| Mount Wakakusa | |
|---|---|
| 若草山 | |
 | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 342 m (1,122 ft)[1] |
| Listing | Mountains of Japan |
| Coordinates | 34°41′28″N 135°51′15″E / 34.69103°N 135.85419°E[1] |
| Dimensions | |
| Area | 33 ha (82 acres)  |
| Geography | |
  Mount Wakakusa Location on Japan | |
| Location | Nara, Japan |
| Parent range | Kasagi Mountains |
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 to the east of Nara Park in the city of Nara, Nara Prefecture, Japan. The mountain's name literally means "young grass". The mountain is closed from December 12th to March 17th and cannot be accessed.
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"). [2] The tradition supposedly originated from a boundary dispute between two temples, Tōdai-ji and Kōfuku-ji in 1760; after mediation failed, the entire mountain was set ablaze. Other explanations suggest that the extermination of wild boar or other pests was the original purpose. The festival today begins with a ceremonial igniting by representatives of both temples, followed by a fireworks display. The festival has sometimes been postponed or cancelled because of poor weather or during wartime.
