Mount Wakakusa
Mount Wakakusa (若草山, Wakakusa-yama), also known as Mount Mikasa (三笠山 Mikasa-yama), is a 342-metre-high (1,122 ft) hill located in Nara, Nara Prefecture, Japan, to the east of Nara Park. The mountain's name literally translates to "young grass".
Mount Wakakusa | |
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若草山 | |
Highest point | |
Elevation | 342 m (1,122 ft) |
Coordinates | 34°41′28″N 135°51′16″E |
Geography | |
Mount Wakakusa Location on Japan | |
Location | Nara, Japan |
Parent range | Kasagi Mountains |
On the fourth Saturday of each January, the dead grass of Mount Wakakusa is burned in an annual festival known as Yamayaki (山焼き literally "mountain burning"). [1] The tradition supposedly originated from a boundary dispute between two temples, Tōdai-ji and Kōfuku-ji in 1760. As the mediations failed, the entire mountain was set ablaze. Other explanations suggest the extermination of wild boars or pests as a result. The festival today begins with a ceremonial igniting by members of both temples, followed by a fireworks display. The festival has been postponed due to poor weather in the past.
Gallery
- Overlooking Nara
- Night view of Nara
- Viewed from Heijō Palace (with Mt Kasuga on the right)
- Burning the dead grass
- Burning the dead grass (animation)
References
- "Yamayaki". Japan National Tourism Organization.