[Nara Cherry Blossom Season Exclusive] Mount Yoshino Nighttime Cherry Blossom Illumination

Spring cherry blossom season exclusive! This April-only Nara Night Cherry Blossom Illumination Day Tour takes you to Nara's best cherry blossom viewing spots: Mount Yoshino, Nara Park, and Kasuga Taisha Shrine, where you'll be treated to breathtaking views of the blossoms. In Nara Park, you can play with the lively deer and even buy and feed them senbei (rice crackers). At Kasuga Taisha Shrine, this majestic shrine offers a chance to pray for peace and enjoy the surrounding scenery. The night cherry blossom illumination at Mount Yoshino is a must-see! The blossoms take on a unique beauty at night, and this limited-time event means you'll have to wait another year!

- Attraction Introduction | Nara Cherry Blossom Illumination Day Tour -

▲ Mount Yoshino
Located in central Nara, Kansai, Mount Yoshino is renowned for its vibrant cherry blossoms blanketing the mountains in spring. The stunning scenery of the pink cherry blossoms has earned the nickname "a thousand cherry blossoms at a glance." Mount Yoshino was designated a National Scenic Spot in 1924 and selected as one of Japan's 100 Famous Cherry Blossom Spots in 1990!

Yoshino's cherry blossom season runs from March to April each year, and the viewing areas are divided into four zones: Shimosenbon, Nakasenbon, Kamisenbon, and Okusenbon. During the season, the branches of the Hakusan cherry trees, numbering from 10,000 to 30,000, burst into delicate blossoms, creating a sea of pale pink blossoms from ridge to valley, a truly spectacular sight. Mount Yoshino also features nighttime cherry blossom illuminations, so travelers hoping to enjoy the blossoms should be sure to check online for information on nighttime cherry blossom viewing.

▲ Nara Park
The deer frolicking in the park are protected due to their association with the legend of the white deer at Kasuga Taisha Shrine and are designated as a nationally protected species. The best time to enjoy this stunning natural beauty is during April and May, when Mount Wakakusa is lush green and the deer's fur is vibrant, or in autumn, when the mountains are blanketed in crimson leaves, during travel and graduation trips. However, you can enjoy a leisurely stroll during the off-season.

▲Kasuga Taisha Shrine
Kasuga Taisha Shrine on Mount Kasuga is the headquarters of the numerous Kasuga Taisha shrines throughout Japan. Along with Ise Jingu Shrine and Iwashimizu Hachimangu Shrine, it is considered one of Japan's three great shrines. Mount Kasuga, the sacred mountain of Kasuga Taisha, has been protected from logging for millennia, resulting in a primeval forest of broad-leaved evergreen trees, primarily oaks and rice-bearing trees. Since logging was prohibited at Kasuga Taisha Shrine in the 9th century, the primeval forest has been preserved and is now inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as an integral part of Kasuga Taisha.

The main shrine is characterized by its four juxtaposed halls. The vermilion corridors surrounding the main shrine contrast beautifully with the lush greenery at the foot of Mount Kasuga. The lanterns dangling from the eaves and the shrine halls create a picturesque scene. The vermilion main hall has been famous for its wisteria trees since ancient times, and the 3,000 stone lanterns and hanging lanterns within the shrine are also very famous.