‘Kasuga Taisha’ or ‘Kasuga Grand Shrine’ is the most important Shinto complex in Nara. Located at the heart of Nara Park, Kasuga was founded in the same period as the city itself, dedicated to the protector spirit or deity – named ‘Takemikazuhi-no-mikoto’ – that is believed to reside there. Takemikazuchi is said to have ridden on the back of a white deer and visitors to the shrine today can expect to be greeted and accompanied by the deer that roam freely within Nara Park as they move along the path toward the shrine.

1 Day Tour

1-Day Walking Tour in Nara: Palace, Deer and Inkstick
Period	All Year Round
Time	09:15 – 16:30
Meeting Place	JR Nara Station
Adult Rate	¥19,800
Child Rate	¥15,500

Nara is often overlooked in favor of cities like Kyoto and Osaka, but it’s a city full of history, culture, and natural beauty. Once Japan’s capital, Nara is home to three UNESCO World Heritage Sites and offers a rich mix of ancient temples, palaces, and unique traditions.

On our one-day tour, you’ll explore the Nara Palace Site Historical Park, the former imperial residence during Japan’s Nara period. After a local lunch, you’ll get hands-on experience making Nara Sumi (traditional ink), a centuries-old craft still made in the city. We’ll also visit Kasuga-taisha Shrine, known for its iconic lanterns, and spot the sacred deer roaming freely. The day ends at Todaiji Temple, home to the world’s largest bronze statue of the Great Buddha.

Join us to uncover the charm of Nara in just one day—an unforgettable journey through Japan’s past.

Kasuga also enshrines the powerful deities ‘Ame-no-koyane’, ‘Himegami’ and ‘Futsunushi-no-mikoto’ and much-like the Grand Shrine of Ise – Japan’s most important Shinto site – sections of the Kasuga Taisha complex are deconstructed and then reconstructed every twenty years in order that the knowledge and skill required to maintain and build such shrines is retained. Famous for the hundreds of bronze lanterns that hang from buildings within the shrine, Kasuga is highly photogenic and a colourful contrast to the more austere exterior of nearby Todai-ji.