[Nara Prefecture] Mount Yoshino, a famous ancient cherry blossom spot in Japan

Yoshinoyama, Nara, is one of Japan's leading cherry blossom viewing spots, and has been sung about in songs and stories since ancient times. It is said that about 30,000 cherry trees of about 200 varieties are planted on Yoshinoyama, which is divided into four areas from the lowest altitude: Shimo Senbon, Naka Senbon, Kami Senbon, and Oku Senbon. The cherry blossoms bloom in the following order: Shimo Senbon ⇒ Naka Senbon ⇒ Kami Senbon ⇒ Oku Senbon. The cherry blossoms generally have a short peak season, but here you can enjoy them for about a month longer. The expected full bloom of the cherry blossoms in 2025 is: Shimo Senbon April 8 Naka Senbon April 10 Kami Senbon April 12 Oku Senbon (near Saigyo-an) April 17th During the cherry blossom viewing season (March 22nd to May 6th, 2025), traffic restrictions will be in place You can only hike from the bottom or travel by ropeway or local bus Even on weekdays, the cherry blossom viewing season is extremely crowded, so you need to get there early You will also have to walk up a hill somewhere, so we recommend wearing comfortable shoes Photo spots include the "Hitome Senbon" observation deck from Yoshimizu Shrine, the Hanayagura observation deck in Kamisenbon, and the area around Saigyo-an in Okusenbon By the way, it is about 6.8km from Saigyo-an in Okusenbon to Yoshinoyama Station It's all downhill, but it's all on foot. This is quite a strenuous journey. It takes a lot of physical strength to see everything, but it's a worthwhile cherry blossom viewing spot. Location: Yoshinoyama, Yoshino-cho, Yoshino-gun, Nara Prefecture Access: Take the Kintetsu Limited Express from Kyoto Station to Yoshino Station via Kashiharajingu-mae, about 1 hour 40 minutes From Yoshino Station, walk for about 20 minutes to Shimosenbon Or take the ropeway from Yoshino Station to Shimosenbon for about 15 minutes (4 trips per hour) From Shimosenbon, take the local bus to Nakasenbon, Nakasenbon (Chikurin-in) ⇒ Okusenbon (but it's very crowded) #Seasonal places in Japan #Nara Prefecture #Cherry blossom viewing spot #Breathtaking view