Setsubun Mantoro Lantern Festival at Kasuga Taisha
Setsubun Mantoro is the winter lantern night of Kasuga Taisha, the Shinto shrine founded in 768 that stands in the wooded hills behind Nara Park and forms part of the UNESCO listing for the historic monuments of ancient Nara. It is held on Setsubun, the day before the start of spring in the traditional calendar, which falls in the first days of February and shifts between February 2 and February 3 depending on the year. On that night the shrine's lanterns are all lit at once: roughly two thousand stone lanterns donated by worshippers over the centuries and lining the forest approach, and about a thousand bronze lanterns hanging along the vermilion corridors of the inner precinct. The custom of donating a lantern and lighting it as a prayer goes back to the Muromachi period. A companion lighting, Chugen Mantoro, is held in mid-August. The approach through the deer park is cold and dark, and the lanterns are candle flames rather than electric light.
Event information
| When | Usually held in early February; check the official site for the latest schedule |
|---|---|
| Where | Nara |
| Access | Kasuga Taisha stands at the eastern end of Nara Park, about a 25-minute walk from Kintetsu Nara Station or a city bus ride to the Kasuga Taisha Honden stop; the forest approach is unlit outside the lantern nights. |
| Schedule status | Check the official site |
| Official information | Open the official site |
Practical tips
- Walk up from Kintetsu Nara through Nara Park rather than taking a taxi to the gate; the stone lantern avenue in the dark is the point of the visit.
- Bring a small torch or use your phone light for the forest approach, and dress for a cold night standing still in a shaded valley.
- The corridors of the inner precinct where the bronze lanterns hang are a separate paid area, and the queue moves slowly, so allow more time than you expect.
- The deer in Nara Park are wild animals and are less visible after dark; keep food packed away and give them space on the path.
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