KasugaTaisha Shrine, The Man’yo Botanical Garden
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Category
Japan's oldest Man’yo botanical garden featuring wisteria flowers and rustic plants mentioned in the Man’yoshu
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The Man’yo Botanical Garden of Kasuga Taisha Shrine is located between Ichi no Torii (First Torii Gate) and Ni no Torii (Second Torii Gate) along the tree-lined Omotesando approach. It was opened in 1932, making it the oldest Man'yo botanical garden in Japan. The vast garden covering about 3 hectares houses about 300 kinds of plants mentioned in the Man'yoshu (the oldest existing collection of Japanese poetry), and the plants left in their natural state, as untouched by human hands as possible, are a healing and soothing presence to those who visit.
The shrine is also a famous spot for viewing wisteria. There is a wisteria garden with about 200 trees of 20 wisteria varieties. A plant closely associated with Kasuga Taisha Shrine, the wisteria blooms sequentially throughout the season, filling the garden with their sweet fragrance and delicate flowers. The wisteria flowers are planted on standing wooden structures, so they can be admired at eye level without having to look up, and many people visit during the flowering season from mid-April to early May.
The garden grounds also include the Gokoku-no-Sato, Tsubaki-en, and Man'yo-en. An ancient giant tree known as the Garyu no Ichiigashi (the sleeping dragon's Japanese oak), spreads its branches on an island in the pond located in the center of Man'yo-en. Man'yo Gagaku Recitals are held on the floating stage nearby on Children's Day and Culture Day, when gorgeous and spectacular gagaku and bugaku performances that have been passed down continuously since ancient times are dedicated. Man'yo-en also houses the relocated Marumadotei Sutra Repository (former wooden storehouse of Kasuga Taisha) that has been designated an Important Cultural Property (the interior is closed to the public). This is a kyozo (sutra repository) built in the Kamakura period (1185–1333), and characterized by its thatched roof and large rounded windows that were remodeled in the Meiji period.
There are forty-five plants recommended for viewing in Man'yo-en, which are accompanied by ceramic panels describing the representative Man'yo poems and explanations of the poems. Through these, think back to the period of the Man'yoshu and learn about how the people of Man'yo felt toward plants and how they lived in harmony with plants.
General Information
- Address
- 160 Kasugano-cho, Nara City, Nara, 630-8212
- contact details
- 080-1502-9998（Direct access to Kasuga Taisha Shrine, The Man’yo Botanical Garden
*Please note that we may not be able to answer your call depending on the situation at reception. Thank you for your understanding.） - Times
- 9:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
(Admission until 4:00 p.m.) - Closed
- June to March: Tuesdays (open on national holidays)
April to May: Open throughout - Access
- ・From Nara Station on the JR Yamatoji Line/Kintetsu-Nara Line, take the Nara Kotsu Bus (bound for Kasuga Taisha Honden) for about 11 to 15 minutes, alight at Kasuga Taisha Honden, and walk in the west direction along Omotesando for about 3 minutes.
Alternatively, take the Nara Kotsu Bus (Outer City Loop) for about 9 to 13 minutes, alight at Kasuga Taisha Omotesando, and walk in the est direction along Omotesando for about 3 minutes.
*Please note that bus services and times may change depending on the season.
・About 25 minutes on foot from Nara Station on the Kintetsu-Nara Line
・About 7 km south from Kizu IC on the Keinawa Expressway
・About 8 km east from Horai IC on the Daini Hanna Road (toll road)
・About 10 km north from Tenri IC on the Nishi-Meihan Expressway via National Route 169 - Car Park
- Available/100 buses and cars combined
[Fees] Bus: 4,000 yen; Bus forwarding service: 1,000 yen; Car: 1,500 yen; Motorcycle: 500 yen
[Opening hours] (March to October) 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., (November to February) 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. - Admission/Worship Fees (Individual)
- Adults: 500 yen
Children (junior high school students and younger): 200 yen
*Admission fee includes consumption tax - Admission/Worship Fees (Group)
- Groups (adults): 400 yen
*Admission fee includes consumption tax
*Groups refer to 20 or more people. - Events
- ・Children's Day Manyo Gagaku Recital: May 5, starting 1:00 p.m.
・Culture Day Man'yo Gagaku Recital: November 3, starting 1:00 p.m. - Seasonal Flower Information
- ・Wisteria: mid-April to early May
・Camellia: December to late March
・Gyoiko-zakura: mid-April
・Japanese water iris: early June
・Purple gromwell: late May to July
・Chinese Lizard Tail: mid-June to July
・Oga lotus: early July
*Blooming conditions and period may vary depending on the weather, etc. - Website
