Kasuga Taisha and the Mantōrō Lantern Festival

Among the many traditions of Kasuga Taisha in Nara, one of the most beautiful is the Mantōrō Lantern Festival.

Twice each year, thousands of lanterns are lit throughout the shrine grounds, transforming the sacred forest into a landscape of gentle light. For centuries, worshippers have donated stone and bronze lanterns to Kasuga Taisha as expressions of gratitude, prayers, and hopes for peace and protection.

Today, there are around 3,000 lanterns within the shrine grounds.

During Mantōrō, their warm light illuminates the pathways and the vermilion shrine buildings, creating an atmosphere unlike anywhere else in Japan.

For visitors from overseas, the scene may appear almost dreamlike.
Yet the beauty of Mantōrō is not simply visual.
Each lantern represents the prayers of someone who lived in another time.
Together, they remind us that faith is carried forward from one generation to the next.

Walking through the sacred forest beneath the soft glow of thousands of lanterns, it becomes easy to understand why Kasuga Taisha has remained one of Japan's most treasured shrines for more than 1,200 years.

The light.
The silence.
The ancient forest.

Together they create an unforgettable experience that reflects the enduring spirit of Japanese culture.

BRONZE MUSEUM JAPAN

photo : Supervisor K