Distance: 148km; Drive time: 4 hours; Highlights:
- Fushimi Inari Taisha,
- Nara Park,
- Todaiji temple,
- Asuka historical district,
- Ishibutai tumulus,
- Inabuchi rice terraces,
- Yoshino river,
- Koyasan.
Route description: Your first stop-off today before leaving Kyoto will be at Fushimi Inari Taisha, otherwise known as O-Inari-san. There are thousands of ‘Inari’ shrines in Japan, but this shrine is the main shrine of all of the other Inari shrines. Famous for its hundreds of small red ‘tori’ gates, this is likely one of Kyoto’s, if not Japan’s, most photographed sightseeing spots. We recommend spending a little time here, exploring and trying to capture a nice shot of the path of red tori gates.
When you are ready, make your way to the highway entry point. You will be using the highway from Kyoto to your lunch stop at at the historic town of Nara. Park up near Nara Park, which is famously home to hundreds of over-friendly deer. Inside the park, you will find the Great Buddha Hall at Todaiji temple. This is must-see when visiting Nara. The temple is home to Japan’s largest bronze statue of the Buddha, standing (or rather sitting) at a height of 15 meters. There are plenty of cafes and restaurants around Nara park, so this is likely a great place for lunch.
When you are ready to leave, continue your drive south to the old historical district of Asuka, an ancient Japan capital, way back in the Asuka period (538-510AD). The origins of this area however go back even further, as evidence shows from the many ancient burial mounds that can be found in the area. In Asuka town, we would recommend stopping off at the history museum to find out all about Asuka’s ancient past.
Next on today’s drive, just to the south of Asuka, is the old Ishibutai Tumulus, the largest known megalithic structure in Japan. And to the south of Ishibutai, you will find a beautiful region called Inabuchi, famous for its terraced rice fields (some great photo opportunities to be had here).
The final leg of today’s scenic drive will take you through the hills towards Yoshino town (an optional stop-off point). Yoshino is famous for its cherry blossoms in the spring, so if you are passing through in late March or early April, make sure you schedule in enough time here. After leaving Yoshino, you will be following the banks of the Yoshino River for some time, before then crossing over and driving up into the mountains. The mountain roads will begin to narrow, eventually leading you all the way up to the world-heritage listed village of Koyasan.
Koyasan is home to Japan’s Shingon Buddhism sect, and is probably the best place in Japan to experience a traditional temple stay. Many temples in Koyasan offer basic accommodation options with vegetarian meals. One of the highlights of a temple stay in Koyasan is sitting in on the early morning prayer sessions. This will likely be a special opportunity to learn a little about Japanese Buddhism. We recommend trying to reach Koyasan as early as possible, as this is quite a unique destination, and you will want to spend as much time here as possible.
Driving route map: Kyoto to Koyasan
