World heritage site Kinpusenji Temple 金峯山寺 Yoshino, Nara

Kinpusenji Temple 金峯山寺 

I went to Kinpusenji Temple which is one of the world heritage sites. The temple is a Shugendo temple located on Mt. Yoshino in central Nara Prefecture. The temple is also famous as a spiritual hot spot.

It takes 1 hour 18 minutes from Abenobashi station(Osaka) by limited express on Kintetsu Yoshio Line to Yoshino station. The station is surrounded by forests with very fresh air.

 

  

 If you go up a little slope from the station, you could get to the cable car station and ride on that.

 

In 2004, Kinpusenji was registered among the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Yoshino and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range. 

 

It's such a huge building and I can't believe that it's a made of wood. I'm moved by its amazing building as same as Todaiji Temple.

The 34-meter high Zao-do Hall is claimed to be the second-largest wooden structure in Japan behind Todaiji Temple.

 In the Zao-do Hall, the impressive statues are painted in vivid blue, with red bristling hair and golden eyes. The statues of Zao Gongen, the fierce-looking protector deity of the sacred mountains of the Yoshino area. Zao Gongen is one of the most important deities in Shugendo, embodying the past, present and future Buddha. They can only be viewed by visitors on special occasions(spring and autumn). 

The temple's three statues are 1300 years old, rising to the height of seven meters, are enshrined in this hall. .

Kinpusenji Temple hosts occasional Shugendo workshops, which stress feats of physical and mental endurance of the elements, such as hanging off cliffs or sitting under waterfalls, which Shugendo teaches to be a path to enlightenment. The temple is also the start of the pilgrimage trail to the sacred Mount Omine.

 

 Speaking of Mt.Yoshino, nothing beats Senbonzakura

The cherry blossoms on Mt. Yoshino are called "Ichimoku Senbon". The word was born from the scenery from Yoshimizu Shrine, a World Heritage Site, but it means that about 30,000 cherry trees growing in clusters on this mountain, and you can see a luxurious landscape of 1000 cherry trees in sight. 

Therefore, the area from the low altitude near "Yoshino Station" on the Kintetsu Yoshino Line to the depths of the mountains is called "Shimo-Senbon", "Naka-Senbon", "Kami-senbon", and "Oku-Senbon". The long cherry-blossom viewing period is another attraction of Mt. Yoshino because it blooms from the foot of the mountain to the summit.

I recommend you should visit Yoshino in spring when cherry blossoms are blooming. 

I hope you’ll have a great time in Japan！

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