Welcome back! Today we’re talking about Kasuga Taisha Shrine. We visited here when we went to Nara Park. It is gorgeous. If you’re going to Nara (especially if you’re going to the park), I’d definitely check it out.
Kasuga Taisha Shrine
Kasuga Taisha Shrine was built in 768 and is one of the most sacred shrines in all of Japan. It unique, not only for it’s bright colors, special architecture, thousands of lanterns, and botanical garden, but it is home to four deities and 62 lucky gods.
Because of everything listed above, Kasuga Taisha Shrine is a great place to take photos. Not just of the buildings, but of all of the nature around it. The botanical garden itself has over 200 different types of plants. Unfortunately when I was there, the wisteria wasn’t blooming, but if you’re there in late April to May, take a picture or two for me!
This info is from my experiences and the website. Credit where credit is due.
Accessibility of Kasuga Taisha Shrine
Parking
According to the website for the shrine, there is 100 parking spaces. This is paid parking.
You can also use public transportation, like taxi, bus, or walking from the train station.
Bathrooms
I did not see any bathrooms at the shrine, but there are some nearby, like I said in the Nara Park post.
My Experience
Kasuga Taisha Shrine has a huge campus. With four deities and over 60 lucky gods, I’d expect nothing less. My group mainly stuck to the main sanctuary, so there is much more to see than what I did. That being said, what we did see was beautiful and worth the walk.
While I liked seeing the shrine, my favorite parts were the lanterns and the ancient cedar tree. The building was built around it, like roof and everything. I hadn’t seen that before, but we know how much I love trees, so that was awesome for me. It makes sense though, since cedar trees are sacred here. I wish I could have seen more of the botanical garden. Maybe one day I’ll get to see the wisteria blooming.
To get to the shrine, we had to climb some stairs and use stone pathways that we on an incline. I don’t think either were steep enough to fall into the moderate grade category, but they did slow me down. Full transparency, I went into this activity tired, but I don’t know that it would have been different if I was fully rested. I did not see any other options outside of stairs and inclines, so if getting around without your wheels isn’t an option, you will need to pass on going here. While I was confirming this, I found a website that talks about wheelchair access across the world. If that’s of interest to you, check it out here.
The pathways were even overall, but there were some areas that could use repair. They were mostly stone, but some of them were pebble paths. I didn’t have an issue navigating them, but be mindful if you’re unsteady on your feet and/or use mobility devices. Some areas were pretty narrow and crowded, making getting around trickier. One area (as you can see in the photos) was a dark room filled with lit lanterns. It was dark and narrow. I got some good pictures and a short video. My night vision is not the greatest and I ended up following one of my new friends to get through. They were wearing a light colored shirt, which helped.
There isn’t anywhere to sit and rest until you get to the shop area. It has benches and a covered area, so you can be out of the sun. This is where I got my stamp and the majority of the amulets for my souvenirs and took a brief rest before we moved on to the next place.
My rating
If I had to put a rating on this activity, I would say it fall into the easy category. While there are stairs and incline, they weren’t super steep. I did slow down, however, it didn’t cause shortness of breath. The walkways mainly concrete/stone and even. Some areas are narrow and if you’re not good in low light/dark, I’d avoid the lantern room. It’s cool, but narrow and dark.
Unfortunately, Cardybear did not come on the Japan adventures. I wanted to bring him, but he takes up my whole backpack. He was definitely there in spirit though.
Be safe out there and remember your passport! Seeyalaterbye <3
Also, if you feel called to help a sista out with her travels, check this out!
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