Every April, the hillsides of Yoshino turn pink and white as tens of thousands of cherry trees burst into bloom, and the narrow ridge-top town fills with visitors who come to see one of Japan's most famous blossom displays. But Yoshino is more than a flower show. It is the heart of Shugendō, a mountain religion that blends Buddhism, Shinto and ancient nature worship, and the Kimpusen-ji temple, with its enormous wooden main hall, the Zaō-dō, is its spiritual centre. The temple is part of the Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range, listed by UNESCO in 2004.
The Zaō-dō is one of the largest wooden buildings in Japan, and inside, hidden for most of the year, are huge statues of Zaō Gongen, a fierce deity with blue skin and flaming hair. Yoshino was also briefly the seat of the Southern Court in the fourteenth century, when the Emperor Go-Daigo set up a rival imperial court here during a period of civil war. From Yoshino, the Ōmine pilgrimage route runs south along the mountain ridges to the Kumano shrines, a demanding trek through forests and over peaks that ascetics still undertake.
The roads in the Kii mountains are some of the most beautiful in Japan, winding through deep valleys and over passes, with forests of cedar and cypress and villages clinging to the slopes. Many roads are narrow and twisty, with tight bends, tunnels and steep drops, and they can be slippery in rain, which is frequent. Traffic is generally light, except during the cherry blossom season, when Yoshino becomes extremely crowded and access may be restricted. Autumn, with its red and gold leaves, is another beautiful time to visit.
Yoshino has small shops, restaurants and guesthouses, but fuel is better found in larger towns like Gojō, Sakurai or Gose. Try kakinoha-zushi, sushi wrapped in persimmon leaves, a local speciality, and kuzu, a starch made from the arrowroot plant, used in sweets and noodles. Stay overnight in a temple lodging if you can, to experience the morning prayers.