Top places to visit in Nara

• Nara Deer Park

  free-roaming deer park · 4.8 rating · about 2 h · free entry

  Over 1,200 wild sika deer roam freely throughout the 502-hectare Nara Park, considered divine messengers of the Kasuga Taisha shrine deity since the 8th century. The deer have been classified as a natural monument since 1957. They have…

• Todai-ji Great Buddha Hall

  Buddhist Great Temple · 4.8 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  The world's largest wooden building houses Japan's largest bronze Buddha (Daibutsu) — 14.98 metres tall, cast in 752 AD, weighing 500 tonnes. Todai-ji (UNESCO World Heritage) was founded by Emperor Shomu as the head temple of all Buddhist…

• Kasuga Taisha Shrine & Lantern Festival

  Shinto shrine · 4.7 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  The guardian shrine of the ancient Fujiwara clan and protector of Nara, Kasuga Taisha (UNESCO) was founded in 768 AD. The approach through primeval forest on the slopes of Mt Kasuga passes beneath ancient stone lanterns — the shrine owns…

• Naramachi — Preserved Merchant Quarter

  preserved merchant district · 4.4 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  South of Kofuku-ji, Naramachi is a 19th-century merchant district of machiya townhouses with distinctive white mud walls and latticed wooden shopfronts. The neighbourhood contains sake breweries, tofu makers, craft galleries, and…

• Kofuku-ji

  buddhist temple · about 0.8 h · entry ¥700 (≈ ₹420)

  Temple with a landmark five-story pagoda and a treasured hall of Buddhist sculpture.

• Mount Wakakusa

  hill · about 1 h · entry ¥150 (≈ ₹90)

  Grassy hill above Nara Park with panoramic views, burned in the Yamayaki festival.

• Isuien Garden

  landscape garden · about 0.8 h · entry ¥1,200 (≈ ₹720)

  Elegant strolling garden using borrowed scenery of Todai-ji and the hills.

• Nara National Museum

  art museum · about 1.3 h · entry ¥700 (≈ ₹420)

  Museum of Buddhist art, host of the annual Shosoin treasures exhibition.

• Yakushi-ji

  buddhist temple · about 0.8 h · entry ¥1,100 (≈ ₹660)

  UNESCO temple with an original 8th-century East Pagoda in the Nishinokyo area.

• Toshodai-ji

  buddhist temple · about 0.8 h · entry ¥1,000 (≈ ₹600)

  UNESCO temple founded by the Chinese monk Ganjin, noted for its Kondo hall.

• Horyu-ji

  buddhist temple · about 1.5 h · entry ¥1,500 (≈ ₹900)

  UNESCO temple with the world's oldest surviving wooden structures.

Things to do

• Nara Deer Feeding & Todai-ji Temple Guided Walk Cultural · 2 h · from JPY 2,800 per person
• Naramachi Machiya Craft Workshop & Sake Walk Cultural · 3 h · from JPY 7,600 per person
• Nara Kasuga Taisha Lantern Festival Night Walk Cultural · 2 h · from JPY 5,900 per person

Day trips and tours

• Nara Park Deer, Todai-ji & Naramachi Half Day 5 h · from JPY 5,600
• Full Nara Day — Todai-ji, Kasuga Taisha & Horyuji Temple 9 h · from JPY 10,900

Where to stay in Nara

• Nara Park–Todai-ji about JPY 20,000 per night

  The obvious choice — stay within 10 minutes walk of the 1,000 free-roaming sacred deer, Todai-ji Great Buddha, Kasuga Taisha shrine and Nara National Museum. Most ryokan and traditional inns cluster here.

• Nara Station & Sanjo-dori about JPY 9,000 per night

  Central base directly connected to Kintetsu and JR Nara stations. Sanjo-dori shopping street leads straight to Nara Park — the most convenient location for first-time visitors.

Hotels

• Nara Hotel 5-star · JPY 28,000 to JPY 60,000 per night
• Hotel Nikko Nara 4-star · JPY 15,000 to JPY 30,000 per night
• Setre Naramachi 4-star
• Nara Visitor Center Guesthouse 2-star
• Dormy Inn Nara 3-star · JPY 7,000 to JPY 13,000 per night

Where to eat

• Nakatanidou Mochi Japanese, Street Food, Wagashi · about JPY 500 per person
• Mizuya Chaya Japanese, Sushi, Wagashi · about JPY 1,200 per person
• Edosan at Nara Hotel Japanese · about JPY 6,000 per person
• Portafortuna Naramachi Italian, Cafe · about JPY 1,800 per person
• Miyoshino Kudzu Dessert, Japanese · about JPY 1,200 per person
• Harishin Naramachi Japanese, Kamameshi · about JPY 3,000 per person
• Kohaku Ice Cream Dessert, Cafe · about JPY 600 per person

