Mt. Ryumon

Mt. Ryumon (竜門岳, 904 m), on the border of Yoshino and Uda in Nara, is the highest peak of the Ryumon hills and one of the 300 Famous Japanese Mountains. It is also written 龍門岳.
With the Ryumon Falls and the ruins of Ryumon-ji on its flank, it is a mountain steeped in the Shugendo tradition, known too for the legend of the hermit Kume and a haiku monument to Matsuo Basho. Its summit is a quiet first-order survey point wrapped in forest. The usual route is a day-trip out-and-back from the Yamaguchi trailhead at the Yoshino-Yamaguchi Shrine, past the Ryumon Falls to Mt. Ryumon. By public transport you reach the trailhead by taxi from Yamato-Kamiichi Station.

The base is the Yamaguchi trailhead at the Yoshino-Yamaguchi Shrine (about 230 m); past the Ryumon Falls and the ruins of Ryumon-ji you climb from a cedar-planted valley onto the ridge and up to Mt. Ryumon. The climb takes about 2 hours 30 minutes, and the day trip out-and-back is about 4 hours. The valley is slippery after rain and there are stretches with few signposts, so carry a map and GPS.
There is no hut or shop on the mountain, so it is a day trip. The best seasons are fresh green and autumn leaves, but as a low mountain it can be climbed year-round. There is also a traverse over Otoge to the Fudo Falls on the Uda side (about 5 hours), but this article covers the out-and-back from the Yamaguchi trailhead.

*Information last checked: June 14, 2026

How to access the trailhead

1. [Round trip] Yamato-Kamiichi Station ⇄ Yamaguchi trailhead (taxi)

1. [Round trip] Yamato-Kamiichi Station ⇄ Yamaguchi trailhead (taxi)

The trailhead, the Yoshino-Yamaguchi Shrine (Yamaguchi trailhead), has no route bus; it is about 20 minutes by taxi from Yamato-Kamiichi Station on the Kintetsu Yoshino Line (via Route 169 and Prefectural Route 28). The Yoshino-cho Smile Bus (community bus, 200 yen a ride) has services toward Ryumon and Naka-Ryumon, but since 2022 most of it runs on a reservation (demand) basis with few services, and it does not reach the Yamaguchi Shrine trailhead. The reliable option is a taxi from Yamato-Kamiichi Station; to use the Smile Bus, check reservations and times with the Yoshino-cho community-development office (tel 0746-32-3081). Yamato-Kamiichi Station is about 1 hour 20 minutes from Osaka-Abenobashi Station on the Kintetsu Yoshino Line (limited express).

Taxi: you can call one from in front of Yamato-Kamiichi Station (booking ahead is safest). As the signal is weak at the trailhead, arrange your return time on the way out. By car: the car park at the Yamaguchi trailhead has only about three spaces; when full, avoid roadside parking and consider a car park toward Lake Tsuburo. Check the latest taxi fares and dispatch with each company.

Reference: [Yoshino-cho Smile Bus (community bus)]

Route and safety notes

Route (out-and-back from the Yamaguchi trailhead): Yoshino-Yamaguchi Shrine / Yamaguchi trailhead → Ryumon Falls (about 15 m) → ruins of Ryumon-ji (about 20 m) → ridge junction (about 1 h 20 m) → Mt. Ryumon, 904 m (about 35 m). The climb is about 2 hours 30 minutes, and the day-trip out-and-back is about 4 hours 20 minutes.

Facilities: there is no hut, shop or toilet on the mountain, so bring water, food and a portable toilet before the trailhead. For a night before, use lodging around Yamato-Kamiichi Station or Mt. Yoshino.

Ryumon Falls and the ruins of Ryumon-ji: near the trailhead, the Ryumon Falls (about 10 m high) and the ruins of Ryumon-ji above it are historic sites of the Shugendo tradition. The legend of the hermit Kume survives here, and there is a haiku monument to Matsuo Basho.

Mt. Ryumon summit: the summit, with a first-order survey point, is wrapped in cedar and cypress forest with limited views, but has the quiet feel of a mountain of faith.

Season and gear: as a low mountain it can be climbed year-round, but the valley is slippery and prone to rising water after rain and there are stretches with few signposts, so carry a map and GPS. In summer there are mountain leeches and insects; in winter, frost and fallen leaves make it slippery.

In an emergency: call 110 (police) or 119 (fire/rescue).
Check the latest with the Nara prefectural police.

Photo by KENPEI / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0