Kikusui Ryokan, Yoshino Mountain

#cherryblossom25 At Okusenbon, the blossoms were bare , while Chugenbon was about 78% bloomed, and Nakasenbon was in full bloom. Life Tip: Don't book a one-day tour package. You won’t have enough time to visit Senenbon! Must-Visit: The Hanazara Mountain Observatory! Train Tip: Remember to reserve your train seat in advance for the designated seating! Tested Most Efficient Route (Total 2-3 hours): Take the train to Yoshino Station, then queue for the bus to Nakasenbon (you can use your IC card here). From Nakasenbon, take the bus to Okusenbon (on April 7th, Okusenbon was bare – Bus fare is 400 yen in cash). Walk from Okusenbon to Hanazara Mountain Observatory (best scenic spot – Photo 1). Continue down the mountain to Yoshimizu Shrine (Ichimisenbon) – 200 yen. From Yoshimizu Shrine, walk to Shimosenbon (there are small shops along the way). Finally, take the bus back from Shimosenbon to Yoshino JR Station. I didn’t visit the Zao-do Temple, and others recommended walking from Nakasenbon to Uppasenbon (Google says 25 minutes), but it’s actually much longer, mostly uphill, which was tough. My mom and I took a downhill route directly from Okusenbon to Uppasenbon, which took us just 1 hour. The road was easy to walk, but I definitely avoided the uphill route! #travel