Visit Nara

One of the UNESCO venues comprising the Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range, Kimpu-jinja Shrine is located on the Omine-Okugake Trail close to Aonegamine Peak, standing at an elevation of 858 meters. Surrounded by trees and hidden deep in the mountains, the shrine was once the hideaway of Minamoto-no-Yoshitsune, a famous military commander forced into hiding by his brother. The small pagoda where he hid, is a short walk from the main shrine building.
The shrine is also home to the guardian god of Mt Yoshino, making it one of the most sacred in the Yoshino area. To this day, Shugendo practitioners continue to carry out ascetic training in and around Kimpu-jinja. Although quite a bit of walking is required, this eerily atmospheric venue is worth including for fans of off-the-beaten-path experiences.