Mt. Yoshino
Mt. Yoshino
4.5
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4.5
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Voyage68613627992
11 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2024 • Family
I walked from Shimosenbon to Nakasenbon, but there were very few places where the cherry blossoms looked beautiful. Most of the places where they would have looked beautiful were blocked by the rows of restaurants and souvenir shops, so I couldn't see them.
I imagine that if I went inside a restaurant I would be able to see the view from the window, but I didn't feel like going in because I wasn't even hungry.
The occasional loud "Sakura Sakura" playing from the speakers ruined the atmosphere and was a real turn-off.
A disappointing tourist spot that wastes such good material.
Google
Written 9 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Yuliananugraheni
26 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2015 • Couples
THIS PLACE IS MY FAVORITE!! They had the best views for cherry blossoms. Here are my recommendations:
1. Before going there, check the cherry blossoms forecast in http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2011.html
2. How to get there?
This website http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4151.html explained everything. You just need to choose "to/from tokyo", "to/from kyoto", "to/from osaka" or "to/from nara" (it depends on your origin). I departed from Osaka and from Osakaabenobashi station I needed around 1.5 hours to arrive in Mt. Yoshino.
3. Very useful website: www.hyperdia.com. In "from" row, type your nearest station and in "to" row, type "YOSHINO(NARA)" to know how to get here (there is yoshino in another prefecture, so make sure you type it correctly)
Written 5 May 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Nur D
Singapore, Singapore101 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2018 • Solo
I was there at the start of the cherry blossom season and while the mountain was a sight to behold with tons of pink and white flowers, the crowd itself slightly dampened the mood. The queues to take the ropeway and shuttle buses were ridiculous -- it'll probably take an hour to get onto it. I should have expected it -- it was a Saturday and the place was a UNESCO site after all.

Instead of waiting, I decided to hike up. With an average fitness, the ascend was reasonable and the cool weather helps a lot. The lower area has a couple of eateries and this is where you can buy delicious local snacks and have a picnic on the way up. Some snacks to try are : chirimen jako (drief baby sardines), kakinoha-zushi (a rice ball with salted mackerel wrapped in a persimmon leaf), dango (grilled rice dumpling), kuzumochi (jelly/mochi-like sweet made from water, sugar, kuzu starch and coated with nutty soybean powder and brown sugar syrup) or Sakura Mochi (rice cake filled with red bean paste).

Head upwards to the middle area to see the temples and shrines before moving to the upper areas for a picnic or to enjoy a panoramic view of Yoshinoyama.

I did this as a day trip from Tennoji station, Osaka. Went out at 9am and left Yoshino station around 5pm. It was slightly rushed even though my pace was average walking speed as I took quite some time at the middle area to try the food.
Written 23 September 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

saut
Jakarta, Indonesia291 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2016 • Solo
I went to Yoshino on the second week of April. Wonderful sakura blossoms can be found everywhere. The best way is to get on the bus (only available during sakura blossom season) twice up to Oku Senbon Guchi. I suggest instead of taking the Ropeway, I suggest to take the bus immediately after getting off the Yoshino train station. So two buses : 1 from Yoshino station to Chikurin, then another bus from Chikurin to Oku Senbon. After getting off at Oku Senbon then walk down and enjoy the scenery, temples and shops all the way down to Yoshino train station. It was a sunny day when I went to Mount Yoshino thus the scenery was spectacular. And it was the height of sakura blossom especially from Kami Senbon to Shimo Senbon. The sakura at Oku Senbon has not bloom yet so it was kind of bare. This is because the blossom happen from below (Shimo Senbon) to the higher ground (Oku Senbon. There were also many shops that sells all kind of sweets and cakes. You can see some demos on making the cakes and or jelly. Unfortunately they were done in Japanese. If you are hungry you can find some shops at the lower senbon selling ramen and or sushi. They sell special kind of sushi wrapped in some kind of leave. Apparently these sushi came from Nara or the mountain area. They taste wonderful. They are called Kakinoha sushi. You should try them out.
Written 24 April 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sing Hee L
Hong Kong, China261 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2017
Yoshinoyama is famous for "Thousand Sakura In One View" which truly live up to its reputation. I was impressed Wow by the abundance of pink over the beautiful mountain.

