Kasuga Shrine
Encyclopedia
is a Shinto shrine in the city of Nara
, in Nara Prefecture
, Japan
. Established in 768
AD and rebuilt several times over the centuries, it is the shrine of the Fujiwara family
. The interior is famous for its many bronze lanterns, as well as the many stone lantern
s that lead up the shrine.
The architectural style Kasuga-zukuri
takes its name from Kasuga Shrine's honden
(sanctuary).
Kasuga Shrine, and the Kasugayama Primeval Forest near it, are registered as a UNESCO
World Heritage Site
as part of the "Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara
".
The path to Kasuga Shrine passes through Deer Park (where tame deer roam free). Over a thousand stone lanterns line the way. The Man'yo Botanical Garden, Nara
is adjacent to the shrine.
. In 965, Emperor Murakami
ordered that Imperial messengers were sent to report important events to the guardian kami of Japan. These heihaku were initially presented to 16 shrines including the Kasuga Shrine.
From 1871 through 1946, Kasuga Shrine was officially designated one of the , meaning that it stood in the first rank of government supported shrines.
March 13 is the Kasuga Matsuri ("Monkey Festival"), which features gagaku
and bugaku
dance performances.
Nara, Nara
is the capital city of Nara Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. The city occupies the northern part of Nara Prefecture, directly bordering Kyoto Prefecture...
, in Nara Prefecture
Nara Prefecture
is a prefecture in the Kansai region on Honshū Island, Japan. The capital is the city of Nara.-History:The present-day Nara Prefecture was created in 1887, making it independent of Osaka Prefecture....
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Established in 768
768
Year 768 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 768 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* Pepin the Short , king of the Franks since...
AD and rebuilt several times over the centuries, it is the shrine of the Fujiwara family
Fujiwara family
The Fujiwara clan , descending from the Nakatomi clan, was a powerful family of regents in Japan.The clan originated when the founder, Nakatomi no Kamatari , was rewarded by Emperor Tenji with the honorific "Fujiwara", which evolved as a surname for Kamatari and his descendants...
. The interior is famous for its many bronze lanterns, as well as the many stone lantern
Tōrō
A "灯篭" is just a simplified form of "灯籠". is a Japanese lantern made of stone, wood, or metal traditional in the Far East. In China extant specimen are very rare, and in Korea too they are not as common as in Japan. In Japan, tōrō were originally used only in Buddhist temples, where they lined and...
s that lead up the shrine.
The architectural style Kasuga-zukuri
Kasuga-zukuri
is a traditional Shinto shrine architectural style which takes its name from Kasuga Taisha's honden. It is characterized by the use of a building just 1x1 ken in size with the entrance on the gabled end covered by a veranda. In Kasuga Taisha's case, the honden is just 1.9 m x 2.6 m.Supporting...
takes its name from Kasuga Shrine's honden
Honden
The , is the most sacred building at a Shinto shrine, intended purely for the use of the enshrined kami, usually symbolized by a mirror or sometimes by a statue. The building is normally in the rear of the shrine and closed to the general public. In front of its usually stands the haiden, or...
(sanctuary).
Kasuga Shrine, and the Kasugayama Primeval Forest near it, are registered as a UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
as part of the "Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara
Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara
The UNESCO World Heritage Site Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara encompasses eight places in the old capital Nara in Nara Prefecture, Japan. Five are Buddhist temples, one is a Shinto shrine, one is a Palace and one a primeval forest. The properties include 26 buildings designated by the Japanese...
".
The path to Kasuga Shrine passes through Deer Park (where tame deer roam free). Over a thousand stone lanterns line the way. The Man'yo Botanical Garden, Nara
Manyo Botanical Garden, Nara
The , also known as the Kasuga Taisha Garden, is a botanical garden located next to the Kasuga Shrine at 160 Kasugano-cho, Nara, Nara, Japan.The garden opened in 1932, and is a Manyo Botanical Garden containing all plants mentioned in the Man'yōshū, each labeled with its name and poems that...
is adjacent to the shrine.
History
The shrine became the object of Imperial patronage during the early Heian periodHeian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height...
. In 965, Emperor Murakami
Emperor Murakami
was the 62nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Murakami's reign spanned the years from 946 to his death in 967.-Traditional narrative:...
ordered that Imperial messengers were sent to report important events to the guardian kami of Japan. These heihaku were initially presented to 16 shrines including the Kasuga Shrine.
From 1871 through 1946, Kasuga Shrine was officially designated one of the , meaning that it stood in the first rank of government supported shrines.
Festivals
During the festivals of Setsubun Mantoro (February 2–4) and Obon Mantoro (August 14–15), the thousands shrine lanterns of Kasuga-taisha are all lit at once.March 13 is the Kasuga Matsuri ("Monkey Festival"), which features gagaku
Gagaku
Gagaku is a type of Japanese classical music that has been performed at the Imperial Court in Kyoto for several centuries. It consists of three primary repertoires:#Native Shinto religious music and folk songs and dance, called kuniburi no utamai...
and bugaku
Bugaku
Bugaku dance is the traditional Japanese dance that has been performed to select elites mostly in Japanese imperial courts for over twelve hundred years. In this way it has been an upper class secret, although after World War II the dance was opened to the public and has even toured around the...
dance performances.
See also
- List of Shinto shrines
- Twenty-Two Shrines
- List of National Treasures of Japan (crafts-others)
- List of National Treasures of Japan (crafts-swords)
- List of National Treasures of Japan (shrines)
- Deer (mythology)Deer (mythology)Deer have significant roles in the mythology of various peoples.-Celtic:The Insular Celts held deer as supernatural animals, "fairy cattle" that were herded and milked by a localised and benevolent fairy giantess in each district, who could shift shape to that of a red deer; in the West...
- Modern system of ranked Shinto ShrinesModern system of ranked Shinto ShrinesThe The The (sometimes called simply , was an organizational aspect of the establishment of Japanese State Shinto. This system classified Shinto shrines as either official government shrines or "other" shrines...
- Kasuga MaruKasuga MaruThe was a Japanese ocean liner owned by Nippon Yusen Kaisha. The ship was built in 1938-1940 by Mitsubishi Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. at Nagasaki, Japan...
- List of Special Places of Scenic Beauty, Special Historic Sites and Special Natural Monuments
External links
- Official site in Japanese
- Japan Guide
- New York Public Library Digital Gallery, early photograph of entrance to Kasuga Shrine
- National Diet Library: photo, 1913
- National Archives of Japan: Kasugashinkozu, scroll showing annual festival at Nara Kasuga Grand Shrine (Edo period)