Top Things to do in Nara
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10 Things to Do in Nara That You Shouldn't Miss
Thirteen hundred years ago, Nara (then Heiju-kyu) was the imperial capital of Japan. "Old Japan" is still easy to spot here, from Great Buddha Hall to traditional ryokans and the serene Isuien garden. Travelers rave about walking tours of Nara, particularly in the historic Naramachi merchant area.
Restaurants in Nara
1. Nara Visitor Center & Inn
Overall Ratings
5 based on 228 reviews
Nara Visitor Center & Inn is located in the midst of Nara. Right on the edge of Sarusawa Pond, the location offers wonderful views of the changing seasons. Nara Visitor Center & Inn provides tourists visiting Nara a great place to relax and interact along with the opportunity to discover and experience the city’s cultural and sightseeing riches.
Reviewed By SydneyGlobetrotter09 - Sydney, Australia
Great location, 10-min walk from the Kintetsu station and easy walk to Nara Park and historic areas for shopping. Large room by Japanese standards (only downside is brick pillows and some carpet stains/dated fittings). Clean and quiet. Extremely friendly staff, very helpful and informative in English. Convenience store located on ground level of same building and several cultural activities on offer. Highly recommend.
2. Todai-ji Temple
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4 reviews
Reviewed By Maggie O - Sydney, Australia
This is a must see. Well worth the walk around to see everything. There are lots and lots of deers walking around, so watch where you walk for they just relieve themselves everywhere. Use a disinfectant wipe if you decide to pat them. Wear comfortable shoes. Your camera will be working overtime. The Temple is fantastic.
3. Nara Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4 reviews
Reviewed By Helen T
The deer are freely roaming around the park and you can buy a pack of crackers for 150 yen to feed them. They absolutely love them and prepare to immediately be surrounded buy potentially overly friendly deer to get them. They will bow for them as well which is quite cute. There are lots of nice trails around to walk and plenty of little shops and food places. Not too far from the station either
4. Toshodaiji Temple
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 510 reviews
5. Nigatsu-do Temple
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 568 reviews
Reviewed By GVancouver - Vancouver, Canada
Nigatsu-do and Sangatsu-do temples are a bit of an uphill walk from Todai-ji Temple. They are attractive, but modest compared to other temples on the park grounds (and in Japan generally).
They are worth a visit but if you're tired, hot and cranky, your energy might be better spent walking over to the Kasuga Grand Shrine.
6. Isuien Garden
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 375 reviews
Reviewed By Nikki P
If you travel to Nara please don't miss this beautiful garden with it's beautiful colours, streams, stepping stones and ponds with the most amazing reflections. If you can, get one of the garden guides to show you around, they are a mine of information about the garden layout and history. This is an absolute must visit place!
7. Yoshikien
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 142 reviews
Reviewed By Lyn&MarkfromOz - Melbourne, Australia
Whilst it's neighbouring garden is a bit larger we found Yoshikien Gardens to be a more serene experience. Some how a little bit more relaxed yet very beautiful. It is obviously looked after with much love.
A bonus is that it is free for foreign visitors. We showed our drivers licences but passport or similar would suffice.
Lovely people.
8. Kasuga Grand Shrine
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1 reviews
Reviewed By soh_kien_peng - Singapore, Singapore
We commenced our exploration into Nara Park from Kintetsu Nara metro station. We started quite early in the morning but by the time, we reached Kasuga Grand Shrine it was almost late evening and the sky was turning dark.
I was attracted by the vermilion columns of the temple from far and thought it was another Fushimi Inari but it was not. The next thing that attracted my eyes were the numerous unique bronze lanterns and concrete lanterns on the pathway and around the temple compound.
This Shinto temple is not enormously complex like Fushimi Inairi or Kiyomizu-dera but it is one of the oldest temple in Nara built in the 8th century at the same time when Nara became the first capital of Japan. It was the temple of a powerful royal clan that dominated the political scene of that era and the family clan prayed to the Shinto gods for the protection of the city and her people. Every twenty years there will be a big celebration and the temple will be refurbished and renovated and thus, it was able to survive for so many years, well preserved and continue to retain her original physical state. The long heritage history of this temple won her a UNESCO heritage title and a precious historical monument.
When night sets in and the bronze lanterns are lighted up, the temple became brightly lit and illuminatingly beautiful. And when the deer wandered around the radiant concrete lanterns, it gives off a rustic and peaceful charm to the temple. Such is the beauty of this temple
Entry into the outer perimeter of the temple is free but a charge of 500 yen is levied for entry into the inner temple.
9. Harushika Brewery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 116 reviews
Reviewed By SnellingsY - Leuven, Belgium
If you visit Nara and you like alcohol you have to do this, this is an absolute must. The brewery is walking-distance from Nara park. The tasting is only 500 yens, you get 5 kinds of sake (if you are nice they will even serve you six). Afterwards you also get to taste some sake snacks.
10. Shinyakushiji Temple
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 174 reviews
Reviewed By BTDTtattoo
Shin Yakushiji is a small jewel. The Hon-dō, the principal image of Yakushi Nyorai and eleven statues of the Twelve Heavenly Generals have been designated by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of the government of Japan as National Treasures. What is different here in this small quiet compound is at least two things -- the approachability of the statues and the ability to see the artfulness of their expressions close up. Especially if you are tired of very large temples and the inability to feel close up and personal with the statuary inside your usual shrine or temple, this is a fun place. One way to see this is to start your (half) day at Todaiji (the big Buddha), then turn up the hill to Nigatsu-do. Leave Nigatsu-do and walk south along the brow of the hill to Kasuga Shrine. Continue to walk along the brow of the hill until you reach a street on the south side of the Kasuga park. Turn right down the street and look for signs on the left to Shin Yakushiji, which will be up the hill to your left about a quarter mile. Closes at 17:00 so pace the hike so you are not late. I've been here on three different trips to the Kanto sightseeing, and will visit again on my next trip!
