Kasuga Taisha
春日大社 · Nara Prefecture · Nara City (Nara Park)
Vermilion Kasuga-style sanctuaries set against the Kasugayama Primeval Forest, approaches lined with stone lanterns, and more than three thousand lanterns lit all at once only during the Mantōrō festivals.
Know before you go
- Making loud noise
- touching sacred objects, sacred trees, lanterns or other fixtures
- entering the Kasugayama Primeval Forest, which is closed to the public
This article is Not yet verified. Please check official announcements for prices, opening hours and dates.
Stories & people
Stories & people
History
Shrine of the Fujiwara clan
Kasuga Taisha was founded in 768 as the tutelary shrine of the Fujiwara clan and long enjoyed the protection of the imperial court and the Fujiwara. The shrine architecture style Kasuga-zukuri is named after its main sanctuary.
Source: Wikipedia: Kasuga-taisha
Legend
The god who rode a white deer
Legend says that Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto, one of the shrine's enshrined deities, arrived at the summit of Mount Mikasa riding a white deer, and so deer came to be regarded as messengers of the gods.
Source: Wikipedia: Kasuga-taisha
Culture
Culture & customs
Background
Kasuga Taisha stands in Kasugano-chō, Nara City, on the east side of Nara Park. The vermilion Kasuga-style main sanctuaries and the stone lanterns lining the approaches are its signature sights; the many bronze lanterns hanging in the shrine are lit all at once only during the Mantōrō lantern festivals; the Kasugayama Primeval Forest is the sacred forest behind the shrine; and the wisteria of the Manyo Botanical Garden is one of the highlights of spring. Kasuga Taisha was founded in 768 as the tutelary shrine of the Fujiwara clan and later became one of Nara's guardian shrines. Its main-sanctuary style, known as Kasuga-zukuri, had a lasting influence on later shrine architecture. Kasuga Taisha and the Kasugayama Primeval Forest are inscribed on the World Heritage List as part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara. By tradition, the shrine buildings are renewed about every 20 years in the Shikinen Zōtai.
Local customs
- Walk in along the lantern-lined approach, worship first at the Haiden area of the outer precinct, and then, if it is open, enter the inner precinct for a closer look at the main sanctuaries and bronze lanterns
- you can also visit the Treasure Hall and the Manyo Botanical Garden on the way. During the Mantōrō you can see more than three thousand lanterns lit at once
- check official announcements for dates and lighting arrangements.
Etiquette & taboos
Etiquette & taboos
Don’t DON'T
- Making loud noise
- touching sacred objects, sacred trees, lanterns or other fixtures
- entering the Kasugayama Primeval Forest, which is closed to the public
- chasing or startling the deer, or feeding them anything other than permitted food
Locals appreciate DO
- Purify your hands and mouth at the temizuya before worshipping
- keep quiet in the Haiden and inner precinct
- check on-site signage before taking photos
- follow park rules when interacting with the deer
Plan your visit
Practical info
Travel tips
- The outer precinct is free to visit
- the inner precinct is a paid area — check official announcements for fees. The approach is a gently sloping, tree-lined path, so wear walking shoes. Wisteria season and the Mantōrō periods draw large crowds, so consider visiting off-peak.
- The shrine is about a 30-minute walk from Kintetsu Nara Station and farther from JR Nara Station
- you can also take a bus to the Kasuga Taisha Honden stop, or walk over from the Tōdai-ji area of Nara Park. Check official timetables on the day. Spring wisteria is the signature season
- the Mantōrō in early February and mid-August are the times to see the lanterns lit — check official announcements for exact dates. Autumn brings lovely colors to the woods, and winter has fewer visitors
- dress warmly.
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