Mount Wakakusa

若草山

Mount Wakakusa is a 342 m hill covered with about 33 hectares of grass, at the eastern edge of Nara Park. It looks like three hats stacked together, so it is also called Mikasa-yama. On the summit is the Uguisuzuka Kofun, an ancient burial mound said to date from around the 5th century. From the top, visitors can see over Nara City, including Kofuku-ji and Todai-ji. Every January the grass is burned in the Wakakusa Yamayaki event.

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Visitor information

Opening hours: Open from the third Saturday of March to the second Sunday of December, 9:00–17:00.
Admission: Adults (junior high and older) 150 yen; elementary school children 80 yen.
Getting there: To the foot of the hill: from JR Nara or Kintetsu Nara Station, take the city loop bus to Daibutsuden Kasuga Taisha-mae, then walk about 5 minutes.

Hours and fees can change. Please check the official website before you go.

Good to know

By car, use the toll Shin-Wakakusayama Driveway to the free summit parking lot, then walk 5 minutes to the top.
The two entrance gates are about 300 m apart, so agree on which gate when meeting. The slope is steeper than it looks; take care when walking down.

Tips for Muslim visitors

From the entrance gates at the foot (north and south) to the summit is a trek of about 30–40 minutes on foot.
You can also reach the summit by car via the Nara Okuyama Driveway.
Natural sites may have few facilities. Bring water, a travel prayer mat and a qibla app, and check the weather; mountains and lakes can be much colder than the city.
Restrooms for wudu can be far apart on trails. Many Muslim travellers carry a small water bottle for wudu.
Plan your visit around prayer times. Below are today's prayer times for Nara and the verified places to pray nearby.
Food stalls and shops near popular sights usually do not have halal certification. Check the ingredients, or choose from the verified places on this site.