is a mountain located in the town of

Yoshino Yoshino may refer to: * Yoshino cherry, another name for ''Prunus × yedoensis'', a flowering cherry tree * Japanese cruiser Yoshino, Japanese cruiser ''Yoshino'', a protected cruiser of the Imperial Japanese Navy Places * Yoshino, Nara, a town ...

Yoshino District is a Districts of Japan, district located in Nara Prefecture, Japan. In 2020, the district had an estimated population of 37,086 and a population density, density of 18.05 persons per km2. The total area is 2,055 km2. On September 25, 2005, th ...

Nara Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Nara Prefecture has a population of 1,321,805 and has a geographic area of . Nara Prefecture borders Kyoto Prefecture to the north, Osaka Prefecture to the northwest, Wakayama P ...

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

that is a major religious and literary site. It is renowned for its

cherry blossom A cherry blossom, also known as Japanese cherry or sakura, is a flower of many trees of genus ''Prunus'' or ''Prunus'' subg. ''Cerasus''. They are common species in East Asia, including China, Korea and especially in Japan. They generally ...

s and attracts many visitors every spring, when the trees are in blossom. In 2004, Mount Yoshino was designated as part of a

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

under the name ''

Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located on the Kii Peninsula in Japan. Selection criteria The locations and paths for this heritage site were based on their historical and modern imp ...

''. Mount Yoshino is famous for having more than 30,000

sakura A cherry blossom, also known as Japanese cherry or sakura, is a flower of many trees of Prunus, genus ''Prunus'' or Prunus subg. Cerasus, ''Prunus'' subg. ''Cerasus''. They are common species in East Asia, including China, Korea and especia ...

flowering cherry trees. These trees have inspired Japanese ''

waka Waka may refer to: Culture and language * Waka (canoe), a Polynesian word for canoe; especially, canoes of the Māori of New Zealand ** Waka ama, a Polynesian outrigger canoe ** Waka hourua, a Polynesian ocean-going canoe ** Waka taua, a Māori w ...

'' poetry and folk songs for centuries, including a ''

'' in the 10th century poetry compilation ''

Kokin Wakashū The , commonly abbreviated as , is an early anthology of the ''waka'' form of Japanese poetry, dating from the Heian period. An imperial anthology, it was conceived by Emperor Uda () and published by order of his son Emperor Daigo () in about ...

''. Yoshino is also the subject of several poems in the ''

Ogura Hyakunin Isshu is a classical Japanese anthology of one hundred Japanese ''waka'' by one hundred poets. ''Hyakunin isshu'' can be translated to "one hundred people, one poem ach; it can also refer to the card game of ''uta-garuta'', which uses a deck compos ...

''. The 12th century CE Japanese Buddhist poet

Saigyō was a famous Japanese poet of the late Heian and early Kamakura period. Biography Born in Kyoto to a noble family, he lived during the traumatic transition of power between the old court nobles and the new samurai warriors. After the start of ...

writes of Mount Yoshino's cherry blossoms. Yoshino's cherry trees were planted in four groves at different altitudes, in part so they would come into bloom at different times of the spring. A 1714 account explained that, on their climb to the top, travelers would be able to enjoy the lower 1,000 cherry trees at the base, the middle 1,000 on the way, the upper 1,000 toward the top, and the 1,000 in the precincts of the inner shrine at the top. Several important religious and pilgrimage destinations are located around Mount Yoshino, including

Yoshino Mikumari Shrine is a Shinto shrine located on Mount Yoshino in Yoshino district, Nara, Japan.Richard, Ponsonby-Fane. (1964) '' Visiting Famous Shrines in Japan,'' pp. 300-307. It is closely associated with Emperor Go-Daigo. The Shrine is dedicated to ', a fe ...

, Kimpu Shrine and

Kimpusen-ji is the head temple of a branch of the Shugendō religion called Kinpusen-Shugendō in Yoshino district, Nara Prefecture, Japan. According to tradition, it was founded by En no Gyōja, who propagated a form of mountain asceticism drawing from Sh ...

. Famous products that can be found in shops in the area of Mount Yoshino include edible goods made from ''

kudzu Kudzu (; also called Japanese arrowroot or Chinese arrowroot) is a group of climbing, coiling, and trailing deciduous perennial vines native to much of East Asia, Southeast Asia, and some Pacific islands, but invasive species, invasive in many ...

'' root and persimmon leaf-wrapped

sushi is a Japanese cuisine, Japanese dish of prepared , usually with some sugar and salt, accompanied by a variety of , such as seafood, often raw, and vegetables. Styles of sushi and its presentation vary widely, but the one key ingredient is " ...

(''kakinoha-zushi).''

Hiking

Yoshinoyama has numerous hiking trails meandering through the town and the cherry blossom forests. A whole day can be spent hiking these trails and visiting all the different viewpoints. Multi-day hiking trails also connect to Koyasan and the town of Hongu in Wakayama prefecture.

Gallery

File:Cherry blossoms at Yoshinoyama 01.jpg, Cherry blossoms at Mount Yoshino File:Kinpusenji Yoshino Nara02n4272.jpg, "Zaō-Hall" (Zaōdō) of

, a World Heritage Site File:Yoshino-yama-hills-cherry-blossom-2018-Luka-Peternel.jpg, Cherry blossoms on the surrounding hills

Notes

References

* Mostow, Joshua S., ed. (1996)
''Pictures of the Heart: The Hyakunin Isshu in Word and Image.''
Honolulu:

University of Hawaii Press A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, the ...

. .

External links

National Archives of Japan The preserve Japanese government documents and historical records and make them available to the public. Although Japan's reverence for its unique history and art is well documented and illustrated by collections of art and documents, there is al ...

''Yoshinoyama syokeizu,''
guide to Mt. Yoshino in Yamato Province written by Kaibara Ekiken (1630–1714), published in 1714. *

Kabuki is a classical form of Japanese dance-drama. Kabuki theatre is known for its heavily-stylised performances, the often-glamorous costumes worn by performers, and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers. Kabuki is thought to ...

play: ''Yoshitune Sembon Zakura'' (Yoshitsune and the Thousand Cherry Trees)
''Yoshinoyama'' (The Journey to Mt. Yoshino), Act 4, Scene 1
Yoshino, Nara Mountains of Nara Prefecture Places of Scenic Beauty World Heritage Sites in Japan Historic Sites of Japan Shinto in Japan Hanami spots of Japan Shinbutsu shūgō Shugendō {{Nara-geo-stub

Hiking

Gallery

See also

Notes

References

External links