Shugendo and the Shrines and Temples of Yoshino

The seat of power for an exiled Emperor, a glorious mountain retreat for the samurai,, the birthplace of Shugendo Buddhism and a mountain celebrated for the beauty of its 30,000+ sakura trees, the village of Yoshinoyama in the mountains of Nara Prefecture is an incredible location and pocket of Japanese culture. French Rakugo performer Cyril Coppini takes visitors through three of Yoshinoyama's most significant sites: Kinpusenji Temple, birthplace and headquarters of Shugendo; Yoshimizu Shrine, palace and residence of Emperor in Exile Go-Daigo, and Yoshino Mikumari Shrine, the oldest altar to one of Japan's most powerful water Goddesses.