Kinpusenji Temple is open daily from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM (until 4:00 PM in winter). The entrance fee is 800 yen for adults to enter the main hall (Zao-do). Access to the temple grounds is free, but viewing the famous Zao Gongen statues requires the entrance fee.
Take the Kintetsu Yoshino Line from Osaka Abenobashi or Nara to Yoshino Station (about 1-1.5 hours). From Yoshino Station, take the Yoshino Ropeway cable car or walk uphill for 20 minutes to reach Kinpusenji Temple in the Yoshinoyama area.
Kinpusenji Temple is the head temple of Shugendo mountain Buddhism and a UNESCO World Heritage site. It houses Japan's second-largest wooden hall (Zao-do) and three massive 7-meter tall Zao Gongen Buddhist deity statues. The temple is especially famous during cherry blossom season when surrounded by 30,000 sakura trees.
The best time to visit Kinpusenji Temple for cherry blossoms is from early to mid-April when Yoshinoyama's famous 30,000 cherry trees bloom in stages from lower to upper slopes. The temple offers spectacular views of the sakura-covered mountainside, making it one of Japan's top hanami spots.
Yes, there are traditional ryokan inns and minshuku guesthouses in Yoshinoyama near Kinpusenji Temple. Popular options include temple lodging (shukubo), traditional inns with mountain views, and budget accommodations. Staying overnight allows you to experience the temple's morning prayers and enjoy peaceful mountain scenery.