It is a different sighting compare to Sakura viewing in Kyoto or Tokyo parks. Recommended to go especially it is not first time Sakura viewing. The view is stunning.

If you are in the mood - bring food, sake and cloth for picnic which most local will do.

Wear sport shoes as there is abit of hiking.

It is actually pretty easy access. And in Japan everything is logivAbout 1.5 hour train from Kyoto station. I stay in Kyoto and do trip.

Tips: buy the train ticket online (search Yoshinoyama-Kyoto) before hand is highly recommended so to ensure you have a seat. Otherwise you can stand in train for 1.5 hours. Buy both going and return. Peak time train ticket is easily full as local people go. Try to buy the ticket online earlier. There is one stop of change in train but ok not difficult and station staff is helpful. After you buy online - before onboard you need to go to the train station office to pay. As what you bought on line is premium pass and you need to go to box office to pay the basic fare.

There is the "Lower part" Lower Thousand Tree" where you will arrive, "Middle" and "Upper Thousand Tree".

You can hike up the mountain. If you are not a hiker like me 1) Take bus to go from Lower to Middle part which is beautiful and 2) from Train station separately took Tram to see "Lower" part. I did both. Gorgeous don't miss.
Written 28 June 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Khang Le
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam116 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2016 • Solo
Don't say that Mt. Yoshinoyama is a cherry-blossom spot because it is not correct. It should be the forest of cherry trees, or a fairy tale of cherry blossom.
When I saw it at the first sight, I fell in love. It was not over-reaction, but real emotion.
Cherry trees were blossoming everywhere, from small trees, big trees, tall trees, to a forest of cherry trees on the hills. Don't forget to be on the top to have a panorama view.

Tips: don't climb up to the hill, or use the rope way to up hill because it will take much your energy. You should use the bus (only during cherry blossom season) to go to Chikurin-in temple for around 15 minutes. From there, you can go up to viewpoint, or just go down. It will save your energy and make you feel better to enjoy the place.
Written 1 May 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

anya77
Singapore, Singapore267 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2016 • Solo
I really wanted desperately to ensure that I caught the best viewing period I could get so I booked the only vacancies I could find which were from 4th to 7th April. That's considered quite early for the Yoshino season. Typically the cherry blossoms start blooming around the end of March at the lower portion and then move up the mountain over the next 3 weeks. The first day was raining, the second was overcast and the third was sunny. It seems to rain a lot there. I finally figured the best way to do the town in a day since most people won't be able to get accommodation.

Arrive as early as possible. Most of the tour buses get there by around 9am which is when the ropeway opens but if you get there earlier just walk up to the town. It takes about 15 minutes. Stroll up the hill and visit Kinpusenji and then Yoshimizu Shrine. The former is a temple with some nice photo ops but it is Yoshimizu where you get the really dazzling cherry blossom views. Next walk to Chikurin-in temple. This has a beautiful garden and just outside is where you'll catch the bus to the top of the mountain. You might want to catch a bite to eat or bring a snack with you since the walk down will take some time.

At the top is Kinpu Shrine. The cherry blossoms there weren't out yet so we started walking straight down to Mikumari Shrine which has a beautiful weeping cherry tree. After Mikumari all the cherry blossom views start and you will be spoilt for choice with small side paths in various directions, all having good views.

The descent from Kinpu Shrine to the town could take 2 to 4 hours depending on how many side paths you want to explore and photos you want to take. Try to find time to do Nyoirinji Temple which is a really nice walk. You should be able to cover all this within 8 to 9 hours.

The town is really pretty in the evening so try and stay overnight if you can. However, there are very few rooms available. If you're going for the day, aside from the cherry blossom report, check the weather forecast and swap dates to a sunny day if you can. Some of the paths can get quite slippery in the rain. The place is absolutely gorgeous if conditions are right. The ultimate cherry blossom viewing experience.
Written 9 April 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

hfot2 🌸🍁🌸
Vermont7,595 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2014 • Couples
Yoshinoyama is spectacular for sakura

We were there early in the second week of April 2014 and the trees on all four levels were in bloom. I believe they say there are 40,000 of them - or more.

If you are English speaking and looking for the information center, it is tucked away and somewhat difficult to find. The map wasn't terribly useful - just follow the crowds and you should be fine. There are plenty of shops on the hike up and lots of places to buy food at all levels. It would be wise to bring a bottle of water, however.

