Tenkawa

Tenkawa (天川) is a village in Nara Prefecture in Japan, about 10 to 15 km south of Yoshino.

Understand
The village has an official Japanese-only guide site.

By car
Driving is one option. From Koriyama IC (郡山) of E25 (Nishi-Meihan Expressway) drive Route 24 and Route 169 southbound. At Shimoichiguchi crossing turn right onto Route 309 and drive until you get to Tenkawa.

By bus
There is a bus leaving from Kintetsu Shimoichiguchi Station (下市口), which is on the Kintetsu Yoshino Line. You can board an express train (急行) for Yoshino (吉野) at Osaka Abenobashi Station, the Kintetsu station adjacent to JR Tennoji. That train will take you to Shimoichiguchi, from where you can take a bus for about an hour until you reach Tenkawa Mura (天川村)

Get around
The information center (天川村総合案内所) is the first place you should drop in on when you reach Tenkawa. They offer guidebooks and information on this area.

See

 * Cedar forests, some small mountain rivers, and a few caves.













Do
Hiking, camping.


 * Dorogawa Spa (洞川温泉) is a spa area with many restaurants, guesthouses and souvenir shops.
 * Amanogawa Spa (天の川温泉) offers hot springs as well.

Buy
Daranisuke (陀羅尼助) is a crude drug produced in this area and sold at local drugstores. It is good for gastroenteritis.

Eat
When in season, Japanese "mountain vegetables" are a popular and delicious choice. Some places offer fish caught in the mountain rivers, which are bony, but worth trying at least once. The two varieties often seen are iwana (岩魚, charr) and amago (あまご, red-spotted trout).

Go next

 * Yoshino - cherry blossom central
 * Gojo
 * Kurotaki
 * Kawakami
 * Kamikitayama
 * Totsukawa
 * Nosegawa
 * Shimoichi
 * Higashiyoshino