An imperial festival passed down in ancient Nara: a day to experience the prayers of Kasuga Taisha
Kasuga Festival (Nara City)
The 2026 edition of Kasuga Festival (Nara City) has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/03/13Ended
- Season / frequency
- Every year on March 13
- Location
- Kasuga Taisha
- Area
- Nara Prefecture・Nara City(From Tokyo: approx. 3 h–3 h 30 min · bullet train + connecting train)Prefecture-level estimate to a main station or airport, not the venue. Airport access, check-in and onward travel are extra; remote areas and islands can take much longer.
- Wishes behind the festival
- Participation / viewing
- No spectators allowed
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
An annual festival passed down at Kasuga Taisha in Nara City, counted as one of the Three Great Imperial Festivals. An imperial envoy is welcomed from the Imperial Court, and prayers are offered for the peace of the nation and the prosperity of its people.
About Kasuga Festival (Nara City)
Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: あきはゆうぐれ File:春日大社一之鳥居２.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 Own work by the contributorDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: あきはゆうぐれ File:春日大社一之鳥居１.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 Own work by the contributorDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.The Kasuga Festival is an annual festival held at Kasuga Taisha in Nara City.
Along with the Aoi Festival and Iwashimizu Festival, it is counted as one of the Three Great Imperial Festivals. An imperial envoy representing His Majesty the Emperor is welcomed from the Imperial Court.
A signature festival of Kasuga Taisha, where prayers are offered for the peace of the nation and the prosperity of its people.
Source: 日本三大勅祭の1つ。春日祭／春日大社 ※拝観不可 | イベント一覧 | 【公式】奈良市観光コンシェルジュ
Festival highlights
A highlight is the stately ceremony welcoming an imperial envoy dispatched from the Imperial Court.
The Kasuga Festival is counted as one of the Three Great Imperial Festivals and is regarded as an event that combines ancient court rites with Kasuga Taisha’s annual festival.
General viewing is not permitted, so this is not an event where visitors can freely watch the ceremony on the .
An imperial festival passed down in ancient Nara: a day to experience the prayers of Kasuga Taisha
What to expect
During the festival, an imperial envoy from the Imperial Court is welcomed to Kasuga Taisha, and prayers are offered for the peace of the nation and the prosperity of its people.
Kasuga Taisha’s annual events list the preliminary Kasuga Festival rites from March 10 through the 12th, the Kasuga Festival on the 13th, and the concluding Kasuga Festival rites on the 14th.
The main Kasuga Festival begins at 9 a.m. on March 13.
Source: 年中行事 | 春日大社
How to take part
The Kasuga Festival is not presented as an event inviting the general public to take part in the ceremony itself.
The 2026 information states “No viewing permitted,” so members of the public cannot watch the ceremony.
No registration or application process for those wishing to participate is provided.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Kasuga Taisha (160 Kasuganocho, Nara, Nara Prefecture)
- Train and bus
From JR Nara Station or Kintetsu Nara Station, take a bus bound for Kasuga Taisha . The ride takes about 11–15 minutes; get off at “Kasuga Taisha Honden,” just outside the shrine.
Alternatively, take the outer loop of the city loop bus for about 9–13 minutes, get off at “Kasuga Taisha Omotesando,” then walk about 10 minutes.
Address 160 Kasuganocho, Nara, Nara Prefecture
Dates and season
2026 event information (the listed dates have passed)
The 2026 Kasuga Festival was held on March 13 (Friday), with the event information stating that it began at 9 a.m.
Since Meiji 19 (1886), the Kasuga Festival has been held on March 13 according to the Gregorian calendar.
Related rites are also held around the festival: a preliminary rite on the 12th, beginning on March 10, and a concluding rite on March 14.
Source: 春日祭 - Wikipedia
Accommodation and hotels PR
Showing nearby accommodation.
Prices and availability are current at the time of retrieval. For multi-night stays, only the first night’s price is shown. Confirm the final price and directions to the venue with the booking provider. Select your dates again when using the area search link. Search area: within 3 km of Central Nara Prefecture / Nara City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
Kasuga Festival is listed as a festival that is not open to visitors, so it cannot be viewed from the shrine grounds as a public event.
The 2026 guide notes that festival activities may change depending on circumstances.
When traveling to Kasuga Taisha, please also note that bus services and schedules may vary by season.
Source: Kasuga Taisha
Nearby attractions
中野美術館
奈良県奈良市にある美術館
依水園
奈良県奈良市にある日本庭園
写真：Kimon Berlin ( Gribeco ) / CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo source ·
入江泰𠮷記念奈良市写真美術館
奈良県奈良市にある美術館
吉城園
奈良県奈良市の日本庭園
大和文華館
日本の私立美術館
奈良公園
奈良市の公園
奈良国立博物館
奈良市にある国立博物館
奈良市史料保存館
奈良県奈良市にある博物館
奈良県立美術館
奈良県奈良市にある美術館
寧楽美術館
奈良県奈良市にある博物館
平城京左京三条二坊宮跡庭園
奈良県奈良市三条大路にある庭園遺構
手向山八幡宮
奈良県奈良市にある神社
Origins and History of Kasuga Festival (Nara City)
The Kasuga Festival is generally believed to have originated in Kasho 3 (850).
It developed as a festival of the Fujiwara clan. Kofuku-ji became involved in Tenryaku 1 (947), and Emperor Ichijo made a visit in Eiso 1 (989).
After a period of decline and a revival during the Edo period, it became an imperial festival in Meiji 19 (1886) and transitioned to its present form.
Official information
Kasuga Taisha’s official “Annual Events” page provides information about the Kasuga Festival on March 13 and related events before and after it.
The venue is Kasuga Taisha, and the official website also provides its address and directions.
Kasuga Festival (Nara City) at a Glance
The Kasuga Festival is an annual festival held at Kasuga Taisha in Nara City on March 13, and is counted as one of the Three Great Imperial Festivals.
In 2026, prayers for the peace of the nation and the prosperity of its people were offered from 9 a.m. on March 13 (Friday), with an imperial envoy from the Imperial Court in attendance.
Viewing is not permitted, so this is not an event intended for public viewing or participation.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
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Article updated: 2026/10/19
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