We visited several temples for the gardens, the temple buildings, and the views from the terraces. Keep going up, the higher up the more astonishing the views - depending, of course, on when you are there. We loved the lookout from the temples over the valley covered in pale pink.

I must say though, that the trees at the Imperial Palace and elsewhere were just as wonderful. We actually prefer the landscape of smaller gardens and more intimate settings . Even something like Kotohira and the path down from there, where one is surrounded by trees, rather than seeing sakura from afar as at Yoshino, may be more pleasing to the eye and the soul.

Nevertheless, we had hoped to go to Yoshino for at least 5 years now and were glad we finally made it.

You can hike up from the bottom, take a bus or use the rope-way. The walk, even after taking the rope way, can be taxing if you are mobility challenged. When we visited there were crowds and a long line waiting to go up, and down. Plan to arrive early, especially in season, to try to avoid the crowds - not possible of course, but it will be less full of people the earlier you get there. We found that even the train going to Yoshino was packed with standing room only and people rushing from one train to the next at the transfer point.
Written 8 February 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

c2chen
Singapore, Singapore293 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2018 • Family
We took the Kintetsu limited express from Osaka Abenobashi station which is adjacent to JR Tennoji station. The train journey took about 1 hr 15 mins. Being 2 April, the train was still crowded with local tourist, even though we had deliberately avoided the weekend. Just outside the station were several local guides that provide useful information on where was best to view cherry blossom. We arrived at about 11.00 am and took the shuttle bus to the mid point of Mount Yoshino at Naka Sembon. From there we walked down towards the train station as the cherry blossom were flowering just below the mid section of the valley. For the same reason, we did not go further up the mountain as the cherry trees were not yet blooming. The narrow road was flanked by dozens of eateries and souvenir shops and a couple of shrines. The sunny 20C weather made the walk pleasant and delightful. We stopped for lunch at one of the restaurants which has a great view of the valley full of blooming cherry trees. And of course we couldn't resist the set meal of sakura bento. Most of the restaurants are opened during the peak sakura season. Off season, most would be closed as advised in the brochure. On the way down to the Yoshino station, we took the foot path that wind through the cherry blossom. Although a longer and relatively more difficult route, it was worth the effort as we were able to enjoy walking beneath thousands of blooming cherry trees. We left Yoshino station for Nara at 3.00 pm having spent 4 hours enjoying the view of cherry blossoms.
Written 23 April 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

The Weak Knee Traveler
Singapore, Singapore12,833 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2018 • Solo
Visited Mt Yoshino on 1 Apr 2018. Bought the 7.10am Kintetsu Sakura Liner tix departing Osaka Abenobashi the moment i reached Kyoto about 5-6 days ago as this is a reserved seat train which is faster than the others. It cost ¥1,480 each way. The train reached Yoshino station at around 8.26am and majority are Japanese passengers. The timing was great as there was already a shuttle bus to bring tourists to Naka Senbo for ¥360 one way. After reaching Naka Senbo, there was another bus stop nearby which brings people further up to Oku Senbo for another ¥400.

I took the bus to Oku Senbo and took a leisure walk down from there. Even though the sakura trees at Oku Senbo is not in bloom yet, it was still a great experience. Unless you are extremely fit, i will suggest taking the buses all the way up. It will save time and conserve some energy for enjoying the views as it is a pretty steep climb all the way up from the train station.

On the way down by foot, there are a few observation points which are nice and one which is not to be missed is the one at Yoshimizu Shrine which is free entrance. There is a part within the shrine which requires payment but can skip that as nothing much to see. The area around the shrine has lots of shops and eateries too. It took me around 30-35 mins' leisure walk ( with photo taking) back down to the station from the shrine.

My original train back to Abenobashi was supposed to depart at around 4.01pm but as i was early, i tried my luck at changing for an earlier train at the manned ticket counter. And they switched me to the one departing 3.04pm at no extra charge (note that 1st change is free of charge, 2nd change is chargeable at ¥220).

All in all, i spent approx. 6 hrs sightseeing in the mountain which was great. If i had walked all the way up on foot, i may need another 1 hr or more.

All in
Written 1 April 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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