Mt. Kasuga Primeval Forest

I expected something special, yet this sacred forest left me breathless. Since the 8th century, no hunting or logging has been allowed here, and among the towering cedars, deer wander freely — revered as sacred beings by the Japanese people. I watched a young woman bow gently to a deer, and the deer bowed back. In that quiet moment, I realized it wasn’t only about reverence for nature — it was about the grace within those who still know how to show it. This place isn’t just beautiful. It’s a living reminder of the harmony we so often forget. 🍃🦌

Hiked this as part of the Nara/Wakakusayama Hill loop and it did not disappoint! Lovely and quiet, a few friendly locals and the sound of nature. It uphill most of the way but you can take it at whatever pace you like. Must do for nature buffs.

Drove through the Primeval Forest, it’s was a unique experience with first 1/3 of the route being unpaved gravel road, winding through the scenic ancient forest. We visited the waterfall which about 600m walk from the road, view points, trails to stone cravings etc. The colours in autumn adds to the magic. Definitely recommended.

We did the Kasugayama Primeval Forest hike / loop in Nara Park - it was wonderful. Highly recommended. A moderate hike, with plenty of gentle incline. Quite well signed at each fork in the path. Also impressed by the number of toilet and rest area facilities. The views from the Wakakusayama Summit over Nara were amazing. The waterfall is a very scenic and worthwhile detour. And the hiking through the primeval Forest was a real pleasure. It snowed lightly for much of the hike and there was heavy ice in places where there is running water (not on the trail). It was a highlight of our two night stay in Nara. 13km hiking loop. Plus 2km from Nara to the trail head. Plus 2km from trail exit back to Nara - so wear some suitable gear. Took us around 4hr. Collect a map from the tourist office near Sarusawa Pond.

Very nice place to enjoy nature. It is more or less like easy circular route with a side trail leading to a waterfall. There are several old trails leading to the interior-high areas of the mountain but those are closed to the public and likely unkept. The standard road is nice enough and peaceful.

A beautiful forest and a great place for hiking (and I've seen some people even jogging). You can get there through west entrance from Mt. Wakakusa and after something between 4 and 5 hours you can get back to Nara from the south entrance. During that time, you can see also Uguisu Waterfall, Kasugayama Stone Cavern Buddhas and an abandoned temple. Beware of snakes, fallen trees and slippery sides of the road.

This forest is part of UNESCO world heritage and it's a beautiful hike. If you're coming from Nara Park, you can enter the trail from just east of the restaurant Mizuya Chaya. Going around the whole forest took us about four hours. It will take you to the Wakakusayama hilltop, the Uguisuno-taki waterfall, and then along the southern edge of the forest. Some more detail: The full circuit is about four hours trek, mostly gravel path or asphalt, but quite a bit of incline in some places. Going from the trail entry to the hilltop takes about an hour, where you'll want to pause to enjoy the view, then another hour or so to get to the waterfall, and another hour and a half trek to the edge of the forest in the southwest. It's possible to meet cars along the way, but we never did, only two mopeds and two bikes along the full circuit. We met a handful of other hikers as well, mostly Japanese. It's perfect to spend a morning or afternoon. If it's a hot day, don't be discouraged, as the path is almost completely in shade from the trees and the forest is pleasantly cool even on a hot day. I recommend taking a lot of water along, as we did not see any water taps along the way. There are two restrooms we went by, one on the hilltop (where there are also vending machines with drinks), and one at the reststop on the southeast edge of the forest.

I had the whole trail to myself, only passed a handful of locals along the way. If you love nature this is a must.