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| Stone-lanterns
line the road to the sanctuary |
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 Established
in 710 A.D. as a shrine of the powerful Fujiwara Clan, Kasuga
Taisha Shrine is also famous for its beautiful wisteria. At
the 'Mantoro Festival' about 2,000 stone lanterns along the
path leading to the shrine and approx. 1,000 hanging lanterns
in the main precinct are lit creating a solemn atmosphere.
About 300 kinds of trees and plants are planted in the 'Kasuga
Taisha Shrine Jin'en Park'. All of them appear in Japan's
oldest poetry anthology, 'Man'yoshu.'
 0742-22-7788
/ Jin'en Park and Homotsuden Hall : 9:00 - 16:00 / Jin'en
Park is closed on Mondays (or the following Tuesday, if the
Monday falls on a national holiday ; Open 7 days a week in
January, April to June, October and November)
 Admission
Free (except for Jin-en Park ( 525)
and Homotsuden Hall (420)
 Take
bus No.70,88,97,98 or 133 and get off at Kasuga Taisha Honden.
 Major
events : Mantoro : August 14 and 15 and in February on the
day before the first day of spring on the lunar calendar ;
Kasuga Wakamiya Onmatsuri : Dec.15 to 18. |
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Mt. Kasuga Primeval Forest |
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| A mountain home
of the gods. |
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 Protected
against logging as a sacred mountain, Mt. Kasuga is a primeval
forest of ever-green broad leaf trees such as oak and chinquapin.
Within the forest are many gigantic trees more than 400 years
old, with trunks measuring more than 9m in circumference.
It has been confirmed that the forest is the home of such
rare species as forest green tree frogs and clouded salamanders.
The entire forest is designated as world heritage as a 'cultural
landscape.
0742-22-0375
(Nara Park Management Office) / Open 7 days a week
Admission
Free
Take
bus No.36,37,129 or 160 from JR or Kintetsu Nara Station and
get off at Wariishicho. A 15-minute walk from the bus stop.
Go along the Kasugayama Nature Walk Course. |
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 The
home of a famous monk named Chiko who lived in the 8th century.
In 1244, when the Chiko Mandala was dedicated for worship,
the temple was called Gokurakubo, or the temple of comfort
without suffering. The Main Hall and Zen Room of Gokurakubo
are world heritage sites.
0742-23-1377
/ Open 7 days a week
400
A
15-minute walk from JR Nara Station / A 10-minute walk from
Kintetsu Nara Station |
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 In
terms of official administrative purposes, there is no area
called 'Nara-Machi'. Nonetheless, Nara-Machi is said to be
'the oldest town in Nara' and private houses of the 19th century
are well preserved and still in use. The Nara-Machi Museum
and other establishments show the lives of ordinary people
in Nara-Machi. Visit Nara-Machi, and you will see aspects
of Nara beyond its role as an ancient capital.
0742-27-1820
(Nara-Machi Promotion Foundation) /
Admission
free / Open 7 days a week
A
10-minute walk from JR or Kintetsu Nara Station |
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