Yamanobe no Michi: Walking the Oldest Road in Japan
An unexpected journey through rural Nara Prefecture
The entrance to Omiwa Shrine.
Living in the Japanese countryside has its perks, but efficient public transportation is not one of them. Having spent too long applying sunscreen for the day ahead, my husband and I would now have to step out for the 7:56 train instead — a full 20 minutes later. And with a four-hour hike awaiting us on this blistering summer day, I wasn’t enthused about our late start.
An hour and two train transfers later, we arrived in Tenri, where we were set to hike the Yamanobe no Michi path. Part of the Shinkaido, the oldest road in Japan stretching from the Kansai region where I live to Tokyo up north, it doesn’t get more historical than this.
After a konbini stock-up and a few minutes of confused wandering through what appeared to be a festival set-up, we found the trailhead. Although only 9:30 a.m., the temperature would climb from upwards of 32C (89F for my fellow Americans) for the next 11 kilometers. With plenty of fluids in tow, my husband and I set off.
A mossy andon.
The roosters’ calls
The roosters heralded our first stop at Isonokami Shrine, a moss-covered complex in the woodlands. When my husband and I first moved to Nara, the history and scenery were what drove our decision. Coming across shrines and temples predating the existence of my home country is a regular occurrence, but the beauty of these places never gets old.
Because I like to keep our anticipated weekend hikes as a surprise, I hadn’t done much research beforehand except a precursory search on the Nara Tourism Board’s website. Hence, I wasn’t expecting the first section to be an entirely paved path through farmlands.
Nevertheless, the abundance of greenery acted as a boon in the sickening humidity. Dragonflies were gliding over the rice paddies in scores, dotting the clear sky with their deep blue color. My husband and I were reminded of a trip to Yufuin during our time living in Kyūshū.
As we passed the houses, we got to see proper gardens and crops grown faithfully by their owners, including a glee-inducing sunflower field. I remarked to my husband that, although we were walking into the past, it also felt like we were seeing a glimpse of our rural, domestic future.
Like many areas in Japan, Yamanobe no Michi’s history collides with the present. At every landmark along the way, modern burgundy signs tacked on hundred-year-old barns alerted us of our proximity to certain destinations, along with a map that showed how far along we were on the trail.
Because time always seems to slow down on a hike, my husband and I were dismayed when we realized we were only halfway through once we hit Chogakuji Temple. We hadn’t seen a single soul other than the occasional farmer out on the field, and we were parched. Just then, we happened upon a vending machine, whose ambrosia-level sparkling lemonade powered us through the next half.
A sunflower field among rice paddies.
People at last
Maybe the deities guarding this trail felt our need for something to lift our spirits because we soon came across other hikers for the first time.
The contrast between Western hikers and Japanese hikers always makes me laugh. There I was with most of my skin exposed in a colorful tank and shorts, a running hat with a sun shade, a hydration vest, and my trail running shoes with a sleeve of tattoos on full display. The Japanese hikers we came across, meanwhile, were covered head to toe in black UV-blocking fabric, including what I term the Japanese Sun-Defying Balaclava. My Japanese husband fell somewhere between the two in a t-shirt and Uniqlo shorts.
I love hiking in Japan because everyone greets one another (in part to check if you’re a ghost inhabiting the mountain). We’re all coming together with the shared goal of enjoying the road, something that transcends language, culture, and nationality.
We also passed a large community building what appeared to be a cafe in their neighborhood. Their lively energy carried us on.
Not for too long, though. About three-quarters of the way in, my husband plopped down on the ground like a French Bulldog and insisted on taking a break. He’d neglected to bring a snack, so I fed him some of my disgustingly warm pineapple energy gel, taking in the view as my husband responded to a few texts.
Like a Siberian Husky in a sled race, I hate taking breaks on the trail. After yet another application of sunscreen, I pulled us up, creaky legs and all. Alternating between walking and running, we descended upon the endpoint, Omiwa Shrine, soaked in sweat to the point where other worshippers gave us an embarrassingly wide berth.
A very sweaty break at three-quarters of the way in.
Finish line delirium
Omiwa Shrine is reportedly one of the oldest Shinto shrines in Japan. Gold adorns the wooden altars scattered across the mountainside, and each entryway has a wooden gate with a roped banner (shimenawa in Japanese) across it to welcome visitors.
Adjacent to the shrine is Mt. Miwa, a mountain that requires special permission to hike it. As we wandered around the grounds, we observed several hikers coming back down and bowing in thanks to the mountain for a great hike. Noting this, I mentally added Mt. Miwa to our hiking bucket list for later.
