Tenkawa, Mountain village in Yoshino district, Japan
Tenkawa is a mountain village in the Yoshino district that spreads across steep peaks and deep valleys filled with forests and clear streams. The settlement occupies roughly a quarter of Yoshino-Kumano National Park, with scattered homes nestled into the terrain and few paved areas amid the rugged landscape.
The settlement became an administrative division in 1889, while the Tenkawa Daibenzaiten Shrine on its grounds dates back to the 7th century and honors the water goddess Benzaiten. This religious foundation has anchored the region's spiritual importance for centuries.
The village serves as a center for Shugendo practices, where followers engage in ancient mountain worship traditions that blend nature reverence, Shinto, and Buddhist beliefs. You can observe these traditions reflected in the local shrines and the way people use the landscape for spiritual pursuits.
You can reach Tenkawa by bus or car from Nara Station, with the journey taking about one hour through mountainous terrain. Sturdy shoes are recommended for exploring the area on foot, as mountain trails and narrow roads make up most of the pathways.
Nearby Mount Omine was where En-no Gyoja founded Japan's mountain ascetic tradition over 1300 years ago and maintains a men-only access policy for spiritual practice. This custom makes the peak a singular place in Japan's religious heritage.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
