Shimokitayama (下北山村, Shimokitayama-mura) is a village located in Yoshino District, Nara Prefecture, Japan.
As of 2003, the village has an estimated population of 1,243 and a density of 9.31 persons per km². The total area is 133.53 km².
Bordering on Kamikitayama to the north and Totsukawa to the west, it is the southeasternmost region in Nara Prefecture. It shares a border to the east with Kumano, Mie Prefecture, and to the south, with Kitayama, Wakayama Prefecture.
Shimokitayama is composed of seven main hamlets, arranged roughly in a circle, and Zenki, which is no longer inhabited but which once housed a religious community of shugendo practitioners, including Jitsukaga.
Roads lead north toward Nara from Ikehara, east toward Kumano from Shimokuwahara, south toward Kitayama from Kamikuwahara, and west toward Totsukawa from Uramukai.
IkeharaThe main center of Shimokitayama's main industry, tourism, Ikehara is home to Kinari no Sato, a resort containing an
onsen known as Kinari no Yu, various fishing and camping shops, gas stations, a few cafes and
izakaya, and a small karaoke bar. It also contains Fumonji, a temple of the Sōtō sect of
Zen Buddhism, and Shimokitayama Junior High School.
IkemineIkemine is home to the Ike no Taira nine-hole golf course, the Myōjin Ike Pond Shrine and a Tenrikyō temple.
TeragaitoTeragaito contains Shimokitayama's village hall, Sumiyoshi Shrine, and Shimokitayama Elementary School. It is also home to Shōbōji, a temple of the Sōtō sect of
Zen Buddhism at which local shugenja Jitsukaga Gyōja is enshrined.
UramukaiUramukai includes the drainage area known as Okuji, a series of waterfalls and mountain streams sacred to shugenja, who keep a hut high in the mountains for training purposes.
SadaSada is home to a gas station and a Tenrikyō temple.
KamikuwaharaKamikuwahara is almost entirely residential.
ShimokuwaharaShimokuwahara contains Shimokitayama Preschool and Ryūganji a temple of the Sōtō sect of Zen Buddhism.
ZenkiZenki is a wild and mountainous region which contains several large waterfalls sacred to shugenja, including the famous Nana E no Taki.
