Cool Off in the Mountains of Southern Nara

Looking for some summer fun and a way to escape from the hot and humid weather? Look no further than southern Nara Prefecture, where you can cool off and take a refreshing swim in the area’s scenic river valleys. Read on to learn about a couple of recommended riverside locations in this region that are sure to please.

The beautiful Yoshino River begins nearby Mt. Odaigahara and runs to the southern ocean side of Wakayama City.

Yoshino River

Yoshino Town is a mountain town in southern Nara that comes with our highest recommendations for its ease of access and variety of amazing things to do. On top of its beautiful outdoor scenery and thriving lumber industry, the town is most famous for the Yoshinoyama temple district, which is home to thousands of cherry blossom trees that bloom along the mountainsides during the spring.

The Yoshinoyama temple district of Yoshino Town.

The Yoshino River also passes through the town of Yoshino, and has long been known as an important crossing point into the sacred mountains of the Kii Peninsula. During the warmer months of the year, this river is a popular spot for outdoor recreation, attracting crowds of people. There are several locations along the Yoshino River where visitors are allowed to picnic and set up a BBQ (see here for more info) but the most easily accessed location is the “River Field Yoshino” location, which can be reached on foot from Yamato-Kamiichi Station. This location is also convenient for being in the vicinity of both a convenience store and a small grocery market, where you can continually buy supplies to keep the fun going all day; just be sure to arrive early if you want access to the most popular foodstuffs.

The Riverfield BBQ area along the Yoshino River.

It is also possible to rent electric bicycles from the Information Center located next to Yamato-Kamiichi Station, so that you can cruise the area with ease. There are many nice, more isolated spots to be found along the river as well if you wish to avoid the crowds, just be sure you don’t start a BBQ in non-designated spots.

Nyu River

Kurotaki Village is located to the south of Yoshino Town, deeper in the mountains and therefore likely cooler in temperature on most days. This will also mean that for access you will probably want a motor vehicle or to take the bus which runs regularly from in front of Shimoichiguchi Station to the Kurotaki Roadside Station. From the roadside station, it is about a 20 minute walk to the Morimonogatari Village park area, next to which runs the Nyu River and a long artificial riverside embankment built for visitors to set up picnics and enjoy wading in the river.

Bridge to the Morimonogatari Village in Kurotaki Village. 

Within the Morimonogatari Village are designated BBQ pits with roofs and benches that make it an ideal area for enjoying a party without any hassles. There is also a small hotel, hot spring facility, pool, and restaurant that make this fairly isolated spot in the mountains surprisingly comfortable and convenient. If you want to add some hiking into your trip to Kurotaki Village, there is an interesting trail course which runs over a nearby suspension bridge  and up to the peak of a mountain.

Suspension bridge above Morimonogatari Village.

We also highly recommend taking the time to explore the previously mentioned roadside station so that you can get an idea of the locally grown and hand made products of Kurotaki, including pickled white cucumber and konyaku on a stick. There is also a convenience store and a unique restaurant which serves meals made with wild boar meat.

The above 2 mentioned locations are just a few of the many amazing locations to visit in the mountains of southern Nara.  For more recommendations, please feel free to contact us anytime here at Kansai Nara Treasure Travel.

Access:

River Field Yoshino is located in the town of Yoshino and can be accessed by Yamato-Kamiichi Station.  Local and express trains run regularly on the Kintetsu to Yoshino from Osaka-Abenobashi Station in downtown Osaka.  The bus stop for the Kurotaki Roadside Station is located in front of Shimoichiguchi Station, which also is located on the same Kintetsu Yoshino Line which runs from Osaka-Abenobashi Station and both local and express trains stop there.