Kasuga-taisha Grand Shrine is generally believed to have been founded by the Fujiwara family in 768 A.D., the most important imperial court nobles of the Tempyo period. It was built as a tribute to their tutelary deity after the capital was moved to Heijo (present-day Nara). Classified as one of the "Three Great Shrines" of Japan, it is a sight not to be missed.

There are four shrines located here for the different dieties. The architecture of Kasuga Shrine is called the "Kasuga style" due to the charismatic shape of its roof. The sanctuary has corridors colored in a very distinct vermilion, and there are approximately 3,000 stone and bronze lanternsdonated from the 11th century on. Surrounded by a thick green grove, the shrine gives a very elegant atmosphere to the place.

The present structure was last reconstructed in 1893. According to Japanese Shinto rituals, shrines were often destroyed and rebuilt every 20 years for purification purposes. Although this is technically the 57th Kasuga Shrine, exact reconstruction based on the original layout makes it an outstanding example of 8th century Japanese architecture.

Links of interest:

Nara City: Kasuga Taisha Shrine
Historical Highway of Nara: grand Shrine of Kasuga