By night fall, just as the crowd from Todai-ji Temple begin to diverge, the Kasuga Taisha Main Street lights up for Illuminara. From July to September, follow the glowing pathway to the Manyo Botanical Gardens, sparkling with thousands of firefly like lights. With crickets in the backdrop and the breeze ruffling through the forest, the atmosphere is evocative of Avatar’s Pandora and Macy’s during Christmas time. Quite unexpected, this is a much needed breather for the temple pilgrimage you’ve been doing all day.
