Hills, Forest and Cherry Walks in Nara

Part of the Nara travel guide — see every topic in All Nara Guides.

Behind Nara Park rise green hills and an old forest. You can climb a grassy hill for a wide view over the city, or walk forest paths under very tall trees. In spring, the hills of Yoshino, south of Nara, turn white and pink with tens of thousands of cherry trees. This guide covers these walks, how long they take and when to go.

Mount Wakakusa

Mount Wakakusa is a grassy hill 342 metres high on the east side of Nara Park. It has no trees on its slopes, so the view is open. The hill has three levels. From the top you can see across Nara city and the wide basin to the hills beyond. The walk from the gate at the base to the top takes about 30 to 45 minutes and is steep in places. There is a small entry fee. The hill is closed in winter, from about mid December to mid March. Each January, the dry grass is burned in an evening event with fireworks. Sunset from the top is very popular.

Kasugayama forest

Kasugayama Primeval Forest covers about 300 hectares of hills behind Nara Park. Hunting and logging have been banned here for more than 1,100 years, since the year 841. Because of this, the forest has very old trees, thick moss and many kinds of plants and birds. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site and a special natural monument. You cannot walk freely inside the protected core. Instead, a walking path and a forest road go around it. A full loop takes about two to three hours. The path is quiet and shady, good on hot days.

Walking tips

Wear good walking shoes, as the forest paths have stones, roots and some steep parts. The paths can be wet and slippery after rain. Bring water, since there are few shops in the hills. You may meet deer on the trails. They are calmer here than in the busy park, but do not feed them on the trail. Start in the morning, so you finish well before dark, because the forest gets dark early. You can combine Mount Wakakusa and the forest path in one long walk, then come down into Nara Park near Todai-ji.

Yoshino cherry blossoms

Mount Yoshino is a long mountain ridge in the south of Nara Prefecture. It has about 30,000 cherry trees, planted in four main groves at different heights. The trees bloom in order from the bottom to the top, so the season lasts a few weeks, usually from early to late April. On peak days it is very crowded, so start early and go on a weekday if you can. You can walk up from Yoshino Station or take a ropeway and buses part of the way. The views across the valley full of white and pink trees are the main reason to come.

Getting to Yoshino

Yoshino is on the Kintetsu railway. From Nara, take Kintetsu trains to Kashiharajingu-mae and change to the Yoshino line. The trip takes about one and a half to two hours. From Osaka, Kintetsu trains run from Osaka Abenobashi Station to Yoshino, some as limited express trains with reserved seats. In cherry season, trains, buses and the ropeway have long lines, so allow extra time. Yoshino is a full day trip, with a lot of uphill walking. Outside cherry season it is quiet, green in summer and red in autumn.

Hills, Forest and Cherry Walks at a glance

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