I Went to Mt. Yoshino to See the Fall Foliage Deliberately
Falling in love with solo travel all over again
Yoshino from up above.
With my husband on a business trip for the final week of November, choosing the ideal spot to experience the fall colors in peak bloom was solely up to me. Koyasan would be more fun with my history buff husband, while villages like Hatenashi or Totsukawa were too far for a day trip. Looking at my map, I set my sights on Mt. Yoshino.
The entry point to Yoshino-Kumano National Park, Mt. Yoshino is easily accessible by train and doesn’t require strenuous hiking. Although more famous during the spring season for its 30,000 cherry blossom trees that turn the mountainside into a pink landscape, the Yoshino area is an underrated destination for kouyou (fall foliage).
Because I plan on returning in the warmer months, I didn’t put too much pressure on myself to see everything. Instead, I leisurely enjoyed the sights, smells, and tastes of Mt. Yoshino, taking my time and being reminded of the benefits of solo travel.
Setting my own pace
For most of the 1.5-hour journey, I watched my downloaded episodes of Virtuous Business, my latest K-drama about a group of women who start a lingerie and sex toy shop. Thankfully, the train car was nearly empty, allowing me to laugh with abandon. Punctuating the comedic start to the day was the glorious mountain scenery as we glided into Yoshino at 9:25 a.m.
Having forgotten my energy gel in the chaos of packing for the rain expected in the afternoon, I stopped for yomogi mochi with sweet red bean paste to appease my growling stomach before heading off into the woods.
According to reviews on Google Maps, it was exactly 17,000 steps to the summit. Instead, I found only a couple hundred steps cutting through gentle paved slopes as I made my way to Kinpusen-ji, fittingly named the Temple of Golden Peaks.
The first gate was closed for construction, but I continued on to find the rest of the grounds open to the public. Grateful that my journey wasn’t for naught, my excitement was temporarily deflated at the steep 1600 yen entry fee for Zao-do, the main hall. For reference, the average entry fee for shrines and temples in Japan ranges from 500-1000 yen!
That being said, the interiors of the main hall are mesmerizing, and it’s a pity you’re not allowed to photograph them. The corridor winding around it is filled with intricate Buddhist statues. Unfortunately, the descriptions have no English translations, so I could only appreciate the aesthetics of them this time around.
In the center of the main building, three blue figures tower over visitors at 7.28 meters (24 feet). After standing in line, you can kneel at an altar with half-shoji dividers wrapped around you for privacy.
These three statues are of Zao Gongen, a protector of the mountain ascetics who practice the ancient religion of Shugendo nearby. Each figure represents one of three beings, or the past, present, and future. Believed to have been carved in the late 17th century, they truly are an intimidating sight to behold.
Another favorite spot within Kinpusen-ji was a pair of foxes guarding the corner where an orange altar was erected. A common motif across the temple grounds, the male and female foxes invoke the Inari deity.
Not keeping an eye on the time, I wandered westward down the slope to find a training hall for the Yamabushi monks, dozens of stone carvings succumbing to moss, and buildings so perfectly framed by the maple leaves I couldn’t resist snapping photos from every angle.
My last stop before lunch was a light art installation, which charged me yet another 300 yen. With a beautiful zen garden and cozy atmosphere, it was the kind of place I’d love to sit and write for the day—if only they offered some source of caffeination.
Japan: a haven for solo travelers
Funnily enough, traveling without my Japanese husband drew me into more conversations with the people I came across. The staff members at Zao-do helped me get my clunky trail shoes in the bag, and when I circled back around to ask for the complimentary gold charm, they were curious about where I’m living in Japan and my home country.
Then, at the light art installation, my mediocre Japanese was once again complimented before I explained that I have a Japanese husband and returned the compliment of the soothing atmosphere created in her space.
There was even a young monk who welcomed me to the temple as he walked toward the training hall. How I wish I had struck up a conversation with him! Shugendo monks typically regard women as “impure,” so to have a friendly face greet me was unexpected, to say the least.
At Tofu Chaya Hayashi, where I supped, I once again had a brief exchange with the waitress before ordering Tofu Tantanmen. Adapted from the Sichuan dish, the broth was lacking in spice but rich in flavor—ideal for a semi-cold day.
It occurred to me that this was the first time I’ve dined anywhere by myself, and I rather enjoyed it. Popping on my K-drama once more, I slurped away in the calm of the restaurant without an ounce of embarrassment.
