Sacred Forests

Photo Courtesy of Flickr.com/Vera46

Japan is home to vast woodlands that one can purify their soul and refresh their spirit. With sacred forests spanning the likes of this city to showcase its natural beauty, we found it necessary to educate you on one of our favorite, most unique sacred forests.

The Kasugayama Primeval Forest is where true serenity can be found. As you explore the forest, you’ll soon realize the forest has a way of enabling you to become one with nature. With 175 species of trees including wild cherry, cedar, Japanese evergreen oaks, quercus gilva, podocarpus nagi, and pieris japonica trees, along with almost 600 plant species, animals, 60 different types of birds, and 180 species of insects; nature is all around you in the massively tall forest.

Designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO back in 1998, travelers are able to explore the vastness of this sacred forest on Mont Mikasa if they partake in a pilgrimage to subordinate shrines scattered throughout the mountain. Within the forest stand The Kasuga Taisha Shrine buildings, and with hunting and loding prohibited since 841AD, you get the sense that this forest will out-live us all, as there certainly aren’t many places and spaces these days that are so well preserved. Needless to say, so you may never get to explore the vast perfection of this sacred forest, but it truly is worth writing about as it’s all about co-existing with nature here, and if you ever embark on a pilgrimage here, you’ll understand what we mean.

Photo Courtesy of Flickr.com/Vera46