The Corridor Adorned with Hanging Lanterns is Truly Breathtaking
Kasuga Taisha Shrine is believed to have originated in the early Nara period, when Takemikazuchi-no-Mikoto was enshrined on the summit of Mt. Mikasa to protect the capital, Heijō-kyō, after coming from Kashima in present-day Ibaraki Prefecture.
In 768 (Jingō-keiun 2), by imperial order of Empress Shōtoku, the current shrine buildings were constructed, and additional deities—Futsunushi-no-Mikoto from Katori (present-day Chiba Prefecture), Ameno-Koyane-no-Mikoto and Himegami from Hiraoka (present-day Osaka Prefecture)—were also enshrined.
In the Heian period, visits to the shrine by the imperial family and nobility became common, and with the establishment of periodic reconstruction every 20 years, the shrine complex took on its present scale.
From the medieval period onward, faith in the shrine spread among samurai and commoners, leading to the founding of over 3,000 branch shrines across Japan.
Within the shrine grounds, there are many hanging and stone lanterns of various shapes, known collectively as “Mantōrō.” Many of these were donated by ordinary people, showing the deep faith held by the general populace.
The “Mantōrō” ritual, in which all the lanterns are lit, is held on Setsubun in February and on August 14 and 15. Its magical and otherworldly beauty draws many visitors.
