Asukamura, Historical Area　明日香村

April 7^th. 2024

Inabuchi Terraced Rice Fields　稲淵の棚田

The morning at michi no eki Yoshino-ji Kurotaki is busy early, not locals delivering produce but people taking pictures of Sakura (cherry blossoms) and waiting for the shop to open.

We leave but find the roads around Yoshino and district already clogged with traffic, so we change direction and go to see the Inabuchi Rice Terrace at Asukamura.
We assumed this would be something out of the ordinary but apart from a convenient lay-by and a fairly modern toilet it had nothing to distinguish it from other patches of landscape all over Japan. But the surroundings seem popular with cyclists.

Undeterred, we next head to Aska Historical National Government Park. This is home to Takamatsuzuka (tomb).

Asuka Historical National Government Park　明日香歴史公園

This is the tomb of some important personage whose importance seems to have been lost to the passage of time but is notable for a colourful mural found inside. To view this mural costs 300yen. Actually, a replica of the mural so we forwent the opportunity. The park provides a short but pleasant walk around various kofun.(Ancient burial mounds).

Amakashi no Oka　甘樫の丘

Our next stop is Amakashi no Oka (hill). This small hill of 140 metres is crowned with Sakura and gives a superb view of the surrounding area. The walk to the top is not arduous and is clearly popular with local people too smart to attempt to approach Yoshino Yama.

After a reasonably secluded lunch under the Yama Sakura, we wander down the hill and across the busy main road towards Asuka-dera. This is, reputedly, the oldest Buddhist temple in Japan, dating from 596 CE. To be honest, it is not of much interest, and we have been here before, so we wander on towards a shrine which we give a cursory glance and retrace our steps. We are just stretching our legs, but this is nonetheless an interesting area to explore.

Kurotaki no yu　黒滝の湯

After shopping, we drive to Kurotaki no Yu an onsen a little further up the valley from Kurotaki michi no eki. It appears a little daunting as it is next to a suspiously expensive looking hotel but the onsen is anything but. It has huge, imposing wooden doors but behind is just a functional ticket booth and shoe lockers.

Then two separate wooden staircases, one for women and the other for men. These meet on the next landing where there is a locker for valuables. Once inside the changing rooms there are no lockers only baskets for clothes. Beyond this landing the separate stairs continue. You then meet two doors. One is marked toilet the other blank, this is the bath entrance.

Inside no lockers just two baths one larger than the other, both quite hot. There is no outside bath and no clock, but it is clean and functional. The lack of a clock means you tend to cut short your soak if you are worried about keeping someone waiting.

After the bath we drop down the road a kilo and a bit to michi no eki Yoshinoji-Kurotaki. The same place as last night. It is even quieter on a Sunday night.

＊Kurotaki no yu ; 700 yen / adult