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the street is the dilapidated Katte-jinja (). The road forks just above this shrine. The left fork leads to Nyoirin-ji (;32-3008; admission ¥400;9am-4pm), a temple that preserves both the relics of Emperor Go-Daigo’s unlucky court and his tomb itself. Of particular interest are some old swords and a door upon which Masatsura Kusunoki, leader of the Emperor’s army, scratched a poem with an arrowhead before going to battle and his death. The right fork leads uphill, where you will soon pass Kizō-in* () on your left and come to Chikurin-in () on the right, which has a wonderful garden (Click here).

A few minutes’ walk further on there is another fork, where you’ll find a wooden torii and some steps leading up to a shrine. Take the left fork and the next right up the hill for the 3km hike to Kimpu-jinja (), a small shrine in a pleasantly wooded mountain setting. If you don’t fancy this somewhat strenuous uphill hike, there are plenty of smaller shrines on the streets and alleys off Yoshino’s main street.

Sleeping

Yoshino-yama Kizō-in (; 32-3014; per person with 2 meals, dm HI members/nonmembers ¥5000/8000, temple stay ¥10,000; Mar-Dec) This temple, Kizō-in, doubles as the local youth hostel and is the cheapest option in town. It’s a pleasant place to stay, and several of the hostel’s rooms look out across the valley. Click here for directions to the temple.

Chikurin-in Gumpo en (; 32-8081; www.chikurin.co.jp/e/home.htm; r per person with 2 meals with/without bathroom from ¥21,000/15,750;) Not far past Kizō-in, on the opposite side of the street, this is an exquisite temple that now operates primarily as a ryokan. Both present and previous emperors have stayed here, and a look at the view afforded by some of the rooms explains why. Reservations are essential for the cherry-blossom season, and a good idea at all other times. Even if you don’t plan to stay at the temple, you should at least visit its splendid garden (admission ¥300).

Eating

Hōkon-an (; 32-8207; 9am-5pm, closed irregularly) This is an atmospheric little tea house, where you can sip your tea while enjoying a lovely view over the valley. The matcha (¥650) comes with a homemade Japanese sweet. Look for the rustic wooden facade and large ceramic urn on the left, just past the post office.

Nakai Shunpūdō (; 32-3043; 9am-5pm, closed irregularly) With a limited picture menu, this restaurant serves a kamameshi teishoku (rice cooked in an iron pot; ¥1500) and other typical lunch favourites; the view from the windows is great. It’s about 5m past the information office, on the opposite side – look for the ceramic tanuki (Japanese raccoon dog) figure out front.

Nishizawaya (; 32-8600; 9am-5pm) Run by a bunch of friendly ladies, this homey restaurant serves things like the shizuka gozen set, which includes a broiled ayu (sweetfish) and a small hotpot filled with vegetables and tofu (¥1500). It’s directly across the street from Katte-jinja: look for the plastic food on display. English menu.

Getting There & Away

Visitors to Yoshino first arrive at Yoshino Station, and then make their way up to the village proper by cable car or on foot. The cable car costs ¥350/600 one way/return. The walk takes about 15 minutes; follow the path that leaves from beside the cable-car station. Note that the cable car stops running at 5pm – plan your day accordingly or you’ll have to walk down.

To get to Yoshino Station from Kyoto or Nara, take the Kintetsu Nara-Kashihara line to Kashihara-jingū-mae (kyūkō from Kyoto, ¥860, 66 minutes; kyūkō from Nara, ¥480, 36 minutes) and change to the Kintetsu Yoshino line (kyūkō, ¥460, 52 minutes).

You can take a direct train on the Kintetsu Minami–Osaka–Yoshino line from Osaka (Abenobashi Station, close to Tennō-ji Station) to Yoshino (kyūkō, ¥950, 89 minutes; tokkyū ¥1450, 75 minutes).

The closest JR station to Yoshino is Yoshino-guchi, where you can transfer to trains to/from Nara, Osaka and Wakayama.

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KII-HANTŌ

The remote and mountainous Kii-hantō (Kii Peninsula) is a far cry from central Kansai’s bustling urban