Day Trip from NARA city to TENKAWA.

Dear Friends,

I have few inquiries about how to get from Nara City to Tenkawa,
I write here to show how easy to get one of the beautiful place in Japan.
Tenkawa is 100 best mountains and 100 best water in Japan.
and you will enjoy full of natural environment and escape for a day into nature.

Kintetsu line would be the best solution.

1) Kintetsu Nara station to Yamato Saidaiji. (depart around 7am.)
(This train called Kintestu Nara line.)




















2) Yamato Saidaiji to Kashihara Jingu. (Kintetsu Kashihara Line.)

3) Kashihara Jingu to Shimoichi guchi.

All these trains are same Kintetsu train.
and if you take around 7am train, you will be arrive around 8:30 at Shimoichi Station.

Then, you can also take easy to Shimoichi to KAWAII station.
(Please see my previous blog OSAKA to TENKAWA.)

After you arrives to Shimoichi Station, You will take trains back to Nara city.
You will be back by 7pm at Kintstsu Nara.

I hope this help for your visiting.

Day trip from OSAKA to Tenkawa.

Dear Friends.

I had many inquiries about how to get Tenkawa from OSAKA.
and there is very limited plan we can do, so, I wrote best trip idea to share with friends !!.

1) ABENO (TENNOJI) STATION to SHIMOICHIGUCHI STATION
Please take a train by 8AM.
There are few express and limited express between 7:00AM and 8:00AM.
It costs about 900yen.
I would recommend limited express (extra 500yen) and if non smoker, please
ask at desk for non smoker seat. Abeno station has ticket office.

2) SHIMOICHI KUCHI STATION to KAWAII TENAKAWA
You will wait to 8:47 AM bus or 9:17 AM bus.
Bus will take about 1hr 10min to KAWAII station in Tenkawa.
and it costs 1,100yen to KAWAII.
IMPORTANT: There are only 2 morning buses.

After most popular hiking and enjoy lunch and cafe at Dorogawa area,
I wrote in my blog. please have a look !

3) DOROGAWA to SHIMOICHI STATION
There is ONLY 1 bus available from DOROGAWA bus station.
DOROGAWA > 3:55 PM arrive SHIMOICHI 5PM.

4) SHIMOICHI STATION to ABENO STATION (OSAKA).
Around 5:20 PM limited express to ABENO.
You will arrive 6:20PM at ABENO.

I would recommend, please bring,
* Water bottle
* Snack
* Rain gear
* Extra clothing
* Comfortable foot wear

Tenkawa located 650m-850m above sea level.
Usually 6-8 degrees cooler than city and weather is unpredictable.

I wish you have wonderful time in Tenkawa village !!

Most popular day hiking course in Tenkawa.

Dear Friends.

From last blog, I wrote about jetstar article. 

This is images of 7.5km hiking and some of key places that

I would love to share. 

From Kawaii > Mitarai Gorge > Dorogawa.

about 2.5 - 3 hour walk. very nice.

When you take a bus to KAWAII (Tenkawa's visitor office.)

You can ask some map and information. 

This is visitor's office. There is no one speak English, and very few English information. but you can get map etc..

After you take left at traffic lights and walk about 150m, you will see this image left side. 

After this bridge, you turn left to walk upstream river...

Please take this road to red bridge.  

This said MITARAI walking road. You will see this walking bridge.

When you see this red bridge, you will see little entry right hand side...

Still winter in March at Tenkawa. but soon, spring has come. You will walk right hand side of river.

Water is so vivid, energetic, pure and power. 

You will take that bridge to come where I take this photo (Mitara Gorge).

At Mitarai gorge, there is one casual restaurant. usually open but please contact if they open. T 0747-63-0457

Walking path to Dorogawa. 

After 40min walk from Mitarai, you will come out to road to Dorogawa, left side you see toilet. but you walk towards to black entrance. up hill. 

After Black Bridge, You will see this red bridge again, take this into forrest. 

You come out to Dorogawa area. 

In Dorogawa, We have natural hot spring. It costs 600 yen per person. 

You will see there are many places you can have a tea, foods, and place to stay...

Nice old town. 

Please also see MITARAI GORGE.
http://tenkawalife.blogspot.jp/2013/10/mitarai-george.html

This is my blog from last Oct 2013.

Thanks !!

Jetstar magazine's story of Tenkawa

Dear Friends and Readers.

I got this link from who wish to come to Tenkawa.
and I would love to share this story with you.

If you would like to read this, Please DOWNLOAD this page, you can see this article.  

This is a story day trip from OSAKA or KIX (Kansai Airport).
From Osaka, 2 trains to SHIMOICHI station. and 1 bus to TENKAWA KAWAII.
From KAWAII where information center of Tenkawa, you can hike 7.5 km (3-3.5h) to
DOROGAWA. Relax at Dorogawa for lunch and hot-bath, after 1 bus to SHIMOICHI.

Many Japanese traveler do this escape to deep forrest for 1 day trip.
Please check my other blog about how to take a bus and time schedule.

I am so happy to see this article.

Thank you James.

Awesome photo of Tenkawa village.

This is aerial shot of a part of “Omine Okugake no Michi”. Many highly skilled people trained at these deep mountains in Japan from ancient time. The path comes from left bottom ridge to center of photo, you can see huts of Misen (whole winter is closed.) and ridges towards top, “Hakkyo ga Take” (Tallest mountain in Kii region) after goes to all the way to Kumano. Many sacred sites and included this path and sites are registered as world heritage.

This is sacred mountains of Japanese history.

This photo is recent photo, but in same season around Feb to March when snow covered in holly mountains.

