One of the most beautiful hills I've seen in the Kansai region. The path from Nara is a bit steep with a lot of stairs, but it's definitely worth it.
After you enjoy a spectacular view from to the top, you can stay on the path and continue to Mt. Kasuga Primeval Forest and admire Uguisu Waterfall and then follow the path even further to walk down around the hill, see Kasugayama Stone Cavern Buddhas, an abandoned temple and then get back to Nara from the south entrance and visit Shiga Naoya's Old Residence and Ukimido.
If you start and end this wonderful trip on Nara train station, it fills you an entire day.
Was a very surprising gentle 30-min hike, I managed to find another route that didn't need to pay the entrance fee of ¥150.
What I did was, I first walked towards the google pin for Mt. Kasuga Primeval Forest, and from there made my way to the wakakusa View Point. It's an extremely easy and shady walk but do note you will not be able to use strollers as there's some loose gravel.
Totally worth the hike, the view is stunning
I think Mount Wakakusa is a must-see in Nara. The scenery here is beautiful and a perfect place to watch the sunset. There are no shops or vending machines on this mountain, so you need to prepare drinks. Couples often take wedding photos here. You can see the panoramic view of Nara from the top of the mountain. I recommend you to come!
Super hot and humid afternoon hike in mid August but worth it for these amazing views. Had to buy a ticket to enter but not sure if there is another way that leads to the hill? If hiking in summer, make sure to bring lots of water 💦