Kasugayama Primeval Forest
春日山原始林
A sacred mountain forest belonging to Kasuga Taisha, where logging has been banned since 841. Its ancient trees tower overhead and moss covers the ground. It is part of a World Heritage site.
Kasugayama, the sacred precinct of Kasuga Taisha, has been closed to logging and hunting since 841. Over more than a thousand years of preservation, the evergreen broad-leaved forest has kept giant cedars, nagi trees and many species of ferns. It is designated both as part of a World Heritage site and as a Special Natural Monument. Visitors can hike the Kasugayama Primeval Forest Trail (about 10 km, 2 to 3 hours one way), which passes the Kubikiri Jizo and rock-cut Buddhist carvings. You can also reach the area by car via the Nara Okuyama Driveway. Admission is free. The trail starts near Kasuga Taisha or Shin-Yakushi-ji. There are no shops in the forest, so bring enough water, and watch your footing after rain, when the paths are slippery.
Opening hours
Open all day (daytime recommended for trails)
Nearby sights
- Mount Wakakusa
- Kasuga Taisha
- Tamukeyama Hachiman-gu
- Shin-Yakushi-ji
- Todai-ji Nigatsu-do & Hokke-do
- Nara Park
- Todai-ji
- Ukimido Pavilion