Although a small town, Nara is abounding in rich traditional sites of the Japanese culture being home to some of the nation’s best temples and shrines. Not to be underrated either is Nara’s beautiful gardens, museums, traditional neighborhoods, and sake tasting.

Things to Do

Todai-ji Temple – home of the famous Daibutsu (Great Buddha)

One of Japan’s must-see attractions
Focal point: the Diabutsu-den (Hall of the Great Buddha) which contains the vast grandeur of Daibutsu, a 16 meter high Buddha that really does seems to exude some form of spiritual energy.
Nandai-mon Gate – a few hundred meters east of the Diabutsu-den
- 406-1 Zoushi-cho, Nara-shi
- Opening Hours: 7:30am-5:30pm (Apr-Oct), 8:00am-4:30pm (Nov-Mar)
- Admission: Y500
Nigatsu-do Hall
- Climb the atmospheric walkway that starts at the northeast corner of Todai-ji’s Daibutsu-den Hall.
  - Can get free tea to drink – MAKE SURE to wash your own cup when finished!
  - 406-1 Zoushi-cho, Nara-shi
  - Opening Hours: 24 hours Nearest Transport: 20min walk from Kintetsu Nara Station

Isui-en Garden

Using the technique called shakkei which means “borrowed scenery",” this garden incorporates the roof of the famous Todai-ji Temple as a small piece of the background of the garden. This garden is brimming with tranquility as it transports you to what seems to be a different era. Personally, this garden was the most memorable garden I had visited in Japan—an absolute gem!

Opening Hours: 9:30am-4:30pm (enter by 4:00pm)
Nearest Transport: 15min walk from Kintetsu Nara Station o
Admission: Y650

Kasuga-taisha Shrine — the most iconic shrine in Nara

This shrine is more than a simple structure. The very forest it is in creates a sense of being spirited away to a different world where you are wandering the long pathways lined with stone lanterns, deer, and other smaller shrines.
Although the Kasuga-taisha Shrine itself may appear to be the main attraction, don’t let your schedule get in the way of you wandering through the pathways, stone lanterns, and small shrines.
160 Kasugano-cho, Nara-shi
Opening Hours: 6:00am-6:00pm (Apr-Sep), 6:30am-5:00pm (Oct-Mar)
Nearest Transport: 25min walk from Kintetsu Nara Station
Admission: free!

Nara-koen Park — where you can find the population of deer

Buy shika sembei (deer crackers) to feed them and get them to come close to you. But watch out because once they know you have them, they will aggressively pursue you!
This is not so much a sight by itself, but a place that contains many other important sights, including Todai-ji Temple, Isui-en Garden and Kasuga-Taisha Shrine. Nara-koen Park is lined with pleasant pathways and dotted with ponds.
Extends east from Downtown Nara and Maramachi, running all the way up to the base of the hills that rise east of the city.
Nearest Transport: 5min walk from Kintetsu Nara Station
Admission: free

Naramachi — traditional district of shops, homes, workshops, restaurants, cafes, and ryokan (traditional Japanese inns)

The main experience from this particular section is simply enjoying your time getting lost in these old streets while having fun strolling into shops and cafes wondering if this is how Japan felt about a hundred years ago!
Mostly maid out of Machiya — long, narrow “townhouses” (traditional wooden houses).
Lies south of Sanjo-dori Street (basically the neighborhood east of JR Nara Station and south of Kintetsu Nara Station.
Koshi-no-le – a traditional house that you can enter
21 Chuin-cho, Nara-shi
Nearest Transport: 10min walk from Kintetsu Nara Station, 5 min walk from JR Nara Station

Group Together

Remember, these items grouped together are only recommended together based on distance apart. Use this compilation to your advantage by picking and choosing which sets (if you want to go with only one or multiple) go best with your schedule.

Isuien garden —> 8 min walk —> Todai-ji Temple —> 10 min walk —> Nara-Koen park —> 11 min walk —> Kasuga-taisha —> Kintetsu-Nara station (Kintetsu-Nara line), switch at Yamato-Saidaiji station, get on Kintetsu-Kashihara line, get off at Kintetsu Koriyama station, ~47 min —> Naramachi