It was 12:45 at that point, a full hour after we normally eat lunch, so getting something into our starved, heat-stricken bodies took priority over relishing in our accomplishment.
Miwa is home to a dish known as Miwa somen, which, from the pictures, looked like sections of chilled angel hair noodles folded up into squares. As we inspected the local restaurants, we found several variations of this, ultimately deciding on the one that was the least crowded.
The rare Japanese A.C. was thankfully blasting as we sat down. My husband and I opted for noodles in a warm broth with tempura on top and inarizushi (another specialty of Nara) on the side. In retrospect, the noodles didn’t have that much flavor, but we gobbled them up nevertheless.
A special touch of this particular restaurant was that the menu had an artistic map of Yamanobe no Michi on its final page, allowing us to reminisce on how far we’d come. In total, we’d hiked around 14 kilometers, including the walk to the trailhead and the side trips along the way, making this our longest hike yet.
Although the trail was mostly gentle slopes, we’d had no shade the majority of the time, leaving us feeling delirious and weary. Needless to say, we were anxious to get home, clean ourselves up, and sleep the rest of the afternoon.
Before we bid adieu to Yamanobe no Michi, the gods had a little prank in store for us, though: the conductorless train left just as I got my ticket out of the machine a mere five steps away, and the next train wasn’t for another 20 minutes.
I was in dire need of some caffeine, and my husband was in the mood for “a little something sweet,” so we headed back down the road to enjoy some Coke fresh out of the can paired with dango (mochi skewers) from a local shop. It was a sublime way to cap off the day.
Omiwa Shrine.
Reflections
Never was I in more desperate need of a shower than after this nearly four-hour summer hike. My husband and I tried to sit far away from other people on the train, but I was relieved to end their suffering once we finally made it to our home station. Washing off all that grime was as spiritually cleansing as the hike itself.
Sick as we felt, my husband and I accomplished nothing else for the rest of the day. I stretched, elevated my feet, and did some foam rolling before taking a short nap, while he proceeded to sleep for the entire afternoon.
There’s something so fulfilling about exerting yourself to the point of exhaustion, especially in such a beautiful place like Tenri. To get to challenge myself and experience these places with my best friend by my side is a great privilege.
After doing this pilgrimage, I’ve realized my desire to have more immersive, historical hiking experiences like this in Japan. To not only go out in nature but to feel the sense of community that is so prevalent in the rural areas of Japan.
Tenri’s Yamanobe no Michi has opened up the possibility of a whole new avenue of hikes for me, and I can’t wait to explore more trails like this one. Mt. Miwa, I’ll be back for you soon.
Access:
You can access Tenri Yamanobe no Michi via Tenri Station, about a 16-minute ride from Nara Station on the Man-yo Mahoroba Line. If you’re coming from Osaka, the simplest way to get to Tenri is by taking the Osaka Loop Line from Osaka Station to Nara Station, then transferring to the Man-yo Mahoroba Line, which takes just over an hour in total.
From there, simply walk straight ahead until you find the large torii gate for Isonokami-Jingu Shrine, the starting point for Yamanobe no Michi.
The road is fairly easy to navigate, with red signs along the way telling you the name of each location in both Japanese and English. There are also maps on the signposts showing you how far along you are.
The official end point is Omiwa Shrine, with several restaurants just down the hill. It’s recommended to try miwa somen noodles there, as it’s the signature dish of the area. To get back home, you can either carry on to Sakurai Station or take the train directly from Miwa Station nearby. If returning via Miwa Station, you can take the Man-yo Mahoroba Line back to Nara, then the Yamatoji Line to Osaka. If returning via Sakurai Station, take the Kintetsu-Osaka Line to Tsuruhashi, transferring to the Osaka Loop Line bound for Osaka. From Sakurai Station, you can also take the Man-yo Mahoroba Line bound for Nara. Be advised that the trains at Miwa Station are infrequent, but there are vending machines and a dango shop nearby to eat at while you wait.
Depending on how many places you stop at along the way, the walk will take you anywhere between 3.5-4 hours. Wheelchair users will be able to glide down most of the flat, paved road, but some stone sections will need to be bypassed. Unfortunately, most of the shrines don’t have ramps, limiting access to the key sightseeing spots. The road is largely exposed, so please remember to reapply sunscreen throughout the day or bring a UV umbrella! Additionally, there are minimal vending machines or cafes along the way, so I highly recommend getting all your drinks and snacks at a konbini near Tenri Station before setting off.
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