Yamanobe no Michi: Walking from Omiwa Shrine to Isonokami Jingu in Nara

This guide covers the walk from Omiwa Shrine to Isonokami Jingu, with the time for each stretch, lunch stops along the way and how to get there.

Yamanobe no Michi takes Isonokami Jingu as its midpoint, with Nara to the north and Miwa and Sakurai to the south. From Isonokami Jingu, the road toward Miwa and Sakurai follows the natural terrain.

Quick Facts

Item	Detail
Taxi from Tenri Station to Isonokami Jingu	Within 10 minutes, about 1500 yen
Walking course from Tenri Station to JR Yanagimoto Station	About 8.8 km, 2 hours 45 minutes
Walking course from Tenri Station to JR Miwa Station	About 13.8 km, 3 hours 55 minutes

Omiwa Shrine to Hibara Shrine at the Foot of Mount Miwa

Mount Miwa rises as a well-shaped conical mountain, even among the Aogaki mountains that surround the Nara Basin. Large trees such as pine, cedar and cypress cover the mountain. In spring, higan cherry, somei-yoshino and weeping cherry bloom at the Daiomiwa no Mori observation deck.

Omiwa Shrine enshrines Omononushi-no-Okami, together with Onamuchi-no-kami and Sukunabikona-no-kami. Behind the haiden stands the Mitsu-torii, a torii designated an Important Cultural Property.

The list below gives the walking time between the sights.

1. From Omiwa Shrine, walk to Sai Shrine, which takes about 15 minutes.
2. From Sai Shrine, walk to Hibara Shrine, which takes about 25 minutes.

At Hibara Shrine, the grounds are always swept clean. From near the shrine, the Yamato plain comes into view.

Item	Detail
Omiwa Shrine amulet office hours	9:00 to 17:00, and 9:00 to 16:30 in winter (December to February)
Hibara Shrine visiting hours	9:00 to 17:00, and 8:45 to 16:00 in winter (December to February), no closing day
Omiwa Shrine treasure storehouse admission	Adults 300 yen, high school students and younger 100 yen
Autumn festival at Omiwa Shrine	October 24
Chinkasai festival at Sai Shrine	April 18
Omiwa Shrine worshippers' parking lot west of the JR level crossing	590 standard-car spaces, usually free, with a fee from January 1 to 5

Hibara Shrine to Chogakuji Past a Tomb and a Kofun

Emperor Sujin's tomb is a keyhole-shaped tomb.

The list below gives the walking time between the sights.

1. From Hibara Shrine, walk to Anashi-nimasu Hyozu Shrine, which takes about 25 minutes.
2. From Anashi-nimasu Hyozu Shrine, walk to Emperor Sujin's tomb, which takes about 30 minutes.
3. From Emperor Sujin's tomb, walk to Kurozuka Kofun, which takes about 10 minutes.
4. From Kurozuka Kofun, walk to Chogakuji, which takes about 15 minutes.

Chogakuji, a temple of the Shingon sect, has Amida Nyorai as its principal image.

Item	Detail
Emperor Sujin's tomb total length	242 m
Chogakuji visiting hours	9:00 to 17:00
Chogakuji individual admission	Adults 400 yen, university and high school students 350 yen, junior high school students 300 yen, elementary school students 250 yen
Chogakuji parking	Free, space for 30 cars

Chogakuji to Isonokami Jingu

The haiden of Isonokami Jingu is painted vermilion.

The list below gives the walking time between the sights.

1. From Chogakuji, walk to Yatsugi Shrine, which takes about 40 minutes.
2. From Yatsugi Shrine, walk to the ruins of Uchiyama Eikyuji, which takes about 25 minutes.
3. From the ruins of Uchiyama Eikyuji, walk to Isonokami Jingu, which takes about 15 minutes.

Item	Detail
Walk from Isonokami Jingu along the Yamanobe no Michi toward Sakurai and Yanagimoto to the ruins of Uchiyama Eikyuji	About 15 minutes, 800 m
Worship in front of the haiden at Isonokami Jingu	Approximately 5:30 to 17:30, with the gate opening and closing times varying by season
Isonokami Jingu amulet reception hours	9:00 to 17:00, and until 16:30 in winter
Isonokami Jingu first parking lot	Free of charge

Miwa Somen and Lunch Along the Road

Sugidama made from the cedar leaves of Mount Miwa came to hang under the eaves of sake shops as a symbol of sake brewing. Walkers can eat Miwa somen noodles in the kuri of Chogakuji.

The table below lists prices and opening times for lunch stops.

Item	Detail
Miwa somen at the Chogakuji kuri	700 yen
Tororo-meshi Yamawa opening hours	11:00 to 20:00, closing when sold out
Tororo-meshi Yamawa regular closing day	Wednesday, and the day may change when the 1st of the month or a public holiday coincides
Closed days of Somen-dokoro Morimasa	Monday and Tuesday

Visitors who prefer to leave the planning to a tour can browse tours around Nara.

Getting to the Yamanobe no Michi from Tenri, Yanagimoto and Sakurai

The route can start from several stations.

1. Take the Kintetsu Nara Line from Osaka Namba on a train bound for Nara, which takes about 35 minutes to Yamato-Saidaiji.
2. From Yamato-Saidaiji, take a train bound for Tenri, which takes about 20 minutes to Tenri Station.
3. From Kyoto, the Kintetsu Kyoto Line express bound for Tenri takes about 60 minutes to Tenri Station.
4. To reach Chogakuji from JR Yanagimoto Station, walk about 20 minutes.
5. From Sakurai Station, take the bus and get off at Chogakuji-mae, then walk about 10 minutes to Chogakuji.

Item	Detail
Travel time from Osaka Namba to the Isonokami Jingu area	About 60 minutes
Travel time from Kyoto to the Isonokami Jingu area	About 60 minutes
Travel time from Kobe to the Isonokami Jingu area	About 90 minutes
Walking course from Tenri Station to Sakurai Station	About 16 km, 4 hours 50 minutes
Transfer between Sakurai community buses at Sakurai Station	The second bus fare is discounted by 220 yen, and by 110 yen for a child