Higashiyoshino, village in Yoshino district, Nara prefecture, Japan
Higashiyoshino is a mountain village in Nara Prefecture surrounded by dense forests and crossed by the Takami River. It features traditional cedar wood homes, the Mushroom Palace cafe with an attached cultivation room, a roadside market selling local produce and specialty items, and historic shrines with sites tied to local legends.
The village was formed in 1958 when three separate communities called Ogawa, Takami, and Shigo merged into one settlement. A pivotal moment occurred in 1905 when the last known Japanese wolf in the country was killed here, marking the final disappearance of this species from Japan's mountains.
The village has become a creative hub where potters practice traditional Japanese techniques including soda firing in restored old houses. Visitors can join workshops to make tea bowls and flower vases, experiencing how the creative process helps people connect with themselves and find moments of quiet reflection.
Exploring the village requires a car or bike since many sites are remote and there is no train station. Comfortable accommodations include hot spring facilities and tent spaces, while dining options range from the Furusato-mura restaurant in a converted school building to cozy cafes where you can relax by the river.
The skull of the last Japanese wolf shot in 1905 is now kept at the British Museum as a specimen. A bronze statue along the Takami River commemorates this extinct species, while local folklore remembers wolves as mountain deities that once protected travelers and villages.
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