Yagyu Kaido Yagyu-Kasagi-no-michi Path

The Yagyu Kaido is an ancient path that passes through the valley between Mt. Kasuga and Mt. Takamado, and reaches from Nara City to all the way to Yagyu.
There are three main courses, the Takisaka-no-michi Path, the Kengo-no-michi Path, and the Yagyu-Kasagi-no-michi Path.
 

 
This time, I will introduce the Yagyu-Kasagi-no-michi Path.
The Yagyu-Kasagi-no-michi Path is a course that heads from the Yagyu bus stop to JR Kasagi Station.
The path is an easy walk, and is about 11 km.
 
When we head up the course from the Yagyu bus stop, we are greeted by the peaceful scenery of rice paddies all around.
As we proceed along the course, one of the highlights is being able to see the Ataya-no-sekibutsu.
Ataya-no-sekibutsu is a 5-meter tall, 3-meter wide natural boulder with a rectangular frame carved into it, in which there is a 1.5-meter tall image of Amida Nyorai, and 0.7-meter tall Jizo Bodhisattva.
It is not here now, but it is said that a long time ago, there was a temple called Ataya-dera in this area.
 

 
Once we pass Ataya-no-sekibutsu, we continue up a gradual incline.
Kasagi-dera Temple is at the summit of Mt. Kasagi, a famous, national historic landmark.
It is said that this historic temple began at a Todai-ji Temple Shuni-e, and even if the temple grounds are nearly at the top of the mountain, many visitors make the effort to come from far away.
 

 
It is a little difficult to figure out how to get from Kasagi-dera Temple to JR Kasagi Station, so please look it up in advance.
Also, the path that takes us from Kasagi-dera Temple to JR Kasagi Station has an area where we need to go down some narrow steps, so caution is required.
 
On this course, we can enjoy the peaceful countryside scenery while walking along the river. I recommend visiting in spring or autumn, so please enjoy a nice stroll while listening to the flow of the river.
 
By the way, access to all of the courses requires caution as well. In Yagyu, public transportation requires a bus, but since there are relatively few of them running, be sure to check the schedule in advance.
Also, the most popular course is the Takisaka-no-michi Path.
This is the first half of the Yagyu Kaido, but it starts in Nara City and passes through the Mt. Kasuga Primeval Forest.