Hiking Adventure in Mt. Kasuga Primeval Forest is our newly launched experience program. An expert of Mt. Kasuga will guide you to the historic and cultural world.
Mt. Kasuga Primeval Forest has been preserved as a sanctuary of Kasuga Grand Shrine since Emperor Ninmyō (region: 833-850) prohibited tree felling and hunting during Heian period (from 8th to 12th century). It is unusual for the primeval forest like this to exist in the middle of the town, so Mt. Kasuga Primeval Forest is designated Natural Monument in 1955.
Also this combination of shrine and the forest was highly evaluated and designated as a world cultural heritage ‘Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara’.
From a long time ago, Mt. Kasuga Primeval Forest has been composed in Man’yōshū including other anthologies.
Mt. Kasuga Primeval Forest has not been preserved untouched but preserved touched by people since Heian period. A part of the forest, where the people of Todaiji Temple and Kofukuji Temple were picking Japanese star anise, was named ‘Kazan’ (Written 花山 in Japanese. Means flour mountain.).
When trees were damaged by typhoons, people planted native trees to maintain its original condition.
A lot of subordinate shrines are exists in Mt. Kasuga Primeval Forest, and still widely practiced by people. Between Heian period and Kamakura period, many Buddhist priest trained in this huge forest, so some stone images of the Buddha are still remain. In addition to this, there are some places where we can feel this historic and cultural atmosphere. For example, the Japanese cedar which has been believed as a ceder planted by Toyotomi Hideyoshi and ‘Takisaka-no-Michi’ (old Yagyu highway).
As written in the beginning, Mt. Kasuga Premival Forest is very rare forest. Coniferous trees like cedar named ‘Kasuga cedar’, maple and Japanese hemlock, broad leaved deciduous trees, ferns and mosses are distributed. Also this forest is a dwelling of birds, deer, flying squirrels and many kind of beetles.
We are sure that this program will be your memorable time in Nara.
* Please check our hands-on experience program
Hiking Adventure in Mt. Kasuga Primeval Forest