Aoba no Taki Waterfall & Seiyo-ji Temple
This mysterious waterfall cascades from a forest behind Seiyo-ji Temple in Uda City, which had long been a place for…
Hingashi-no-Taki Falls
Just a five-minute walk from the sacred Niukawakami Jinja Shrine, Higashi-no-Taki (“The Eastern Waterfall”) flows into Yumebuchi, a deep pool…
Nageshi no Taki Falls
This waterfall is a 15-meter waterfall on the Takino River in the precincts of Hakuba-ji Temple in Higashi Yoshino Village.…
Nanataki-Yatsubo Falls
Nanataki-Yatsubo is a cascade at a hidden spot in Higashiyoshino Village. The name means “seven falls and eight basins” in…
Saijobo Waterfall
It is said that there used to be a Buddhist temple here called Saijobo, where ascetics purified themselves and worshipped…
Atago Fire Festival & Nabari River Fireworks
Atago Fire Festival is a Shinto ritual, which has been taking place at Atago Shrine for about 100 years to…
Akino Hotaru Noh
Noh is performed on the traditional stage on the premises of Aki Shrine every June or May. During the performances,…
Enjoying Installation Art in Murou, Nara
It's that time of year when the trees are getting greener and greener, and when you're driving along, you can’t…
Yatagarasu Shrine
This shrine enshrines Yatagarasu, a legendary three-legged crow, and is associated with the first emperor of Japan, Jimmu. Legend has…
Grape & Strawberry Picking
You can enjoy grape picking from mid-July through October, strawberry picking from January to late-May at Shorenji Lake Tourism Village…
A Village Where Creators Gather – Higashiyoshino
Nature, pottery, and international exchange One day in September, in the last days of summer, I drove to Higashiyoshino Village…
‘Zokin Dash in Mitsue’ — Floor-wiping Race
This race is held at an old elementary school in Mitsue Village every autumn. Participants dash from one end of…
Campgrounds in East Nara & Nabari
Surrounded by rustic nature and clear streams, the East Nara Nabari is one of the best areas for camping in…
Michi-no-Eki Ise Honkaido Mitsue & Mitsue Onsen ‘Himeshi no Yu’
This Michi-no-Eki is located at the intersection of National Routes 369 and 368 in Mitsue Village. As the name shows,…
8 Best Firefly Viewing Spots
In East Nara Nabari, we start to see fireflies or hotaru near clear meadows and streams in early summer. Although you encounter…
A Poolful of Giant Salamanders
Habitats of Giant Salamanders Do you know what the largest amphibian is? Giant salamanders! And among the giant salamander family,…
Himeshi Myojin, a Mysterious Hidden Sanctuary in East Nara
Are you a Nara person or a Kyoto person? I know Kyoto is one of the most popular travel destinations…
Wanpaku Zoo
Wanpaku Zoo is a small petting zoo where you can play with animals such as goats, rabbits, and ducks. Your…
Shisha Shrine
Located on Ise Honkaido, one of the oldest pilgrimage roads that connect Yamato, part of Nara Prefecture, and Ise, pilgrims…
Ise Honkaido
Ise Honkaido is one of the oldest and the steepest pilgrimage roads that connect Yamato, part of Nara Prefecture, and…
Mikumari Zakura Cherry Trees
100 cherry trees known as “Mikumari Zakura” or Mikumari Cherry Trees are planted along the riverbank near the Udano Mikumari…
Snow Mountain Trekking
Although winter is the most severe season to climb the mountain, the reward is the view—the rime ice. Rime ice…
Boken-no-mori Yamazoe
Yamazoe, a small village with rustic forests and yet good access from a major highway, is a perfect destination for…
The best short hike in Kansai
Planning a day trip from Osaka? How about a short hike? Now that cherry blossom season is almost over, it’s…