Hike through a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Kasuga Mountain has been considered sacred to Kasuga Taisha Shrine, and logging has been strictly prohibited for over 1,000 years. As a result, the area has remained a rare primeval forest dominated by evergreen broadleaf trees such as oak (kashi) and chinquapin (shii).
Within the dim, densely wooded forest, you may encounter rare wildlife like the forest green tree frog (Moriaogaeru), the Himeharuzemi cicada, and the Japanese salamander (Kasumi Sanshōuo).
In 1955, the forest was designated a Special Natural Monument, and in 1998, it was inscribed as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara."
