Kasuga Taisha · 5 min read
3,000 Lanterns and Sacred Deer: Kasuga Taisha Explained
Why Kasuga Taisha in Nara has about 3,000 lanterns, when they are all lit, and why Nara's deer are seen as messengers of the kami.
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文A Summary in your language
日本語
春日大社には約3,000基の灯籠があり、全部に火が入るのは年2回の万灯籠だけ。鹿が神の使いとされるのは、祭神が白い鹿に乗って来たという創建の伝承によります。手水舎では鹿の口から水が流れます。
繁體中文
春日大社約有 3,000 座燈籠，一年僅在兩次萬燈籠時全部點亮。鹿被視為神使，源於祭神乘白鹿而來的創建傳說。手水舍的水從鹿口流出。
简体中文
春日大社约有 3,000 座灯笼，一年仅在两次万灯笼时全部点亮。鹿被视为神使，源于祭神乘白鹿而来的创建传说。手水舍的水从鹿口流出。
한국어
가스가타이샤에는 약 3,000기의 등롱이 있고, 모두 불을 밝히는 것은 1년에 두 번 만등롱 때뿐입니다. 사슴이 신의 사자로 여겨지는 것은 제신이 흰 사슴을 타고 왔다는 창건 전승 때문입니다. 테미즈야에서는 사슴 입에서 물이 흘러나옵니다.
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Quick answer
The lanterns — about 3,000 in stone and bronze — were offered by worshippers over many centuries. All of them are lit only twice a year, in February and August. The deer are seen as messengers of the kami because of the shrine's founding legend: its first kami arrived riding a white deer.
一A shrine in the forest
Kasuga Taisha was founded in 768, at the foot of Mount Mikasa in Nara. It was the shrine of the Fujiwara, one of the most powerful families in Japanese history. Its buildings are painted vermilion, and the forest behind it has long been protected as sacred.
二Why so many lanterns?
As you walk up the approach, stone lanterns line both sides — many covered in moss. Inside the shrine, hundreds of bronze lanterns hang from the eaves.
Each one was offered by someone: lords, merchants, ordinary worshippers. Look at the base of a stone lantern and you'll often see carved writing — the offering and the giver.
Look for it: some stone lanterns have a deer carved into the window. See how many you can find on the walk up.
三The two nights they are all lit
Twice a year, all the lanterns are lit at once:
- Setsubun Mantōrō — February 3
- Chūgen Mantōrō — August 14–15
If your trip falls on one of these dates, it's worth planning your evening around it. On other days, the bronze lanterns inside the shrine give you a taste of the effect.
四The white deer
This is why the deer of Nara are treated as messengers of the kami. Today they roam freely through Nara Park and up to the shrine.
Many deer will bow to you, especially if you're holding shika senbei, the deer crackers sold in the park. Bow back — and feed them only those crackers.
探4 hidden details at Kasuga Taisha
Open the hunt for Kasuga Taisha →
How to see it
| Where | Nara Park, Nara |
| Getting there | About 25 minutes on foot from Kintetsu Nara Station |
| Entry | Grounds free; inner area paid — check the official site |
| Time needed | 1–2 hours (combine with Tōdai-ji and Nara Park) |
Sources
- Kasuga Taisha (official site) — https://www.kasugataisha.or.jp/
- Japan Tourism Agency multilingual explanation database: Fuseshika no Temizusho — https://www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db/en/H30-00890.html
- Kasuga-taisha — Wikipedia (founding, lanterns, Mantōrō dates) — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kasuga-taisha