Yamanakadani

Yamanakadani is located near the border of Osaka and Wakayama prefectures. It was once a post town on the Kishu-kaido highway used by the Kishu Tokugawa family when they made the SANKIN KOUTAI (a system in which feudal lords travel back and forth between their fiefdom and Edo every other year). Today, the old townscape remains in the surrounding area. Nowadays, stone pavements and lanterns have been maintained, giving the area a quaint atmosphere. Visitors can also enjoy eating at stylish cafes, and restaurants renovated from old private homes or trying to make stained-glass windows at a stained-glass studio.

Since the 1965s, cherry trees such as Someiyoshino and Yamazakura have been planted along the banks of the Yamanaka River that runs near Yamanakdani Station on the JR Hanwa Line. The area is now lined with approximately 1,000 cherry trees, which attract many visitors every year when the cherry blossoms are at their best from late March to mid-April.

During the season, the "Yamanakadani Cherry Blossom Festival" is held at the Naughty Kingdom in front of the station. Stage events and a market will be held at the Yamanakadani Cherry Blossom Festival. The "Naughty Kingdom" is a park with free admission and a great place to eat lunch. The cherry blossoms are also illuminated at night. The fantastic atmosphere of the cherry blossoms, which is different from that of the daytime, is a must-see. Jifukuji Temple, located about 7 minutes from Yamanakadani Station in a residential area, is known for its magnificent weeping cherry blossoms, which should not be missed. If you go a little farther, you can also see the Sutra mound #4 of Katsuragi Shugen, which is recognized as a Japanese Heritage site.