Maybe it speaks to the culture of introversion and overworking, but in Japan, around half the people in any establishment are eating alone. As I wandered around Yoshino, there was at least one solo traveler for every couple or family. And unlike in the U.S., my safety as a woman was not under threat, either, putting me at ease.
Checking Google Maps, I hadn’t yet been to the other famous viewing spot, Hitome Senbon, located within Yoshimizu-ji. Once arrived, I was delighted to find a small koi pond just before the viewpoint. Having spent so much on entry fees already, I declined to go inside the temple itself, instead crossing to Hitome Senbon just across the way.
There wasn’t much kouyou to speak of as the forest comprised mostly of bare cherry trees, but it was a beautiful sight nonetheless. After capturing a few panoramic videos, it was time to wrap the day up with a soak in the onsen.
Yoshino no Yu is the most expensive onsen I’ve patronized, coming in at 1500 yen during peak times and 1000 yen during the off-season. Luckily, I had brought a sweat towel, which had gone unused and therefore saved me an additional 200 yen just for the pleasure of drying myself off.
The people on Google Reviews evidently found better angles than me, because while the infinity onsen did have mountain views, they were mostly obscured by a yuzu tree in real life. That didn’t matter, though, because I had the entire place to myself—a rarity for public onsens. Therefore, I took a photo before submerging myself in the blissfully deep waters, closing my eyes as the yuzu scent wafted toward me. Was it worth 1500 yen? I can’t say, but I’m still glad I finished off the day in the onsen.
Home with the rain
Because I went without Google Maps for much of my meandering, I assumed I’d hit everything as I walked back down to the station. As it turns out, there was one viewing point I didn’t reach, plus a short waterfall hike closer to the top. Either way, it probably wouldn’t have made a difference, because I wanted to make it back before the heavy rain hit around 3.
Besides, I was more than content with the four hours I’d spent in Yoshino. At 1:35 p.m., the train pulled out of the station to take me home.
Inevitably, I had to wait another 35 minutes at Yoshinoguchi Station with no bathroom to relieve my full bladder, but at least it gave me time to sort the day’s photos. As much as I’d had a good time exploring Mt. Yoshino by myself, I was even more excited to share my adventures with my husband, who was in Bali, and my cousin, who still lives in Michigan. Even after paring down the selection, I still had nearly 70 photos to send because the fall leaves were too good not to include.
Just as I pulled into my home station, it began down-pouring, so I pulled out my rain jacket and umbrella and gleefully ran most of the darkening way home like a child stomping in puddles.
After a well-deserved bath, I spent the rest of the night reading The Priory of the Orange Tree, watching my K-drama, and rehashing my trip with both Taka and my cousin, Megan.
With the fall foliage and cooler weather coming much later in the year, it was such a pleasure to take it all in on Mt. Yoshino. For sure, I will be back in the spring to see this gorgeous area turn pink—potentially acting as a tour guide for my uninitiated husband!
Access:
From Osaka: Take the Midosuji Line Local from Umeda Station to Tennōji Station. Walk three minutes to Osaka Abenobashi Station, taking the Kintetsu Limited Express to Yoshino. The trip takes an hour and 28 minutes.
Alternatively, you can take the Yamatoji Line from Namba Osaka to Ōji Station before transferring to the Wakayama Line. Get off at Yoshinoguchi, taking the Kintetsu Limited Express to Yoshino. Don’t forget to tap your IC card at Yoshinoguchi Station as you are switching from JR to Kintetsu.
From Nara: Take the Yamatoji Line to Ōji Station, then the Wakayama Line to Yoshinoguchi Station. Again, don’t forget to tap your IC card here. At Yoshinoguchi Station, take the Kintetsu Yoshino Line all the way to Yoshino. This trip will take an hour and 37 minutes.
There is a bus and cable car to take you to the top of Yoshino if you so choose. I’m not sure if either of these are wheelchair-accessible, but if you’re not keen to walk, these are the options available. As I said, I didn’t go to the highest peak, Sanjogatake, but the hike is entirely paved and suitable even for beginners. Make no mistake, though, the scenery more than makes up for the somewhat uninteresting terrain!
All the attractions mentioned in this article are within a few minutes’ walk of each other, so it’s convenient to explore, even if the entry fees are on the higher end. Having seen the crowds the cherry blossom season can bring, I’m so glad I got to see Yoshino in all its under-appreciated autumnal glory this year with minimal people, and I hope you can, too. If either Nara or Japan itself is too far, let this story be an encouragement to give solo travel a try this fall.
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