Off The Beaten Track, Totsukawa Village

Totsukawa Village is the biggest village in Japan and 96% of the village is in the mountains. The lifestyle of people in Totsukawa is based on coexistence with the incredible nature in which it is embedded. Since it is simply hard for many people to access, it is unlike anywhere else in Japan.

If you are interested in nature, onsen, outdoor activities, countryside life, or deep Japanese culture, please check Totsukawa Village Website below, was opened last year and offers a wealth of useful information about the village.

https://visittotsukawa.com/

Instagram on the Website is updated on a regular basis, so you can also find seasonal information.

What you can find on the Website is:

Reviews from tourists who enjoyed their time in Totsukawa Village…

Tours in Totsukawa Village (which you can book via Nara Experience.com)…

… and a photo gallery (on Instagram).

There are a lot of attractive spots to be shared.

Tamaki-jinja Shrine

It is believed that the gods dwell in Tamaki-jinja Shrine, a registered World Heritage Site (as part of the “Sacred Sites and Pilrimage Routes of the Kii Mountain Range”). Tamaki-jinja Shrine is located in a lonely place at the southern tip of the Omine Mountain Range, at the top of Mt. Tamaki (alt.: 1,076m). It is said to have been established in 37 BC. Large cedars and other trees over 1,000 years old stand tall within the grounds of the shrine.

Dorokyo Gorge

Dorokyo Gorge is officially within the boundaries of Yoshino Kumano National Park, but it is a huge canyon that straddles Nara, Mie, and Wakayama prefectures. It is officially recognized as one of Japan’s most beautiful places and the beauty of Dorokyo Gorge is in its nature – the emerald green surface of the water, the rough cliffs, and the huge boulders woven into the landscape.

Kamiyu Onsen

With the sounds of birds singing and river views from men’s open-air bath, this is peaceful place to enjoy the relaxing mountain atmosphere. Kamiyu Onsen is a public bath, and it is not only tourists that enjoy it but also locals who have long used it. An onsen is more than just a bath for Japanese. It offers the chance to restore both body and mind, and sometimes gives us a social place to talk with strangers or other travelers. Please enjoy every meeting and encounter you will have at the onsen!

Access to Totsukawa:

Without a car it is not easy to access Totsukawa, but there are Nara Kotsu buses running between Yamato-Yagi Station (on the Kintetsu Line) and Shingu Station (on the JR Nanki Line). The buses run 3 times a day.