Best wishes from Tenkawa Village.

Accomodation for Ogre (Oni) in Tenkawa

Dear Friends and Readers.

Today, I would love to share about Ogre...

Setsubun is the day before the beginning of Spring in Japan.

The name literally means "seasonal division", but usually the term refers to the Spring Setsubun, properly called Risshun celebrated yearly on February 3 as part of the Spring Festival (haru matsuri). In its association with the Lunar New Year, Spring Setsubun can be and was previously thought of as a sort of New Year's Eve, and so was accompanied by a special ritual to cleanse away all the evil of the former year and drive away disease-bringing evil spirits for the year to come. This special ritual is called mamemaki (literally "bean throwing"). Setsubun has its origins in tsuina, a Chinese custom introduced to Japan in the eighth century.

Our village Tenkawa has many mythology.

One of interesting story are;


*Tenkawa, Yoshino area enjoy talking about ogres as a part of their ancestors.

*Ogres has many positive stories around this regions.

*Ogres are from God's servant.

I research bit about other stories in Japan. Some area welcomes ogres.
In Japan, I might be wrong but Ogre has few different kind and stories goes differently.
But most of all, Ogre is cannibal and symbolic for bad personality.
Also, word of ONI (ogre) means scary, strong, anger spirits, cruel....

I encountered this ceremony that very rare in Japan called "Oni no yado".
It means accommodation for ogre. Please see some photos below.


They are legendary man's associated two ogres. They are absolutely ogre looks and as mythology, they are also legends.


Tenkawa Shrine, Night before ceremony, Priests prepare ogres visits and getting ready for beds, foods and bucket.


Priests brings sacred fire, bucket and short ceremony for welcoming ogre for the night.




Priests get entering this house...




Priest put in sacred water in bucket, This is for ogre to wash their hands and foots to stay in the house.

What this ceremony is house welcome ogre to stay their home which they prepared place to sleep, foods for dinner and bucket for cleaning their foot and hands. next day, priests see the bottom of bucket, There were always sand in the bucket which means Ogre came middle of the night and clean their foot, and we are appreciated that Ogre come to home. It's spiritual being as Ogre left evidence in the bottom of bucket for us. and they told me that every year, they left evidence that they came in this house...

What a interesting mythology is.

Thank you for reading.

The day of extremely cold weather of winter.

Dear Friends and Readers.

In Japan, it is in middle of winter season !!
Hot pot foods, fireplace, wearing lots of cloths... and get in hot springs.
I am honor to experiences beautiful scenic of Japan.
Today, I photographed winter scenic of our hot spots (cold spots...).

One of most famous destination called MITARAI Gorge.  

Snow covered Aiden Bashi Bridge. 

Only few moments, we can enjoy reflection of the sun on the water of Tenkawa. Stunning. 

Purity of vibration. I can not stop looking water and lights.. 

Icicle on the walls everywhere. you can see it is very sharp, large and clear. 

In Tenkawa, We have cozy but well maintained snow park you can enjoy ski, snowboard and sled. 

It is very cold here in snow park, snow look like a white sugar powder. very light and can not make snow ball. 

New beginning 2014. TENKAWA BENZAITENSHA.

Dear Friends and Readers.

Today @ Tenkawa Shrine has event called GYU OU HOU IN SHINPU SAI.

For year of 2014, Many people came all over Japan for receive sacred stamp from Tenkawa Shrine.

Little bit snowing here in Tenkawa, very cooool 

So many visitors came for this event. 

Touch of elegance. Always very prepared. 

Mantra singing with beautiful improvised flute and drum. 

It's like sage, smoke makes people pure and strong. 

On the top of stairs where sacred place, visitors can receive signature from God. 

To be honest, I can not read what this said, We place this in the front of house to protect bad energy and spirits. 

I am so honor to be there today.

Thank you for reading.

Sound health and longevity

Dear Friends and Readers.

Tenkawa is getting cold almost below 0 every morning,
Some morning was -8 degrees. It will be more cold in this month.

15th of Jan in Tenkawa, We have ceremony called " Tondo Sai".
It's a bonfire with all of memory and spiritual materials used at homes.

The day before Tondo sai, we prepared bonfire in the part of shrine.
Cut these structure's wood, build the box...

Very cold weather in the morning of Tenkawa. We smile and enjoy to build this Tondo Bonfire. 

These from residences and shrine's relatives. 

We pray for our health and protect from disaster to heart of bonfire.  

This is MOCHI. sticky race, we are cooking with this bonfire.

This is 6am, very strong to feel crisp cold early morning Bonfire. 

Big smile happy morning for all of us.

Thank you for reading.

A HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Dear Friends and Rearders !

In Japan, We say AKEMASHITE OMEDETO GOZAIMASU.

Today is one of 5 SEKKU in the year.

1/7 (Jan 7th)  Nanakusa no SEKKU
3/3 (March 3rd) Momo no SEKKU (Day of celebrate girls)
5/5 (May 5th) Tango no SEKKU (Day of celebrate boys)
7/7 (July 7th) Tanabata no SEKKU
9/9 (Sep 9th) Choyo no SEKKU

SEKKU means also a moment between different seasons.

Today is Nanakusa no SEKKU. This SEKKU as old custom,
We eat Japanese porridge with Nanakusa (7 different herbs ) for long heath, longevity with protecting by Gods will.

Nanakusa seems different area owns different herbs and vegetables.

Very beautifully made porridge with daikon pickles, black beans and konyaku. 

I did re-arranged bit with hemp seed nust and oil for better amino and EFA profile. 

I wish you have healthy life of year 2014 !!