south of Yoshinoyama. Going through the gate represents an important step on the path from the world of the profane into the sacred mountain realm of the gods and ascetic practice.
10 minutes
3
Kinpusenji Temple
Kinpusen-ji Temple (Zao-do Hall).
This temple is believed to have been founded around 1,300 years ago by the the mountain ascetic En no Gyoja. It's current main hall (Zao-do Hall) was built in 1592 and is said to be the 2nd largest wooden temple structure in Japan, impressively built right atop the mountain ridgeline using giant trees from the surrounding forest for pillars. Kinpusen-ji is an important base for the indigenous religion of Shugendo (mountain asceticism) and venerates the deity Zao-gongen, whose sacred symbol is the cherry blossom.
The tour will take guests into Zao-do Hall to learn more about the history of Shugendo and what it can tell us about the wider culture of Japan.
30 minutes
4
Kami-senbon
Kami-senbon sakura tree grove.
Walk through the 3rd highest sacred sakura tree grove along a mountain trail with beautiful views over the surrounding landscape. This section offers different natural beauty depending on the season, including cherry blossoms which fall like snow in the spring, and fiery autumn colors in the colder months.
Private Guided Half-Day Walking Tour in Yoshinoyama
(3) Reviews
Yoshino
About
Join an expert local guide on a half-day tour of UNESCO World Heritage Yoshinoyama, the ancient Shugendo temple district that is famous for its natural beauty and history. After an amazing sightseeing experience, guests will have time to further explore the area on their own, or move on to the next destination with time to spare. This tour is designed to give guests maximum customization for how they want to experience Yoshinoyama - we can do the entire tour on foot from Yoshino Station for those who want a energizing walking experience - or arrange bus or ropeway transportation to make the course as easy and accessible as possible. The itinerary for this tour (especially the high-elevation...
Highlights
4 hours
Offered in Japanese & English
Free Cancellation
Mobile Ticket
4 hours
Offered in Japanese & English
Free Cancellation
Mobile Ticket
What's Included
Zao-do Hall entrance fee at Kinpusen-ji Temple.
Lunch price will vary depending on the restaurant, or guests can bring their own lunch. Prices for meals in restaurants in Yoshinoyama average to about 1,000 - 2,000 yen.
Ropeway transportation (optional)
Meeting Points
Departure
Yoshino Station
From Kyoto Station: about 2hr 20min (standard fare).
From Osaka-Abenobashi Station: about 1hr 30min (standard fare).
Trains direct to Yoshino Station depart from Osaka-Abenobashi Station & Kashiharajingu-Mae Station.
The guide will meet you just outside the only gate for Yoshino Station.
Return
Koyama Shrine
This is our recommended location to finish the tour as it has easy access to the town and nearby bus stations. It will be also be possible to finish the tour at an alternative point (within the time limit of the tour). Walking down to Yoshino Station from here takes about 40 minutes.
