Soni Highlands

About 40 hectares of silver grass in the hills of eastern Nara: silver by day and gold at dusk in autumn, with lanterns glowing round a pond at night.

A sea of silver grass at the foot of the mountains

The Soni Highlands (Soni Kogen) are an upland area in Soni village, Uda District, in eastern Nara Prefecture. Grassland spreads down the western slopes of Mount Kuroso (1,038m) and Mount Kameyama (849m) to their foot.

The grassland is covered in susuki (Japanese silver grass, a tall grass with feathery plumes that is a classic symbol of autumn in Japan), across about 40 hectares. It lies inside Muro-Akame-Aoyama Quasi-National Park and is designated a zone in special need of protection.

Every spring the slopes go through yamayaki (controlled burning), when the dead grass is burned off. Then, come autumn, the silver grass covers everything again.

Autumn silver grass and the Yama-akari lanterns

According to Nara Prefecture's tourism website, the silver grass is at its best from early October to around late November. By day it shines silver in the light, and in the late afternoon it glows gold in the setting sun.

Okame-ike, a pond in the middle of the grassland, is a wetland, and in autumn the Soni Kogen Yama-akari ("mountain lights") event lines the path of about 900m around it with lanterns. In 2026 it runs from 19 September to 23 November, with the lanterns lit from sunset until 9pm.

A mountain path also leads up towards Mount Kuroso, and many people enjoy hiking it while looking down over the highlands.

Getting there

By train, go to Nabari Station on the Kintetsu Osaka Line and take a Mie Kotsu bus from there. According to Soni village, the bus from Nabari Station to the village takes about 45 minutes. Buses that go close to the highlands vary with the season and the day of the week, and when they are not running you have to walk from a stop further away. Check the timetable with Mie Kotsu or Soni village before you go.

By car, according to Soni village, it is about 2 hours from Osaka and about 2 hours 40 minutes from Nagoya. In the silver grass season, and especially in the late afternoon, the roads get congested.

Nearby are the National Soni Youth Outdoor Learning Center, the Soni Kogen Farm Garden and Okame no Yu, a hot spring you can visit for the day.

Tips

• The silver grass looks its best when the setting sun lights it up. Autumn evenings bring heavy traffic, though, so leave yourself plenty of time.
• After seeing the Yama-akari lanterns you will be walking back in the dark. Wear comfortable shoes and check the time of the bus home before you go.

Sources

• 曽爾高原 | 奈良県観光［公式サイト］あをによし なら旅ネット (opens in a new tab)
• 曽爾村へのアクセス | 奈良県曽爾村 (opens in a new tab)
• 曽爾高原 - Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)

Updated 30 September 2026. Opening hours and prices change, so check the official site before you go.