Lantern Festival at Kasuga Taisha Shinto Shrine

/ sydneyinosaka
In 2017 I attended the incredible Lantern Festival at Kasuga Taisha Shinto Shrine in Nara, Japan. It’s held twice a year, Feb 3 for Setsubun Mantoro, and Chugen Mantoro is in mid-August during Obon. Mantoro means “10,000 lanterns.” During this ritual, 3,000 stone and bronze lanterns are lit up at nightfall. It’s an incredible event with people and their lanterns making their way through the forests and shrine.

Hana chochin, or flower lanterns, were my favorite part of the Chugen Mantoro festival I attended. The light is supposed to help people overcome the darkness of ignorance. Enjoy the video! It’s such a beautiful mindful thing to walk among the ancient lit lanterns and primeval forest replete with deer.
Lantern festival Chugen Mantoro at Kasuga Taisha Shinto Shrine in Nara, Japan August 2017.
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