Getting to Nara

Airport: Osaka, Kansai International (KIX)

How visitors arrive in Nara

• Train from Osaka By train from Osaka · common

  Kintetsu trains from Osaka-Namba and JR Yamatoji services from Osaka and Tennoji run to Nara. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

• Train from Kyoto By train from Kyoto · common

  Both JR and Kintetsu lines link Kyoto with Nara; Kintetsu Nara Station is closer to the main sights. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

• Fly to Kansai Airport, then bus or train By air from Kansai International Airport · common

  Nara has no airport; visitors fly into Kansai or Itami and continue by limousine bus or rail. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

• Overnight bus from Tokyo By road from Tokyo · possible

  Several companies run overnight buses to Nara, some via Kyoto. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

From the airport to the centre

• Airport Limousine from Kansai (KIX)

  An Airport Limousine bus runs from Kansai International to both Nara stations. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

• Haruka then JR Yamatoji Line

  From KIX take the Haruka to Tennoji, then change to the JR Yamatoji Line to JR Nara. A Nankai and JR combination via Shin-Imamiya also works. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

From the railway station to the centre

• Kintetsu Nara Line from Osaka/Kyoto unconfirmed

  Kintetsu Nara Line trains run from Osaka-Namba to Kintetsu Nara, the station closer to Nara Park, Kofukuji and Todaiji. Direct trains from Kyoto also use this station. Source: gltjp.com

• JR Yamatoji Rapid unconfirmed

  JR Yamatoji Rapid trains run from Osaka (Loop Line) directly to JR Nara; from JR Namba change at Kyuhoji. JR Nara is a bit further from the main sights. Source: gltjp.com

Getting around

• Bus

  Nara Kotsu city buses serve the main sights, and an excursion bus runs from the JR and Kintetsu stations to outlying temples such as Toshodai-ji, Yakushi-ji and Horyu-ji.

  Nara Kotsu Bus Lines

• Transit Pass

  Nara Kotsu bus tickets and IC cards

• Walking

Safety and scams to avoid

• Overpriced deer crackers near park gates

  Gates to Nara Park, near Kintetsu Nara Station exit

  Official shika senbei (deer crackers) cost ¥200 per bundle with the green Nara Deer Preservation Foundation sticker. Some independent vendors near the station charge ¥400–600 without authorisation.

  How to avoid it: Only buy from vendors with the official green Deer Preservation Foundation sticker. Fixed price is ¥200. Proceeds support deer welfare — avoid unofficial sellers.

• Gold leaf counterfeits at souvenir shops

  Tourist souvenir shops near Kenroku-en and Higashi Chaya

  Some shops sell items labelled "Kanazawa gold leaf" using cheaper imported foil, not authentic Kanazawa kinpaku certified by the local cooperative.

  How to avoid it: Look for the Kanazawa Kinpaku Cooperative certification seal. Established shops in Higashi Chaya (e.g. Hakuichi) are reliable. Unusually cheap gold leaf products are unlikely to be genuine.

Best time to visit Nara

• Jan 9°C
• Feb 10°C
• Mar 14°C
• Apr 20°C
• May 25°C
• Jun 27°C
• Jul 31°C
• Aug 33°C
• Sep 29°C
• Oct 23°C
• Nov 17°C
• Dec 11°C

More in Japan

• Tokyo
• Kyoto
• Osaka
• Hakone
• Hiroshima
• Kamakura

Frequently asked questions about Nara

How many days do you need in Nara?

A typical trip to Nara is 1 day.

What are the top-rated places to visit in Nara?

The highest-rated places in our Nara guide are Nara Deer Park, Todai-ji Great Buddha Hall, Kasuga Taisha Shrine & Lantern Festival, Naramachi — Preserved Merchant Quarter.

Where should I stay in Nara?

Our guide covers these areas to stay in Nara: Nara Park–Todai-ji, Nara Station & Sanjo-dori.

How do I get around Nara?

Ways to get around Nara covered in our guide: City bus, Transit pass, Walking.

What scams should I watch out for in Nara?

Scams reported to us for Nara include Overpriced deer crackers near park gates; Gold leaf counterfeits at souvenir shops. Each is explained in the guide, with how to avoid it.

What is the weather like in Nara?

Average daytime highs in Nara run from 9°C in Jan to 33°C in Aug.

Which airport is nearest to Nara?

The nearest airport to Nara has the code KIX.