Yoshino-chō

Together with many other individual sites, 8 ancient temples and shrines built in the mountain area of Yoshino are listed as a part of UNESCO World Heritage under the name of Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range.

Mount Yoshino (alt. 455m) has been described for many centuries as one of Japan's most beautiful cherry blossom spots.

Tourist information site:

The local tourist associations have a Japanese-only guide site.

By plane:

There are no direct services from either of Osaka's airports to Yoshino.

From Osaka-Kansai, there are 13 buses a day to Yamato-Yagi station in Kashihara, taking 1hr 20mins and ¥1950 (¥3700 return, valid for 14 days); you will then have to take a train to Kashihara-jingū-mae, and change again there for a train to Yoshino. Three morning buses to the airport and three evening buses to Kashihara stop at Takada-shi station, from where there are direct trains to Yoshino. If going through Yamato-Yagi is too much for you, the alternative is to take a JR Haruka or Airport Rapid to Tennōji and change there to a Kintetsu train from Abenobashi.

If coming from Osaka-Itami, the most convenient way is to take the bus to Abenobashi and change there to the train.

By train:

The main way to reach Yoshino is by Kintetsu. Direct trains run from Osaka Abenobashi, which is next to Tennōji Station on the JR and Subway lines; from there, Limited Expresses usually run hourly (taking 1hr 20mins and ¥1480) and Expresses half-hourly (taking 1hr 35mins and ¥970). If you want to use a Deluxe Seat on the Sakura Liner, or the Blue Symphony Sightseeing Limited Express (which runs twice a day, usually every day except Wednesday, and offers local specialities on board), this will cost ¥1690.

From Kyoto, you can take a Limited Express to Kashihara-jingū-mae and change there to a train to Yoshino; this will take at least 1hr 45mins and cost ¥2550. (There are no direct trains from Kyoto because the rail gauge is different beyond Kashihara-jingū-mae.) You can go the whole way on Express trains for only ¥1230, but this will take at least 2hrs 10mins. All these trains stop at Yamato-Saidaiji station in Nara, and Yamato-Yagi station in Kashihara; Yoshino is 1hr 10mins and ¥520 away from the latter. Going through Kyoto is the easiest way from Tokyo.